Diego Maradona could be on his way back home.
The Argentine soccer legend was fired from his job as manager of U.A.E. club Al Wasl last week, but opportunity could be waiting for him at Boca Juniors. Boca is considering hiring him for an unspecified coaching role, Xinhua reports.
“Why couldn’t he be coach of Boca?” club vice-president Juan Carlos Crespi told Telam news agency.
“He is a hero of the club and has coached the national team. Everybody loves him and it’s important that we listen to our fans.”
Maradona was let go by Al Wasl after just 14 months in charge of the club. He made a number of headlines, but failed to win any silverware.
Boca and Maradona have a history that goes back over 30 years. He played for the historic club for one season before leaving his country for FC Barcelona in 1982. He returned to la Bonbonera (Boca’s home stadium) for his final two seasons before retiring in 1997.
Maradona regularly attends Boca games and counts himself as a diehard supporter.
Julio Cesar Falcioni is Boca’s current manager. He ended the club’s three-year trophy drought by winning the 2011 Apertura tournament. That was followed by a run to the final of the Copa Libertadores where Boca fell to Corinthians.
It’s possible that Maradona would join Boca as an assistant to Falconi, but it’s unlikely that situation would hold for the long term. Maradona’s presence could cast a giant shadow over Falconi, which could prove disruptive.
Have a question for Marcus Kwesi O’Mard? Send it to him via Twitter at @NESNsoccer, NESN Soccer’s Facebook page or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.
