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Maradona warns he’ll quit UAE club if…

Comment: 0 February 8th, 2012 by: admin

“GIVE me quality players or I’ll quit!”

That was how Diego Maradona warned the owners of Al Wasl on Tuesday as he threatened to leave the team if he does not get what he wants.

The controversial Argentine football great said he’ll be out next season if the outfit do not buy the kind of players that would enable them to compete for the league title in the United Arab Emirates.

During a press conference, Maradona complained about the UAE side not bringing in enough quality players during the recent January transfer window.

He said he wanted to sign several others other than previous acquisitions Mohammed Reza Khalatbari of Iran and Juan Ignacio Mercier of Argentina, the only two players hired by the team due to what Maradona claimed as a “restricted budget”.

Through a club translator, he said: “I would like everyone to know, especially the fans, that next season I will not accept a small budget. We need a big budget that will allow us to sign players that will give us a boost.”

He warned that if that does not materialise, he won’t be able to do his job, a sign seen by many as indicating that Maradona’s interest in his lucrative coaching job is waning.

Since managing Al Wasl on a two-year contract starting last May, Maradona as expected hit the news in a controversial way. He branded the referees as biased, questioned the professionalism of some players in the league and was fined for verbally abusing a fellow coach.

Hitting his own team was the latest in his brand of getting into the spotlight. Also during the media meeting, he accused the security staff of allowing fans to watch their closed practice earlier in the day. He called for those responsible to be sacked.

Maradona was tapped to help the club regain their lofty status. However, he has failed to do so thus far as they now sit at fifth place, nine points off leaders Al Ain.

Al Wasl have also been ousted from several cup tournaments and the Argentine has already admitted that they have only a slim chance of winning any title this season.

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