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Article Title: Maraodona, Simply Great Part 3
Author: Gianni Truvianni
Category: Sports RSS
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Maraodona, Simply Great Part 3 <br> Article By: Gianni Truvianni <br><br> My resentment came mostly that Maradona did not play for Italy though it is often debated weather or not his ancestral roots might have been Italian. His last name not being Italian though it might have been taken from. Many Argentineans after all are of Italian descent but it is unsure weather Maradona is. As a personal note I will say that in all my time in South America I have never heard of anybody other then him having Maradona as a last name. It is during the time after the youth world cup that some started asking is Maradona better then Pele and other greats of the past but I felt perhaps this was a little too early to tell. After 79 the next two years went by with Maradona not really playing any internationals other then friendlies since Argentina was already qualified for the world cup and a small tournament in Uruguay. It was in this mini tournament that neither Argentina nor Maradona played particularly well in. First beating Germany 2 to 1 and then drawing against Brazil zero zero. In this group that included Germany it was Brazil who would go on to the final by virtue of beating West Germany 4 to 1 and having a better goal ratio then Argentina. The final would be won by Uruguay. By then the year was 1982 and football fans through out the world had their eyes set on the world cup in Spain. Argentina was going in as one of the favorites to win the world cup after all they had Maradona and most of the players who had won it for them four years earlier. Mario Kempes being one those players who had also had some great years playing for Valencia and Menotti was still coaching them. Brazil as always was seen as one of the favorites and with the likes of Zico, Falcao (played for Roma), and Socrates on their team it is not strange that they would be. Germany many felt could take top honors with the team they had managed to rebuild after what for their standards was a mediocre effort in the Argentina World Cup but that was the past. Now Rumminigge was playing in his best moment accompanied by mostly young players and Breitner who was back from the 74 squad. I can say without even the slightest hesitation that there had never been nor has there ever been a player to start a world cup with so much pressure on him as Maradona started the 82 World Cup. First on the home front; it meant a lot to his government, specially after loosing Falklands to do well in the world cup and hopefully repeat as champions. Second he would be playing his first match against Belgium in Barcelona's Neu Camp Stadium, the team that had signed him up for the following season. Also by then every defense that played him had created a strategy that for the most part concentrated on stopping only him even if it meant losing a player or two to do it. His game had been studied by coaches through out the world and they were waiting for him. Some will say that Pele excelled in the world cup in 58 at the age of 17 but then again let us not forget that Pele was not a starter on that team and only got to play because "Mazola" failed to live up to expectations making it necessary for him to be replaced. Much in the same way Greaves' poor playing made it necessary for England in 66 to have to put in Hurst. Pele contrary to Maradona at the start of the 58 world cup was not well known, not even in Brazil making expectations of him low specially given his age. Maradona on the other hand had all the pressure one could imagine as those who now hated him and even envied him were looking for any weak game from him while his great games were being seeing as typical. Added to this was the fact that Menotti though a good trainer had a strong weakness and that being his being sentimental over his players, specially those who had won the world cup with him in 78. Four years had passed and players like Ardiles, Bertoni, and Gallego were no longer the same, now slower, less motivated and there style of play too well known. Specially since Menotti's tactics were the same as they had been in the previous world cup. Argentina started off with a 0-1 defeat to Belgium but in all frankness it was not Maradona who did not play well but his teammates who could not manage to score. As for Maradona he was surrounded all through out the game by Belgium defenders who followed him where ever he went and despite of this his teammates were unable to take advantage of the free space this allowed them. In looking back I would have to say that Maradona did not play as badly as the critics claimed, even hitting the post off a free kick. The rebound of which Kempes missed despite being only two meters from the Belgium goal. After this game Maradona played brilliantly against Hungary, the team that had literally destroyed Costa Rica 10 to 1. Argentina defeated Hungary by a comfortable 4 to 1 with Maradona not only scoring two goals but showing the form that had earned him so much praise. Costa Rica and an easy match would follow in which Argentina could afford to lean back in their win which came in the form of an unimpressive 2-0 victory which was enough to qualify them second in the group and in to the next round where they would play Italy and Brazil. First match for Argentina in the second round was vs. Italy whom they were favorites to beat. In fact many people expected this group to be decided between Brazil, (impressive winners of their first three games) and Argentina with Italy not having much to say. This given the fact that Italy had not even managed a win in their first three games against Poland, Peru and Cameron and had only quailed due to having scored one more goal then Cameron and not even having a better ratio. The game started with both teams tying up the mid field in what came to be pretty much a stalemate and Maradona being followed every where by Juventus's Gentile; whose name in Italian means gentle. It was with foul after foul that Gentile would more or less neutralize Maradona as in reality there was no other way to stop him however regardless of which the referee did over look a few shoves against Maradona. Gentile however was booked with a yellow card though I have no doubt today it would have been a red but those were different days. In the second half Italy went back on defense and let Argentina attack while Italy played the counter attack; trying to take advantage of the free spaces Argentina's defenders Passarella and Tarantini were leaving behind. This a tactic that worked as Italy thanks to goals by Tardelli and Cabrini went up 2-0. Maradona then started struggling and even showing frustration that showed as he for the second time in the tournament on a free kick struck the post. Passarella however would pull one back but it would end in a 2-1 defeat for the champs or better yet as far as I was concerned a victory for Italy. Argentina in a group where being first meant going through to the semifinal while being 2nd or 3rd meant elimination had lost their first game, all of which making victory against Brazil imperative as a draw would serve as little consolation. Brazil however contrary to Argentina had a team that was renewed after the 78 World Cup; them now being younger, more motivated and above all at the top of their game having won their first three games in which they scored 10 goals. This was what Argentina was up against with players who were past their prime like Galvan and Olguin, who even in their prime had not been that good and with a system of play that had become all too studied by opposing managers such as Bertoni's diagonal attacks in to the box. As for Maradona, he might as well have been playing on another team as he was disconnected from his teammates; who had not really incorporated him in to their tactical system. Despite these odds Maradona, did not play badly and even came close to getting a penalty and perhaps even should have after being tackled from behind by Junior; however a penalty was not given. Brazil however on this day was inspired and playing up to their full capabilities while Argentina like a team that had accepted that theirs would not be to win two titles back to back. Three would be the total of Brazil's goals for the day while Maradona would be remembered for his foul that would earn him the only red card I ever saw him get. After the World Cup in Spain a ton of criticism fell on Maradona, and not to defend him but to perhaps try to make some see that if one looks at his performance during that world cup in which Argentina lost 3 out 5 games, solely for his merits not those of his team. His playing was not so bad. Two goals, two times hitting the woodwork and fouled an enormous amount of times not only by Italy but every team he faced; perhaps with the soul exception of Brazil was what can also can be said about his time in Spain 82 yet some only mentioned how he had not lived up to expectations. Specially Pele, claiming Maradona was a spoilt child who had been over inflated by the media and that he could only fall on the field when touched. Naturally Pele never at a loss for words when putting down anybody specially great players of the day such as he once did with Zico; in the hope of keeping his name in the press specially since his playing days were long gone Some even claiming that because of his so called "poor performance" in the world cup he might even loose out on his contract with Barcelona though this did not happen as in 1982 he was transferred over to the Catalan giants for about 5 million pounds, a record sum at the time. However his time in Barcelona proved not a good one but for many reasons which in all fairness were neither connected to him or his playing; one of them being a case of hepatitis and a broken leg, thanks to an Athletic Bilbao defender named Goikoetxea. Of course another reason perhaps might have been his relationship with Barcelona's new coach Menotti; who Maradona had never seen eye to eye with specially after being excluded by him from the 78 World Cup team. In spite of this, Maradona did have his moments which included wining "La Liga", "Spanish Super Cup" and "La Copa del Rey" in 83. La Copa del Rey coming against Real Madrid. All apart from the 34 goals he scored in two seasons with even many more assists. Maradona however was not happy in Barcelona. On a personal note I can not see how any great player would be on a team that despite having had most of the note worthy players in history had not even managed to win the European cup (now a days referred to as the Champions League) even once. A transfer was made at the request of Maradona, which came at the end of the 83/84 sending him from "La Liga's" Barcelona to Seria A's "SSC Napoli" for another record sum of 6.9 million pounds. <br><br> Original Article URL: <a href='http://www.myfreearticlecentral.com/Article_18248_Maraodona-Simply-Great-Part-3.aspx'>Maraodona, Simply Great Part 3</a> <br><br> My name is Gianni Truvianni, I am an author who writes with the simple aim of sharing his ideas, thoughts and so much more of what I am with those who are interested in perhaps reading something new. As for the details regarding my life I would say that there is nothing that lifts them above the ordinary. I was born in New York City in 1967 on May 21st and am presently living in Warsaw, Poland where I wrote my first book "New York's Opera Society" now Available on Amazon. <br><br>



Plain Text Version:
Maraodona, Simply Great Part 3 Article By: Gianni Truvianni My resentment came mostly that Maradona did not play for Italy though it is often debated weather or not his ancestral roots might have been Italian. His last name not being Italian though it might have been taken from. Many Argentineans after all are of Italian descent but it is unsure weather Maradona is. As a personal note I will say that in all my time in South America I have never heard of anybody other then him having Maradona as a last name. It is during the time after the youth world cup that some started asking is Maradona better then Pele and other greats of the past but I felt perhaps this was a little too early to tell. After 79 the next two years went by with Maradona not really playing any internationals other then friendlies since Argentina was already qualified for the world cup and a small tournament in Uruguay. It was in this mini tournament that neither Argentina nor Maradona played particularly well in. First beating Germany 2 to 1 and then drawing against Brazil zero zero. In this group that included Germany it was Brazil who would go on to the final by virtue of beating West Germany 4 to 1 and having a better goal ratio then Argentina. The final would be won by Uruguay. By then the year was 1982 and football fans through out the world had their eyes set on the world cup in Spain. Argentina was going in as one of the favorites to win the world cup after all they had Maradona and most of the players who had won it for them four years earlier. Mario Kempes being one those players who had also had some great years playing for Valencia and Menotti was still coaching them. Brazil as always was seen as one of the favorites and with the likes of Zico, Falcao (played for Roma), and Socrates on their team it is not strange that they would be. Germany many felt could take top honors with the team they had managed to rebuild after what for their standards was a mediocre effort in the Argentina World Cup but that was the past. Now Rumminigge was playing in his best moment accompanied by mostly young players and Breitner who was back from the 74 squad. I can say without even the slightest hesitation that there had never been nor has there ever been a player to start a world cup with so much pressure on him as Maradona started the 82 World Cup. First on the home front; it meant a lot to his government, specially after loosing Falklands to do well in the world cup and hopefully repeat as champions. Second he would be playing his first match against Belgium in Barcelona's Neu Camp Stadium, the team that had signed him up for the following season. Also by then every defense that played him had created a strategy that for the most part concentrated on stopping only him even if it meant losing a player or two to do it. His game had been studied by coaches through out the world and they were waiting for him. Some will say that Pele excelled in the world cup in 58 at the age of 17 but then again let us not forget that Pele was not a starter on that team and only got to play because "Mazola" failed to live up to expectations making it necessary for him to be replaced. Much in the same way Greaves' poor playing made it necessary for England in 66 to have to put in Hurst. Pele contrary to Maradona at the start of the 58 world cup was not well known, not even in Brazil making expectations of him low specially given his age. Maradona on the other hand had all the pressure one could imagine as those who now hated him and even envied him were looking for any weak game from him while his great games were being seeing as typical. Added to this was the fact that Menotti though a good trainer had a strong weakness and that being his being sentimental over his players, specially those who had won the world cup with him in 78. Four years had passed and players like Ardiles, Bertoni, and Gallego were no longer the same, now slower, less motivated and there style of play too well known. Specially since Menotti's tactics were the same as they had been in the previous world cup. Argentina started off with a 0-1 defeat to Belgium but in all frankness it was not Maradona who did not play well but his teammates who could not manage to score. As for Maradona he was surrounded all through out the game by Belgium defenders who followed him where ever he went and despite of this his teammates were unable to take advantage of the free space this allowed them. In looking back I would have to say that Maradona did not play as badly as the critics claimed, even hitting the post off a free kick. The rebound of which Kempes missed despite being only two meters from the Belgium goal. After this game Maradona played brilliantly against Hungary, the team that had literally destroyed Costa Rica 10 to 1. Argentina defeated Hungary by a comfortable 4 to 1 with Maradona not only scoring two goals but showing the form that had earned him so much praise. Costa Rica and an easy match would follow in which Argentina could afford to lean back in their win which came in the form of an unimpressive 2-0 victory which was enough to qualify them second in the group and in to the next round where they would play Italy and Brazil. First match for Argentina in the second round was vs. Italy whom they were favorites to beat. In fact many people expected this group to be decided between Brazil, (impressive winners of their first three games) and Argentina with Italy not having much to say. This given the fact that Italy had not even managed a win in their first three games against Poland, Peru and Cameron and had only quailed due to having scored one more goal then Cameron and not even having a better ratio. The game started with both teams tying up the mid field in what came to be pretty much a stalemate and Maradona being followed every where by Juventus's Gentile; whose name in Italian means gentle. It was with foul after foul that Gentile would more or less neutralize Maradona as in reality there was no other way to stop him however regardless of which the referee did over look a few shoves against Maradona. Gentile however was booked with a yellow card though I have no doubt today it would have been a red but those were different days. In the second half Italy went back on defense and let Argentina attack while Italy played the counter attack; trying to take advantage of the free spaces Argentina's defenders Passarella and Tarantini were leaving behind. This a tactic that worked as Italy thanks to goals by Tardelli and Cabrini went up 2-0. Maradona then started struggling and even showing frustration that showed as he for the second time in the tournament on a free kick struck the post. Passarella however would pull one back but it would end in a 2-1 defeat for the champs or better yet as far as I was concerned a victory for Italy. Argentina in a group where being first meant going through to the semifinal while being 2nd or 3rd meant elimination had lost their first game, all of which making victory against Brazil imperative as a draw would serve as little consolation. Brazil however contrary to Argentina had a team that was renewed after the 78 World Cup; them now being younger, more motivated and above all at the top of their game having won their first three games in which they scored 10 goals. This was what Argentina was up against with players who were past their prime like Galvan and Olguin, who even in their prime had not been that good and with a system of play that had become all too studied by opposing managers such as Bertoni's diagonal attacks in to the box. As for Maradona, he might as well have been playing on another team as he was disconnected from his teammates; who had not really incorporated him in to their tactical system. Despite these odds Maradona, did not play badly and even came close to getting a penalty and perhaps even should have after being tackled from behind by Junior; however a penalty was not given. Brazil however on this day was inspired and playing up to their full capabilities while Argentina like a team that had accepted that theirs would not be to win two titles back to back. Three would be the total of Brazil's goals for the day while Maradona would be remembered for his foul that would earn him the only red card I ever saw him get. After the World Cup in Spain a ton of criticism fell on Maradona, and not to defend him but to perhaps try to make some see that if one looks at his performance during that world cup in which Argentina lost 3 out 5 games, solely for his merits not those of his team. His playing was not so bad. Two goals, two times hitting the woodwork and fouled an enormous amount of times not only by Italy but every team he faced; perhaps with the soul exception of Brazil was what can also can be said about his time in Spain 82 yet some only mentioned how he had not lived up to expectations. Specially Pele, claiming Maradona was a spoilt child who had been over inflated by the media and that he could only fall on the field when touched. Naturally Pele never at a loss for words when putting down anybody specially great players of the day such as he once did with Zico; in the hope of keeping his name in the press specially since his playing days were long gone Some even claiming that because of his so called "poor performance" in the world cup he might even loose out on his contract with Barcelona though this did not happen as in 1982 he was transferred over to the Catalan giants for about 5 million pounds, a record sum at the time. However his time in Barcelona proved not a good one but for many reasons which in all fairness were neither connected to him or his playing; one of them being a case of hepatitis and a broken leg, thanks to an Athletic Bilbao defender named Goikoetxea. Of course another reason perhaps might have been his relationship with Barcelona's new coach Menotti; who Maradona had never seen eye to eye with specially after being excluded by him from the 78 World Cup team. In spite of this, Maradona did have his moments which included wining "La Liga", "Spanish Super Cup" and "La Copa del Rey" in 83. La Copa del Rey coming against Real Madrid. All apart from the 34 goals he scored in two seasons with even many more assists. Maradona however was not happy in Barcelona. On a personal note I can not see how any great player would be on a team that despite having had most of the note worthy players in history had not even managed to win the European cup (now a days referred to as the Champions League) even once. A transfer was made at the request of Maradona, which came at the end of the 83/84 sending him from "La Liga's" Barcelona to Seria A's "SSC Napoli" for another record sum of 6.9 million pounds. Original Article URL: http://www.myfreearticlecentral.com/Article_18248_Maraodona-Simply-Great-Part-3.aspx My name is Gianni Truvianni, I am an author who writes with the simple aim of sharing his ideas, thoughts and so much more of what I am with those who are interested in perhaps reading something new. As for the details regarding my life I would say that there is nothing that lifts them above the ordinary. I was born in New York City in 1967 on May 21st and am presently living in Warsaw, Poland where I wrote my first book "New York's Opera Society" now Available on Amazon.

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