Maradona demands apologyArgentina boss Diego Maradona has demanded an apology from those who have criticised his team in the past but he has told journalists that there is no need to 'drop your trousers'.
The Argentines are preparing for Sunday evening's meeting with Mexico in the last 16 of the World Cup and their manager used his pre-match press conference as an opportunity to hit back at his doubters.
Maradona's way with words has been one of the highlights of this summer's finals and he was characteristically entertaining when taking a swipe at those who dismissed his credentials during an underwhelming World Cup qualifying campaign.
Argentina almost missed out on a trip to South Africa after Maradona used more than 100 players but, after a 100 per cent record in the finals group stages, they are now ranked among the favourites to win the competition.
As a result, Maradona said: "Many journalists should apologise to the players.
Honest
"I'm not suggesting you drop your trousers, but it would be honest and great so we all get along better.
"I am turning 50 and I am not bitter. But I get annoyed when people don't respect my players.
"It isn't easy going from being nobodies back home to winning three matches at a World Cup.
"At a training camp, we had to swallow what you (journalists) all said about being a disaster, the worst Argentine team you had ever seen.
"All of a sudden we're an excellent team... the most handsome people in the 'barrio' (neighbourhood)!"
Best prize
Maradona is not short of confidence and has plenty of belief in his own team, however, he does not think that South America will ever surpass Europe as the heavyweight footballing continent.
The region's five teams, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay, all qualified for the second round of the World Cup but Maradona still has doubts.
"We'll never be more of a power than Europe," said Argentina's World Cup-winning former captain.
"The best prize South America has is to know that we give all the clubs in the world great players.
"And (we ask) that when those players get to the national teams, (the clubs) return them to us with the time and care with which we hand them over to them."
http://www.skysports.com/football/world-cup-2010/story/0,27032,12098_6231728,00.html