Maradona is Back

It is now becoming quite apparent that the only way to keep Diego Maradona down is to tie him up with chains Houdini style, and drop him to the bottom of the ocean. Even then he would undoubtedly wriggle free, throw a dummy to a killer shark and return to the surface with a huge grin on his face. Loved and loathed but never ignored, ladies and gentleman,

'El Diego' has returned!

Littered with epic highs and lows Diego Maradona's career comprised all the ingredients of an epic Hollywood blockbuster. The euphoria of winning the world cup practically single-handedly in Mexico 1986, to the nightmare forced departure from Naples, a broken man and wasted cokehead.

An ability to cause disbelief on the pitch with a bewitching God-given talent was matched only by his unerring habit to raise eyebrows off it. Widely regarded as the finest player of all time Diego Maradona has been in his career all things to all men. Genius, maker of dreams, rabble rouser, villain and clown. Now he faces arguably his greatest task.

In a move that caused delight and astonishment in equal measures across Argentina, Maradona has been appointed the nation's new football coach. Those who doubted his experience for such a prestigious role were given short shrift as he answered the critics with, considering the measure of the man, possibly the understatement of the year: 'I don't think I will be surprised by anything'.

The Argentine players have expressed their joy at this appointment. Most significantly Lionel Messi whose magical form this season makes Maradona's decision to personally name him as his 'Successor', after so many false dawns (Riquelme, Saviola etc) even more apt. At this moment Messi does not so much evoke memories of Maradona in his heyday but make many believe he has been cloned.

Despite Diego's recent harsh words about Messi when he felt that his 'individualism' was having a negative effect on the overall team performances, Messi himself spoke only in positive terms of Maradona's appointment. 'I know Diego appreciates me and I don't hold a grudge', he said. The 21-year-old was hugely respectful of his idol. 'Maradona is a legend and I admire him for everything he has given to Argentine football over the years'.

Alongside Maradona as his assistant will be former world cup winning coach Carlos Bilardo. The two men have shared a love-hate relationship in the past with Maradona's belief in the 'beautiful game' a stark contrast to the other's negative, win at all cost tactics. It appears the wily Bilardo has moved quickly to ease any worries about their strained relationship by pointing out his exact role in the new set up. Maradona makes the decisions', he says. 'It is up to him to select the team and I am there to help him'.

In being given control of 'Los Albiceleste' 48-year-old Maradona's immediate concern will be to smooth a passage through what has been an insipid and worrying World cup qualifying campaign. An Argentine line-up that on paper should trample all before them has failed miserably to reproduce their club form at international level and a recent 1-0 defeat away against Chile was the catalyst for the sacking of under-fire coach Alfio Basile.

Like his predecessor Jose Pekerman before him, Basile suffered intolerably at the hands of a merciless Argentine media as results went awry. However for Maradona such is the level of adoration in which he is held on home soil, it is going to be a brave journalist who dares criticise a living legend. At this moment and for the considerable future 'EL Diego' will be given free hand to build a team in his own image. Full of attacking flair, vivid imagination and bristling with a ferocious passion to win football matches.

Though despite all messrs Messi, Tevez and Arguero serve up on the pitch, no matter how sublime, there is bound to be as many eyes on the touchline antics of the coach. Because it is a certainty that sooner or later the pin will come out of the grenade. At FIFA's Zurich headquarters one can only imagine the shaking of heads at this appointment as they wait with trepidation the first Maradona explosion. It shouldn't be too long.

And so despite endless scrapes with the grim reaper this fascinating character's love and lust for life continues unabated. Forget the Cocaine and alcohol addictions, firing air rifles at journalists and partying with Camorra gangsters in Naples. You thought he had gone away to die a quiet death well think again?

The legendary Diego Armando Maradona is back!