Soccer: Even Diego's dog can have his day

It seems that only Diego Maradona's dog can do him injury.

The Argentina coach was bitten on the lip by his pet Shar Pei, the wrinkly Chinese breed, on the eve of the World Cup and is the reason he is sporting a speckled black and grey beard in South Africa.

The 49-year-old is seemingly untouchable in Argentina, except by his dog. When he applied for the national coaching position, the will of the people secured him the job despite his unflattering coaching record with Mandiyú de Corrientes and Racing Club and his life full of drugs, weight problems and controversy.

He is idolised by Argentines for what he achieved in 1986 but many outside the country are waiting for him to unravel. Argentina have the most naturally gifted side at the World Cup and, on Friday morning, became the first team to progress to the second round with a 4-1 defeat of South Korea.

They also have a coach with an ego unrivalled at this World Cup. As a youngster Maradona was a student of the game who learned and listened. Now he teaches and tells.

Watching Argentina play is often sumptuous. They play wonderfully attractive football, as if it is a theatrical performance. But it is just part of the show. The rest is performed by Maradona.

In the match against Korea, he paced around his technical area like a dog itching to get off his lead. Just like a canine, he can appear cuddly but he also snarled at the referee, barked at his players and bared his teeth to South Korean coach Huh Jung Moo.

Huh bit back, gesticulating that Maradona should get back in his kennel and pointing to his head, suggesting that the Argentinian was crazy. Few would dispute that.

Maradona's life has been full of the weird and outlandish; drama, tragedy, triumph and controversy.

On the eve of the Korea match Pele and Maradona traded their now-familiar barbs that are becoming, quite frankly, boring and unbefitting the two greatest players of the game. Each believes he is the greatest and a Fifa poll in 2000 to find the Player of the Century inflamed the matter.

Maradona won the internet poll, Pele the 'experts' and 'Fifa family' poll, which just muddied the waters and saw them declared joint winners.

Essentially, Pele says Maradona is an appalling role model and the wrong man to lead Argentina.

Maradona has retorted with various unfounded allegations, like when he claimed Pele had lost his virginity to a man.

Last week Maradona was at it again, telling Pele to "get back to the museum" and "stop talking rubbish" about him. Apparently, he was offended by Pele suggesting he took the Argentina job only because he needed the money.

Throughout, Argentines maintain their faith in Maradona. "He is our idol because of what he did in 1986," Nicolas, a fan draped in a flag, says after the South Korea win. "We love him and believe he is the right man to be coach at the World Cup. He knows how to win championships.

"He might not know everything about tactics, but it's not all about that. It's also about heart and Maradona has that. He can also teach the players things he learned as a player.

"It doesn't matter that he is attracting all of the attention at this World Cup. I don't worry about that because it takes the pressure off the players."

It's a valid point. Maradona might detest the media but he can handle it. He doesn't care what they say because, after all, he's the greatest.

Theories abound that Maradona doesn't want Argentina to win, that he will sabotage their campaign because he doesn't want Lionel Messi to threaten his place in history by becoming a World Cup winner.

The premise is not entirely without basis, especially after Maradona said in a TV interview that Messi "lacks character. Messi sometimes plays for Messi. He is so fond of himself he sometimes forgets his team-mates. He is Messi Football Club." Of course, Diego, it was never about Maradona Football Club, was it?

But the theory he wants them to fail doesn't add up. It has and always will be about Maradona.

By winning the World Cup in South Africa, he will become the second man behind Franz Beckenbauer to win the trophy as a player and coach. It's something he craves, not least because of the adulation. Argentina will cry for him.

Maradona has deficiencies as a coach and his selections have, at times, bordered on the bizarre. He used 108 players in qualifying and has chosen to exclude or marginalise some of the best of them - like Javier Zanetti, Esteban Cambiasso and Juan Riquelme.

In contrast, unheralded defender Ariel Garcé was included reportedly because Maradona had a dream his team won the World Cup and the only face he could remember being there was Garcé's.

However, Maradona's decisions may be far more calculated than the workings of an eccentric egotist. He might have left some of the more experienced players out because he didn't want strong, dissenting voices around him.

He is affectionate with his players - although he baulked at a suggestion that love could win Argentina the World Cup saying, "I like my players but I love women" - he embraces and kisses every one of his team before and after matches.

His relationship with Messi seems sound and he saved his biggest embrace for his diminutive genius after the victories over Nigeria and South Korea. Everyone agrees Messi is critical to Argentinian success and Maradona surely sees that, too.

"The truth is that Maradona has always been very nice to me," Messi said recently.

"At first, it was strange to have him. He was a little imposing. But afterwards, we started getting used to him and he's been our coach for a while, so now it's normal. He's really close to the players. He's one of the guys, so there's no problem."

The Maradona factor is the single reason Argentina haven't been installed as favourites.

They are fantastically talented but appear to have deficiencies in defence. They might struggle against a well-organised team like Germany or Brazil.

They might. But they could triumph. Either way it will be compelling viewing.