Thursday, November 13, 2008

Morning Scrimmage: Maradona staying put, Ruud out for the season & more




Maradona staying put

There have been rumors surfacing that after 10 days of being the man in charge of Argentina, Diego Maradona might call it quits.

The reason for him potentially leaving his post so prematurely is due to conflict with AFA president Julio Grondona, who has prohibited Maradona from hiring former teammate Oscar Ruggeri as an assistant coach. The reason as to why that is has not been revealed, but it appears to be personal.

"It's my problem," Grondona said. "I don't want to talk about this."

Carlos Bilardo, who was appointed technical secretary by Maradona himself, has come out and claimed that the former legend is staying put.

Bilardo stated: "He won't resign."

"I have spoken to Diego and told him he has to go slowly. There are 500 people he can choose to assist him."

Nistelrooy out 6-9 months

Real Madrid striker Ruud Van Nistelrooy's season has come to a close. Nistelrooy travelled to the United States earlier this week and after examination, it was revealed that his knee injury required surgery. According to a statement released by Madrid, the Dutchman will be out six to nine months depending on his recovery.

Nistelrooy's injury may prove to be costly for coach Bernd Schuster as he has found himself on the hot seat due to recent less-than-stellar performances from Los Galacticos. Rumors have been swirling that Schuster could find himself jobless if Madrid fail to beat Real Valladolid this weekend. Even if they do manage to win, losing the former Holland international for the season is not going to help Schuster's cause.

Beckham's Milan arrival delights Ronaldinho

While L.A. Galaxy fans bemoan the departure of David Beckham to Italy in January, someone at AC Milan is eager for his arrival. That someone is Ronaldinho.

"I am very happy to know that he's coming," Ronaldinho told Setanta Sports News.

The Brazilian star, who has netted five times in nine appearances for Milan, admitted that he's had an admiration for the England international's style of play and he believes that Beckham's arrival will benefit the entire squad.

"He's going to help us a lot and I'm looking forward to helping him be the great player he is as well.

"I always like the way he plays. I always admired him and it's very cool to play with important people. It's always very motivating."

When asked if he would let the Spice Boy take set-pieces, Ronaldinho stated that there would be no issue with him stepping aside for Becks.

"That's not a problem, (although) it could be a problem for the team we're playing against. I hope to learn a lot with David Beckham."


Think Maradona could leave so quickly? Is Grondona being immature about the situation? Do you see Schuster getting the axe before seasons-end? Are you as excited as Ronaldinho for Beckham's move to Milan? Share your thoughts below.

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