Maradona rejects role with Argentina

November 11, 2005 12:02 IST

World Cup winner Diego Maradona said on Thursday he has turned down an offer to work with the Argentine national team.

"I don't think it's the best moment to join the team," Maradona said in a radio interview. "I want to make it clear that I don't want to get in anyone's way."

His decision came after speculation over what his role would be and whether he would be stepping on the toes of Argentina coach Jose Pekerman.

Maradona met Argentina Football Association (AFA) president Julio Grondona last week to discuss a possible position.

Grondona said in a radio interview last Friday that Maradona had been incorporated into the national team staff and he saw him as a future Argentina coach.

Maradona, a member of Argentina's 1986 World Cup winning side, made a dramatic recovery after undergoing drugs rehabilitation last year and a gastric bypass operation in Colombia in March.

He works as a director of Boca Juniors and also hosted a weekly television show, which ended last week.

Get Rediff News in your Inbox:

Source:

© Copyright 2024 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.