2010 FIFA WORLD CUP: Inside The Mind Of Maradona

The World of Football exploded Tuesday when Diego Maradona released perhaps the most controversial list in World Cup history. Amongst the notable absentees were Inter captain Javier Zanetti, midfielder Esteban Cambiasso, Real Madrid man Fernando Gago, and Boca Juniors playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme.

            The media from all reaches of the planet unleashed hell on Maradona, not only because of the big names missing, but for the inclusion of many local based players without international experience such as Ariel Garce and Juan Insaurralde.

            Obviously the squad has its flaws, but rather than joining in on the futile rant against El Diez and his World Cup appointments, let us try and understand why he did what he did, and what he will try and do when his side takes the field at Ellis Park in Johanesburg June 12^th against Nigeria.

            Since Gabriel Batistuta, Diego Simeone, and Oscar Ruggeri inspired Argentina to victory at the 1993 Copa America, Argentina has sent promising teams to nearly ever senior level international tournament, but the results remained the same.

            The youth teams have piled up the trophies, winning the Youth World Cup five times (1995, 1997, 2001, 2005, and 2007) and two Olympic Gold Medals (2004 and 2008), but the senior team could not get the results when it mattered.

            In the 2002 World Cup, Marcelo Bielsa took Argentina to South Korea and Japan as favorites, but crashed out in the group stage. In the defining match of that World Cup against Sweded, Basile’s side that featured attacking fullbacks Javier Zanetti and Juan Pablo Sorin and a wealth of strikers like Batistuta, Arieal Ortega, and Hernan Crespo Argentina dominated play, but could not finish their chances and drew one each and went home.

            In 2006, Jose Pekerman was vastly criticized for taking off Riquelme with his team up 1-0 against hosts Germany, and even more so when he left Lionel Messi on the bench in favor of Julio Cruz, but the substitutions would not have been scrutinized had Argentina been able to close the game out.

            The height of Argentina’s disappointing run in tournaments came about in the 2007 Copa America under Alfio Basile. With Messi and Riquelme at the top of their powers, Argentina thrashed opponent after opponent before facing Brazil in the Final.

            That day, Dunga played a tactical game, marked and even hacked Messi and Riquelme, and scored on the counter. Three chances and three goals. Game over. For all the possession they had that day Argentina, only threatened Doni in Brazil’s goal a handful of times.

            After taking over as manager, it appeared that Maradona had not changed or learned anything from his predecessors, playing the typical Argentine possession game, but being exposed on the counter attack, a 2-0 loss to Ecuador and a 3-1 loss to Brazil in Rosario the most glaring results.

            All the possession and flashy attacking was easy on the eye, but it was not getting results. In the final and most important qualifier against Uruguay in Montevideo, a place where Argentina had not won in over 30 years, Maradona lined up four centerbacks, kept out the brilliant duo of Diego Forlan and Luis Suarez and escaped with a victory.

            In March against Germany, Maradona repeated the same formation in Munich, and Argentina again won 1-0, the Germany reduced to long range shots that never troubled Sergio Romero. That was the day Maradona set his team for the World Cup.

            Four centerbacks may not be flashy, but the results have worked for Maradona so far, and given the fact that Argentina have not won a major trophy in 17 years, and have not won the World Cup for 24, its worth the switch.

Maradona has stated many times that if he had the likes of Maicon or Dani Alves he would use them, but with so much on the line he cannot afford to have his fullbacks get caught up the pitch. 

            Make shift laters Nicolas Otamendi and Gabriel Heinze (who plays as a left back for Marseille but began his career as a centerback) will be instructed to not cross the midfield except to surprise the opposition, while the front three of Lionel Messi, Angel Di Maria, and Gonzalo Higuain will be able to concentrate solely on attacking.

            The lack of fullbacks means Zanetti has been cast aside. Certainly El Pupi could be used as an alternate merely for his versatility and experience in the dressing room, but Maradona does not see it that way.

            When he took over as coach in 2008, Maradona had intended to drop Zanetti from the team, but was impressed by his proffesionalism keeping him around for his first nine games in charge.

            Zanetti put in some great games for Maradona, but also put in some lackluster efforts, such as the famous 6-1 defeat to Bolivia. Zanetti was vastly exposed, giving away a penalty and giving the ball away one too many times.

            Although Maradona persisted with the legend, he was eventually dropped after another loss to Paraguay. Zanetti’s exclusion is tragic, and it could not have happened to a better person, but when discussing his form, we must remember he was far from his best for Argentina. There are also personal issues between the two, and although we cannot agree with Maradona’s move, we must live with it.

            Cambiasso’s exclusion largely stems from personal issues, like Zanetti, from the previous regime of Alfio Basile. Cambiasso has only been called up once under Maradona, and played just 15 minutes in a loss to Spain. In reality, he never had a chance, which makes the media circus very strange. The majority of people don’t pay attention to Argentine football merely watched the Inter vs. Barcelona game then saw Maradona’s list and became outraged that Cambiasso was not there.

            No one is going to deny that Cambiasso is a great player, an intelligent one at that, but he will not play with Maradona. No different from Van Bommel not playing under Van Basten or Cassano not playing under Lippi.

            Fernando Gago’s exclusion is rather strange, and along with Ever Banega perhaps the greatest mistake made by Maradona. El Diez told Gago he would only go to the World Cup if he was playing, and despite starting 10 straight games at Real Madrid, Gago has missed out to the likes of Mario Bolatti and Juan Mercier.

            Pablo Aimar is another name the media have been crying about, but Aimar has played second fiddle to Di Maria this season at Benfica. Later in the season, Aimar began many games on the bench. El Payaso has had many injury troubles through the years, and Maradona’s decision to bring in the young Javier Pastore of Palermo instead of Aimar is probably one of his better picks.

            One could argue that Maradona is putting together a great mix of players who will run through a wall for him, like Jonas Guitierrez who will run up and down the right flank all day, and world class talent like Messi, Higuain, Mascherano, Di Maria, and Samuel.

The bottom line is, there will always be terrible decisions made by managers, but because Maradona is the man who has made some questionable decisions, the media storm has excalated. 

Four years ago, Jose Pekerman left out Zanetti, along with Walter Samuel and Martin Demichelis, but including Fabricio Coloccini, Leonardo Cufre, and Lionel Scaloni. 

Four years on, Maradona has again left out Zanetti, four years older, but brought Samuel and Demichelis who will both start in the Champions League Final later this month. 

In 2002, Marcelo Bielsa left out Javier Saviola for the 35 year old Claudio Caniggia who did not get on the pitch once, but still managed to be sent off for arguing with the referee from the bench. 

In 1998, Daniel Passarella did not take Real Madrid's Fernando Redondo or Caniggia for various personal reasons, including not cutting their hair, but the world wide media storm was tame compared to this year. 

Had another coach excluded Zanetti and Cambiasso, there would not be nearly as much speculation or discussion. 

            Zanetti and Cambiasso won't be there, but when Argentina does take the field in June, one thing is for sure: they will be hard to beat. They will also have the sort of fire power that strikes fear into the competition. With Carlos Tevez, Sergio “Kun” Aguero, and Diego Milito lurking on the bench, Argentina will never be out of a match.