Nigeria Content Online

Diego Maradona
recently revealed that he already has an idea of what his starting
line-up will look like for Argentina’s opening match against the Super
Eagles on June 12 in Johannesburg but the Argentine coach has now
acknowledged that he is going to have a difficult time finalizing his
23-man squad for the World Cup.

Maradona, who
captained Argentina to the World Cup title back in 1986, has since his
emergence as the national team’s coach in October 2008 called up over a
hundred players; but he has up until May 11 to submit a preliminary
30-man list to FIFA and the final 23-man squad for the World Cup by
June 1.

And with so many
Argentine players doing so well for their respective club sides both at
home and abroad,Maradona feels he has a torrid time ahead of him as he
gets down to the business of selecting his squad for the tournament
where he will also get to face, in addition to Nigeria, Greece and
South Korea in Group B.

“It’s going to hurt
to leave players off who have given it their all, or who are having a
great season,” said Maradona. “But they gave me a team and I have to
select. When you have to make a choice, someone has to be eliminated.”

Coloccini remains hopeful

An Argentine player
who has been in great form this season is central defender Fabricio
Coloccini who is hoping to force his way back into Maradona’s World Cup
plans following his displays in the colours of English club Newcastle
United, who recently gained promotion back to the English Premier
League.

The 28 year-old,
who has been capped 33 times by Argentina, has not received a call-up
to the national team since last November’s friendly against Spain but
he feels he has chance of going to the World Cup because of the recent
success he has enjoyed at Newcastle United.

“I don’t know about
the World Cup yet,” said Coloccini in an interview posted on his club’s
website. “I think that it’s May 25 when Maradona makes the squad. I
don’t know yet, but I want to go. It’s my dream, but it’s up to
Maradona this season so I have to wait.

I haven’t spoken to
Maradona since we won promotion or the Championship title, but I have
been in touch with the training staff, and they gave me their
congratulations. Maradona will know that we have won here.I think our
success here will help if I go to the World Cup. I have worked hard. I
think I have had a good season, but I have to wait for the decision on
whether I go.”

Favourites in South Africa

Argentine were in
very poor form in their qualification for the World Cup and there was a
lot of pressure on Maradona to resign, but he didn’t and got the job
done in the end.

The South American
country will in South Africa be aiming to win a third World Cup title
and Coloccini feels they will be one of the favourites, along with some
familiar names.

“I think Argentina
could have a chance in the World Cup because it’s a big team, a big
national team,” he continued. “It’s helpful if you’ve already won it
before and everyone needs a bit of luck in a competition like that, but
we know we have a very good team.”

He then added: “There are lots of teams to beat, Brazil, Spain,
Italy, France, England, they are all the better teams and as always I
think one of those teams will win.”