Diego Maradona has accused Argentina football chief Julio Grondona of lying and team manager Carlos Bilardo of treason in a bitter attack on the two men he insists plotted his downfall.
“Grondona lied to me. Bilardo betrayed me,” said an emotional Maradona, whose colourful and controversial reign as Argentina coach came to an abrupt end on Tuesday.
“Grondona, in the dressing room after we had been knocked out of the World Cup in South Africa, told me in front of witnesses and the players that he was very happy with my work and that he wanted me to carry on.
“On our return to Argentina, things started to take on a bizarre twist and on Monday I met with Grondona.
“After five minutes, he told me that he wanted me to continue, but that seven of my technical staff could not stay. When he told me this, he was saying that he didn’t want me to carry on in the job.
“He knows that it is impossible for me to stay without my assistants.”
As well as having Argentina FA (AFA) president Grondona in his sights, Maradona, reading from a prepared statement, also hit out at Bilardo who coached the 1986 World Cup winning team which Maradona skippered.
“When we were in mourning, Bilardo was working in the shadows to get me fired,” he said.
Maradona was close to tears as he listed his grievances.
“I was called in with the squad divided and split by internal problems.
“They asked me to put out the fire and we did it. I have given everything. Treason is everywhere. There are people who do not want the best for Argentine football.”
Maradona, who took charge in October 2008, has been replaced for the time being by U-20 coach Sergio Batista who will lead the team for the August 11 friendly against Ireland in Dublin.
The decision to dump Maradona sparked some raw reactions in Argentina with the 71-year-old Bilardo singled out by the country’s media.
“The only one who came through unscathed and even strengthened from this little history of betrayal is him, Carlos Salvador Bilardo,” said the daily Clarin.
“This is the same man who said in April 2009 that if Maradona was going to quit or if they were going to fire Maradona, then he would step down immediately.”
Meanwhile, Bilardo dismissed the claims attributed to him by Maradona.
“I am sure it’s not him who is guilty, but his entourage. I defended and I will continue to defend Maradona to the death,” he told La Red radio station.
Grondona, on his part, disputed Maradona’s version of their conversation in South Africa.
“I continue to regret that he’s gone because it’s very sad but I never lied to Maradona,” he said.
“I told him in Pretoria that I was satisfied and that he could stay on, but that the conditions would not be the same... that he had to make some vital changes.”
Bilardo was singing from the same hymn sheet as Grondona, telling Maradona: “The AFA is a serious business, you can’t invite your mates to come to your place of work... Diego had everything that he wanted, he could turn up with whoever he wanted, up to the goalkeeping coach.”