Maradona 'eyes Pompey role'

Maradona 'eyes Pompey role'

Diego Maradona is ready to quit his job as Argentina national team boss and join Premier League side Portsmouth as a 'global ambassador', according to reports.

UAE-based website 'arabianbusiness' claims to have seen e-mails from Maradona's lawyer, Angel Oscar Moyano, in which the 48-year-old is put forward for a role at the south coast club, recently taken over by Arab entrepreneur Sulaiman Al-Fahim.

The e-mails are said to detail the former World Cup-winning captain's proposal to work in an upstairs role overseeing transfers, using his reputation to attract top players to the 2008 FA Cup winners.

Paul Hart was confirmed as full-time manager of the club on Tuesday, the same day as Al-Fahim passed the Premier League's fit and proper person test, allowing him to officially take control of the club.

Arabian Business report that in the e-mails Maradona is said to be eyeing a role "for which he offers his mediation for signing players of top level [sic] who with the support of Diego Armando Maradona, will be ready to come to Portsmouth FC."

Moyano adds: "He's got all top players ready and even he's ready to leave Argentine national team."

The website reports that Maradona wants to bring four international players to the club, although it does not name them.

Despite his revered status in Argentina, Maradona has come under fire following the national side's struggles in World Cup qualifying.

In a campaign which has seen them beaten four times already, the most noteworthy being the 6-1 defeat in Bolivia, they sit in fourth place in the CONMEBOL table, the final automatic qualification spot. Their next match is at home to leaders Brazil in September.

Al-Fahim is reported to be good friends with Maradona's cousin Remigio, who met through their work as UN goodwill ambassadors, and he recently announced plans to open a Maradona Sports Café in the UAE next year.

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/22072009/58/premier-league-maradona-eyes-pompey-role.html

Would be madness Maradona joining Portsmouth. Crouch might stay then!

Just trawled across this article from May when looking for the source and found this...

New owner's praise for football icon Maradona

Published Date: 28 May 2009
Pompey's new owner spoke earlier this year of his admiration for soccer icon Diego Maradona.

The Dubai-based news agency DPA reported in March that Sulaiman Al Fahim had told them he had a vision for close links between teams in Europe and South America.

He said it would be a great way of securing talented players for a European club and that Maradona, one of the greatest players in football history and now Argentina's manager, would be an ideal figurehead.

'I'm a fan of Diego Maradona,' he reportedly said. 'I don't know if Diego Maradona can be a good coach. I think he has to be the chairman of a club and have the right to choose and buy players.'

Referring to Maradona's time playing for Napoli in the Italian top division, he said: 'He started from zero and built the club. He has the quality to change football teams.'

Al Fahim has recently been working with Remigio Maradona, a cousin of the soccer legend, in a United Nations campaign against malnutrition.

Maradona, aged 48, played for Argentinos Juniors, Boca Juniors, FC Barcelona, and Napoli in his club career.

On the international front, he earned 91 caps and scored 34 goals for Argentina, captaining his country to victory against West Germany in the 1986 World Cup final.

Bit of background to this.

Maradona to Pompey? Maradona would be crazy to go there.

Oh come on!

Please don't make me start an 'Official Laugh at Pompey Thread' !!

He'll go to one game and quit, stating 'that fu**in drum' as his reason!

Apparentely he'll have talks with 4 top players. Aguero, Silva, Villa and Ribery.

Apparentely he'll have talks with 4 top players. Aguero, Silva, Villa and Ribery.

Do you mean if he goes to Portsmouth?

Yeah.

Apparentely he'll have talks with 4 top players. Aguero, Silva, Villa and Ribery.

Were did you hear that? Like it or not, Maradona, for me, does not have any role in todays football. Yes he was a fantastic player but no way should he be a manager or club amabassador. Look how well he has done with the Argie national team as manager.

Wonder if Maradona talked to Aguero and the next day poofs! He's our new number 7.

Maradona may as well just hang on until the World Cup is over.

What was the point in taking the role in the first place if he's just going to jump ship to Pompy?

Fat b***ard.

One moment from being an adopted scouser to a fat b**ch...

Maradona open to Pompey switch
Legend could quit Argentina for Fratton Park

Diego Maradona's lawyer has sensationally claimed the Argentina boss is ready to quit his job with the national side to join Portsmouth as a "global ambassador".

Pompey's new owner Sulaiman Al Fahim, who this week completed his £60million takeover, wants the Argentine to help attract world superstars to the South Coast.

Al Fahim recently announced plans to open a Maradona Sports Cafe in the UAE and is also a close friend of Maradona's cousin Remigio, with both men working for the UN as goodwill ambassadors.

Maradona's lawyer Angel Oscar Moyano claims his client has players lined up to join Al Fahim's Fratton Park revolution and that he is ready to quit the Argentina post he only accepted last October.

"He has got top players ready and he is even ready to leave the Argentine national team," Moyano told Arabian Business.

Support

"He wants to build a strong team for which he offers his mediation for signing players of top level, who with the support of Diego Maradona, will be ready to come to Portsmouth."

Al Fahim is clearly a fan of the 48-year-old, stating his presence alone would go a long way to helping transform Portsmouth.

"I do not know if Maradona is a good coach," he conceded. "What I think is that he should be president of a club and have the right to buy and choose players.

"At Napoli he started from scratch and built a club. He has the power to transform football teams."

P.S.
Clicking the article title will take you to the original article. (directed @ CRK)

Apparentely he'll have talks with 4 top players. Aguero, Silva, Villa and Ribery.

Absolutely no chance in hell of them players going to Pompey.

Hah have a laugh.

Maradona to Pompey?

They match in stature... :

P.S.
Clicking the article title will take you to the original article. (directed @ CRK)

You're learning then.

Smart arse.

This is crazy. True legend of world football and one of the greatest players of all time. Maradona is amazing.. POMPEY.. this would be so interesting!!!

Yeah its true........Ive heard he has become addicted to the Pompey club song and cant get it out of his head!

MARADONA REJECTS POMPEY TALK

Diego Maradona has dismissed speculation he is about to leave his job as Argentina boss in favour of a role with Portsmouth.

His denial comes after Arabian Business magazine this week quoted a lawyer, Angel Oscar Moyano, as saying the Argentina legend would give up his present job to act as a "global ambassador" for Pompey, who have just been taken over by Abu Dhabi billionaire Sulaiman Al-Fahim.

But Maradona has rubbished the claim, telling sports daily paper Ole he is committed to the national side for at least the next two years.

He said: "In no way would I abandon ship. Light blue and white blood runs through my veins

"I'll say more. I've signed the contract and agreed to coach (the team) at the Copa America in 2011."

http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/09/07/26/manual_161559.html

Spoilsport

Maradona to Pompey? think they are in need of more than 'the hand of god ' and .....could they afford his food bill ? or maybe they will pay him in pies ?