Don't cry for him Argentina

Diego Maradona as manager of Argentina? Well, that should go smoothly.

He may well have been the most talented football player in the history of the game, but he has hardly been a model of stability since hanging up his boots.

Since retirement he has battled drug and alcohol addiction on numerous occasions, been embroiled in a series of financial and tax incidents and even spent time in hospital fighting for his life.

He did manage to fit in a couple of rather miserable attempts at managing football teams between all that, but to describe him as not entirely successful would be kind - three wins, 12 draws and eight defeats. Hardly a CV to boast about.

Yet despite absolutely everything pointing to Maradona being exactly the wrong man for the job, the Argentinian FA are still likely to ratify his appointment this week.

And the reason behind this seemingly insane move?

Simple really. He may not have any of the skills traditionally associated with successful football managers, but he has something else which no other manager can hope to compete with - legendary status.

In Argentina, Maradona is as close as it is possible to get to a living god. The fans still adore him with a passion that borders on the obsessive. He is worshipped to an extent that must spread unease among the heads of organised religions.

And, on that basis alone, it was almost inevitable that Maradona would, at some stage, be given the chance to manage the national team.

The recent resignation of Alfio Basile threw up an opportunity that both sides could not ignore. Maradona wanted the job as was evidenced by his passionate campaigning for it. The FA wanted to give it to him if only to give the fans the chance to get it out of their system.

If he takes the team to the finals and wins the World Cup, everyone wins. If he fails to do either of those then the Argentinan football powers will be able to move on and appoint a 'proper' coach.

Personally, I can't see it working. I have my doubts that the 48-year-old Maradona will even last the course and could well quit if they have one or two qualification-threatening defeats.

But even if that happens, Argentina will at least be able to draw the line once and for all beneath the great Maradona.

And the man himself can rest easy knowing he at least gave it a shot.

Spurs of the moment

They say a week is a long time in politics. And if you are George Osborne it probably is. But when it comes to football, a week can be an absolute eternity.

Last Saturday, Spurs were a club in crisis. Bottom of the league, clueless on the pitch and with a manager who hadn't merely lost the plot; he never quite had it in the first place.

Since then they have fired Juande Ramos, appointed Harry Redknapp, beaten Bolton, taken a point from Arsenal in one of the most dramatic local derbies ever and even found time to announce plans for a spanking new 60,000-seater stadium.

By the time you read this, they may have even done the previously unthinkable and taken a point or more off the current Premier League leaders during last night's clash with Liverpool.

Even if they lost and are, consequently, still bottom of the league, there can be no denying that it has been a week when their fortunes have taken an incredible turn for the better.

I have nothing against Ramos, but he never quite fitted in at White Hart Lane. Quite possibly he was a nice man and almost definitely he will go on to have success in the future. But he was simply the wrong man for the wrong job at the wrong time. And so darned miserable too.

In Redknapp, Spurs have a manager who is exactly what that doctor ordered. A man with a wealth of Premiership experience, an ability to wheel and deal in the transfer market, and a strong belief that football should be played the proper way.

Moreover, they have a man capable of motivating his squad and giving them back the self-belief that has been gradually sucked out of them.

For proof of that you need look no further than David Bentley's goal against Arsenal. Quite aside from the fact that it is almost certainly going to be goal of the season, it was scored by a player who couldn't hit a cow's backside with a banjo a week ago. From three inches.

Bentley had been played out of position by Ramos and his confidence was at an all-time low. Just a few days in Harry's presence and he is scoring 40-yard screamers in crucial local derbies. Maybe now he can go on to become a player who's skills match his ego.

Even more remarkable was the team performance as a whole on Wednesday night. Yes, Spurs were outplayed for long periods by Arsenal and 4-4 was not a true reflection of the way the game panned out.

But Redknapp's team showed a never-say-die attitude that had been lacking in recent weeks and a determination to keep plugging away at their opponents that will see them win more than they lose over the rest of the season.

When you add to all this the plans for a new stadium that will enable Spurs to start competing at the very top of the English game, then it's fair to say the future is considerably bright.

And there aren't many Spurs fans that would have thought that seven days ago...

On course for failure

It's D-day for young Lewis Hamilton.

Fifth place or better today in the Brazilian Grand Prix and England will have their first Formula 1 world champion since Damon Hill.

Yet I can't help feeling it is all going to go horribly wrong.

People suggest that with a seven-point lead, 23-year-old Hamilton would need to do something spectacular to miss out on the title.

But what they are failing to take into consideration is that motor racing is not just about drivers, it is also very much about cars.

McLaren have this season's most reliable car. True. But, at risk of sounding like one of those financial services disclaimers, past performance is no guarantee of future performance.

It only takes a blown tyre, a seized engine, or a slipped gearbox and Hamilton's dreams will go up in smoke.

Add to that there is the possibility of an accident. Even if it remains dry in Sao Paolo it is a tricky, fast circuit. And if it rains the whole race becomes a bit of a lottery.

Then there are the other drivers. Hamilton has done little to endear himself to them over the past couple of years, so do you think his opponents would pull out of a collision just to let him through?

The bookmakers may still have the young Englishman down as odds-on favourite for the title, but I won't be putting any money on it.

Quotes of the week

It's been a week when people have not been afraid to open their mouths.

Firstly, let's go over to Hull City chairman Paul Duffen, who tried to put his team's incredible start to Premiership life in perspective:

"Our season is not beyond my wildest dreams because they usually involve Elle McPherson," he said. Good man.

And then we had Newcastle's Joe Kinnear doing what no manager should ever do - tempting fate:

"There's no chance we could go down. We have too much quality," he said, effectively sealing the club's relegation in one Titanic moment.

Finally we go to a former footballer and now television pundit who had this to say about Harry Redknapp's move to Spurs:

"Redknapp has shown nerve and dare in taking the Tottenham job. He was very happy at Portsmouth, working with good people, living close to the training ground and, let's get it right, doing an outstanding job."

A glowing tribute indeed. And one that would have had a lot more credibility if it hadn't come from a certain Jamie Redknapp...

Out and a bout

Some people are gluttons for punishment aren't they?

Super flyweight boxer Peter Buckley hung up his gloves this week after amassing an astonishing 300 fights.

But even more remarkable than his longevity and durability is Buckley's record - out of those fights he managed to lose a rather staggering 256 of them.

The Birmingham fighter officially had the worst record of any boxer still practising the sport until picking himself off the floor for the last time and deciding enough was enough.

During a career which spanned several decades, Buckley came up against a number of top fighters and even had a crack at one or two world champions.

But he never let the possibility of success get in the way of a good story and managed to lose every bout that mattered - and the vast majority of those that didn't.

In fact, he only managed 31 victories during his entire career, a record that saw him get up close and personal with canvas more often than Vincent van Gogh.

Still, the man has no regrets, insisting that boxing helped keep him out of trouble after a number of run-ins with the police during his formative years.

Buckley, who admits he won't miss being hit in the face for a living, hopes to stay in the sport in one capacity or another.

Sadly I don't imagine there will be too many young, aspiring boxers queuing up to have him as their coach...

sportscolumnist@timesofmalta.com