It won’t happen, but it should. Diego Maradona has been rumored to take over at Aston Villa following the departure of Martin O’Neill. Seemingly, the idea is more Maradona’s than Villa’s, but I still would like to take the rumor seriously simply because it offers one of those once in a lifetime entertainment opportunities. No one questions Maradona’s coaching pedigree. But his record at the club level is comparable to mine, which falls somewhere between horrible and non-existent. And let’s not forget Maradona’s English capability. It’s not often that you run into someone trying to secure a managerial position in the English top flight who could use English lessons from Fabio Capello.
There’s something special about Maradona that is simultaneously refreshing and worrying. His decision-making is not constrained by logic, which is a skill that would make him a good fit for the English game. But you have to wonder why he thinks he could be a success at a club like Aston Villa. It’s something only Maradona can answer, and imagining his response is reason enough to push for him to get the position. Less logic, more entertainment. Maybe it’s time for a new approach for clubs desperately trying to reach the next level. And let’s face it, the English top flight is all about entertainment. And in Maradona, we have one of the game’s best. It’s a win-win for everyone, unless, of course, Maradona fails miserably. Then it will only be a loss-win.
