Buenos Aires, November 25 (NA) – Former coach Ricardo Caruso Lombardi stated that if Diego Armando Maradona were alive, he would question the current state of Argentine football.
In an interview for Splendid 990, which was compiled by the Argentine News Agency, Caruso Lombardi expressed his concern about the general climate and used a reference to 'El Diez' as the main axis to contrast what, in his opinion, is happening today.
Caruso affirmed that 'Diego died 5 years ago but it seems he's alive, he appears in all programs and all talks,' and once again expressed his admiration: 'He was the greatest I ever saw.'
The former coach also recounted that his own path on the bench began thanks to Maradona: 'He always had very kind gestures, I coach in the first division because of him.'
He also acknowledged his closeness to 'El Diez' had a profound impact on him and stated: 'I found it hard to process everything because of the admiration I had for him.'
In this sense, he criticized those who try to displace him from the football debate: 'When do you stop mentioning Maradona?'
Caruso Lombardi also pointed out that the star would have reacted to the current panorama: 'If Diego were to rise from the dead and see the mess there is in football... he wouldn't say what he wouldn't say.'
The former coach added criticism of the attitude of some of the main players: 'Many keep their mouths shut so as not to lose their place.'
Caruso Lombardi also mentioned a recent episode with the National Team and assured: 'Diego would have called Di Maria so that he wouldn't win the title.'
Caruso questioned the discussion related to the honorary corridor and attacked the criteria with which clubs are judged: 'Does it say anywhere how they have to be to make a corridor? It's a corridor and I do it as the balls are sung to me.'
The panelist recalled a precedent to emphasize his point: '10 days ago, Independiente Rivadavia of Mendoza became champion and they did not give him an honorary corridor.'
In closing, he pointed to Marcelo Gallardo and his continuity in Saudi Arabia: 'If Gallardo steps aside, it wouldn't be so bad either.'
