No drugs or nightclubs for smiling Maradona

Argentina coach Diego Maradona launched a charm offensive Wednesday as he faced a group of journalists on Argentine public television a week after a foul-mouthed rant at journalists caused uproar.

Maradona, known for his former party lifestyle as well as his footballing talents, claimed he had not taken drugs or frequented nightclubs in the past five years.

However he said he and the Argentine football federation president, Julio Grondona, had been victims of a media plot.

Maradona came under fire from supporters, the wider public and the football authorities last week after he used foul language to insult journalists after Argentina’s last-minute qualification for the World Cup.

The football legend is known to have used cocaine in the past, and in 2004 had a brush with death following a heart problem.

But he claimed he is now only devoted only to the Argentine football cause.

“Thanks to God, it’s been five years since I have not taken drugs or gone to nightclubs. My life is now focused on the Argentina national team,” said Maradona.

“I give everything for the squad, I gave it as a player and I give it as a coach.”

Maradona faced few hostile questions during the interview, in which he appeared to try and settle a score by claiming that Argentina’s director of football Carlos Bilardo had tried to unhinge Grondona, president of the Argentine Football Association (AFA) and a vice president of FIFA.

Maradona alleged Bilardo had been plotting with Daniel Vila, an influential name in the Argentine media, in a bid to bring down Grondona. Vila had earlier called on Grondona to sack Maradona.

“Vila and Bilardo want to bring down Grondona,” insisted Maradona.

Argentina’s qualifying campaign for the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa was an agonising experience for a country more used to seeing the ‘Albiceleste’ vie for top honours with south American rivals Brazil.

Only a last-gasp 1-0 win over Uruguay in their final qualifier allowed Argentina to finish fourth in the south American zone qualifying, thus avoiding a play-off and gaining automatic entry to the finals.

Maradona admitted that if Argentine failed to qualify he “would have taken myself off to Haiti”.