I think the verdict has been quite positive.
Typically El Diego sucks up all the oxygen where ever he is. Instead we saw no outbursts or wild gesticulations on the sidelines or haranguing of officials which we typically associate Maradona with. He was sober and subdued though his first match as manager, with nary a whisper of emotion at Maxi Rodriguez's goal. Maradona rarely got up preferring to remain huddled against the cold.
He hugged all his players after the match more for their support following his daughter's admission to a Madrid hospital with complications resulting from her pregnancy. It was obvious that her condition weighed heavy on his head.
Maradona had thought about leaving the camp himself but was told by Giannina to stay. “I’ve got a lump in the heart,” Maradona had said in the hours leading up to kick-off.
After the match, and before flying straight to Madrid to see Giannina, he paid tribute to his players for helping him to cope with the anxiety. “I was thinking of my daughter and her baby but the lads have made things easy for me,” he said. “They have given me great support at what’s been a difficult time.”
Only the Terry Butcher sideshow brought the old Maradona back.
Leave a comment