Interview:

Maradona – the player and the man - 01/12/2001

Q: You played with Maradona for a short time at Boca Juniors, what were your first impressions?

A: Well, when Boca came in for me, Maradona was one of the main attractions in moving to the club. He is a hero, and now I had an opportunity to play not only on the pitch with him, but to get to know him and train with him. I know that in England, he has his critics, but in South America we think of him as the ultimate footballer.
When I arrived at Boca, I was even happier. I played my first game for the club and we won 2-1. Maradona was giving a press interview after the game, and when asked about me, he called me a 'little master'. Well this was fantastic for me, it's always nice to get compliments but coming for Maradona, you can imagine!

Q: What was he like around the club?

A: Everyone respected him, he had an aura about him and this also helped distract the press from the other players - we thanked him for that! Personally, we got on fine. We spent many hours on the training pitch practicing free kicks, and to see him train was something special to me. It was such a professional honour to work with him.

Q: At this time, he was obviously past his footballing prime, how did he perform in games?

A: Yes, he'd obviously lost his speed, but his touch was outstanding, he never seemed to lose the ball and some of his tricks were so good to watch. Unfortunately he was having a few personal problems and after only four of five months, he left the club.

Q: What do you think about his reputation in England?

A: I know that Maradona will be remembered for his 'hand of God' incident as much as for his football skills. One thing I think needs to be understood is the different culture between English and Northern European football with that of the Latin game. Over here the game is very honest, although in other countries the focus is on the win. It is almost part of the game to win fouls and to try and gain any advantage by fooling the referee. Maradona's actions reflect this different culture, and although it wasn't in the spirit of the English game, he didn't declare war or injure any one.

Q: How do you see the future of Maradona?

A: I know that he really enjoyed his testimonial and that his love for the game is still very strong. Few people can match his passion, and he is still massively respected within the game for his football skills. He's tried management and it wouldn't surprise me if he returned to the game again. I hope he does, as he has such a lot to offer. If we have seen the last of Maradona, then I will be surprised…and also disappointed.

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