Maradona to work with Argentina team

Argentina are to bring in former star Diego Maradona to work with the national team in September.

Current Argentine national team coach Marcelo Bielsa has already agreed the plan for the veteran former World Cup winner to help the side prepare to face arch rivals Brazil in the later stages of the CONMEBOL qualifying section on September 5th.

By then Argentina should have sealed their place at the 2002 World Cup finals - they lead the section and drew last night 3-3 in Bolivia with a 92nd minute equaliser - but Brazil were held 1-1 and booed off the pitch in Sao Paolo and could be struggling for points by the time they face Bielsa's team.

There is heavy political pressure from inside the Argentine government and Argentine FA to introduce Maradona - their greatest ever player - into the national team coaching structure as he tries to recover from cocaine addiction. Previous club coaching jobs for the former SS Napoli star have all ended badly but he could now be introduced to work with the current crop of Argentine stars in some capacity.