Maradona leaves Butcher looking flat-footed again

Diego Maradona says he cannot understand why Terry Butcher continues to harbour a grudge over the 'Hand of God' goal that helped knock England out of the 1986 World Cup.

Butcher, an England defender in the team that lost the quarter-final match and now Scotland's assistant manager, said on Monday that he would never “forgive and forget” Maradona's action and made it clear he was unlikely to shake the new Argentina coach's hand when the Scots face his new charges here on Wednesday.

Maradona's response combined good grace — he said he would be happy to kiss and make up — with a hint of a 'Terry who?' attitude, ensuring he once again left his old adversary looking flat-footed, at least in the eyes of an appreciative Scottish audience.

“I don't know why Butcher is taking this attitude,” Maradona said. “If people are fine with me, I'll greet them.

“Let Butcher get on with his life and I'll get on with my life. I'm not going to lose any sleep over it. If Butcher doesn't shake my hand, I'll still be alive tomorrow.”

Maradona's footballing genius, his impish nature and his role in England's downfall in 1986 have all contributed to him being revered in Scotland and he is certain of a warm reception at Hampden, the venue where he scored his first international goal for his country back in 1979.

“It's something that was very special to me,” Maradona, now 48, recalled. “It was nice to start my international career and get my first goal here.

“Hopefully I can repay the Scottish fans by putting on a good spectacle tomorrow night.”