Maradona accuses AFA of ‘betrayal’ claim
Published:Thursday | July 29, 2010 | 1:10 PM
Diego Maradona has accused the Argentine Football Association (AFA) of lies and betrayal after his contract as national coach was not renewed.
Maradona claimed national team manager Carlos Bilardo did not want him to return as coach after Argentina's quarter-final exit at this summer's World Cup.
He also accused the Argentine Football Association president Julio Grondona of lying about his future.
Maradona's 20-month reign as Argentina manager ended on Tuesday after he rejected demands to change his backroom team, leading to the Argentine Football Association voting not to renew his contract.
However, Maradona says Grondona lied to him and Bilardo betrayed him.
Maradona further says when the team was in mourning after the 4-0 defeat by Germany at the World Cup, Bilardo was working in the shadows to get him fired.
He also says Grondona told him in front of witnesses and the players that he was very happy with his work and wanted him to carry on after the team was knocked out of the World Cup.
However, Maradona says when he returned to Argentina things started to take on a bizarre twist.