Maradona issues job demands

Diego Maradona has confirmed that he would happily stay on to try and guide Argentina to the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil (Argentina 11/2 Outright with Stan James), but only if he can keep his current backroom staff.

The 49-year-old 1986 World Cup-winning captain is due to discuss his future with Argentine Football Association president Julio Grondona, having been offered a new four-year deal to stay on. However, after Grondona was critical of Maradona’s assistant, former defender Oscar Ruggeri, the coach laid down the law if he is to stay on board.

“If they touch a hair of one of my guys, even if it’s the masseur or the kitman, I’m going,” said Maradona in an interview with El Show del Futbol on America TV.

“I really want to stay, but it depends on Grondona.

“I want to continue the adventure but not with [just] anyone. I chose these people. I want to continue working with them.

“I already asked, and I will continue to ask, that Ruggeri joins me. It’s a constant struggle. This is the first thing I will discuss with Grondona.”

Maradona’s last game in charge was the 4-0 World Cup quarter-final drubbing against Germany in South Africa. And he would no doubt love the chance to put Argentina and South America (5/4 World Cup 2014 Continent Winner) back at the summit of world football in Brazil’s backyard in four years’ time.

Spain ‘will continue to dominate’

Spain coach Vicente del Bosque is confident that the side will continue to dominate world football for some time (Spain 4/1 World Cup 2014 To Win Outright bet365) following their first ever World Cup win against the Netherlands on Sunday.

The Spanish pipped the Dutch by a solitary goal in Johannesburg’s Soccer City when Andres Iniesta fired in with just four minutes of extra time remaining. And, with the World Cup following on from their Euro 2008 success, Del Bosque is confident that the country will not be knocked off their throne for the foreseeable future (Spain 4/1 Euro 2012 Outright bet365).

He said: “I think our effort, our flair is never-ending.

“This World Cup draws from what we did in 2008 and it is the continuity and continuation of a very good legacy.”
Del Bosque added: “Everyone in the dressing room is ecstatic.

“Spain, the country, deserves this triumph. This goes beyond sport. We have to celebrate and are delighted to be able to offer this victory to all the people of Spain.”

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Casillas reveals Spanish nerves

Captain and goalkeeper Iker Casillas has revealed that Spain are ‘nervous’ as they look to win the World Cup for the first time against the Netherlands (Spain 1/2, Netherlands 13/8 Outright bet365) at Soccer City, Johannesburg, on Sunday evening.

The reigning European champions and pre-tournament favourites have yet to find their top form in South Africa. They suffered a defeat to Switzerland in their opening group game and then progressed past Portugal, Paraguay and Germany by just a single goal in the knockout stages.

Casillas admitted that nerves have been affecting all the Spanish players since they arrived in South Africa, but he is hoping it will not hamper them against the Dutch (Spain 1/1, Netherlands 14/5, draw 5/2 Full Time Result bet365).

“We’ve felt a bit anxious all the way through the tournament, even the early matches,” he said.

“This is a very important match – the most important of our careers – and we do feel nervous.”

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Tabarez desperate for third

Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez says his side will fight to the end to secure third place in the world ahead of the World Cup third-place play-off against Germany (4/5 to beat Uruguay in 90 minutes) on Saturday.

The South American nation were not expected to reach the last four and have already achieved more than they were expected to by being the last side from their continent to be left in the tournament.

Uruguay face a Germany side who seem more intent on going home than competing in Port Elizabeth, captain Philip Lahm stating they would rather not play Saturday’s match.

In contrast, Tabarez seems to have the majority of his players up for the game, especially Diego Forlan, who still has the chance of winning the golden boot.

The Atletico Madrid forward (14/1 top scorer) is just one behind David Villa (8/11) and Wesley Sneijder (11/4) in the goalscoring charts and could lay down a marker with a couple of strikes on Saturday.

Miroslav Klose is also still in the reckoning for the golden boot but is a doubt for the game because of an injury.

Uruguay will also be boosted by the return of Luiz Suarez from suspension and skipper Diego Lugano from a knee injury.

Tabarez says despite the game being seen as meaningless by many he is desperate for his side to finish third and round off an excellent tournament, you can see if he is successful by keeping up to date on the latest football betting news.

“Yes, fourth position is not the same as others,” said Tabarez.

“But we will go in with the same commitment and enthusiasm as always. We will prepare to fight to the death.”

Del Bosque wary of Dutch threat

Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque says his side will be giving the Netherlands their full respect ahead of the World Cup Final on Sunday (Spain 8/15 to win the final).

Spain have reached their first final thanks to their attacking, free-flowing style of football. This is in contrast to the Dutch, the inventors of ‘total football’, who have adopted a more defensive and pragmatic approach on their way to reaching their third final.

Whoever wins on Sunday will take their first World Cup title, and Del Bosque knows that the Oranje have what it takes to more than trouble his side.

“They’re very similar to us, players of great technical ability in midfield,” said Del Bosque ahead of Sunday’s clash.

“Players of great quality and very fast that don’t improvise as much as we do, but play a more dangerous direct game. A very dangerous team”.

Del Bosque was also reluctant to revealed whether Liverpool?s Fernando Torres (12/5 to score in the final) would be in the line-up on Sunday.

“I don’t know if he will be in the line-up,” the coach added.

“It was a difficult choice. Torres has been helping us all along. His work is important even if it is not noticed. He is good at occupying the centre-backs.

“He is a very important part of the team. He is one of the key members of the squad and a lovely guy.”

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Injury could Klose door on striker bid

Miroslav Klose‘s hopes of becoming the World Cup’s all-time top scorer could be hit by a back injury which is set to rule him out of Germany‘s third-place play-off against Uruguay (Germany 8/11, Uruguay 15/4, draw 13/5 Match Prices) on Saturday.

The 32-year-old still has a slight chance of being top scorer for the current tournament in South Africa (Klose 5/1 Top Scorer), having scored four goals so far to sit one behind Spain’s David Villa and the Netherlands’ Wesley Sneijder. However, his ultimate aim is to at least draw level with Brazilian Ronaldo’s all-time record of 15 so he must play and score against Uruguay in Port Elizabeth.

But Germany’s assistant coach Hansi Flick has revealed that Klose is in a race to be fit after picking up a knock against Spain on Wednesday.

“He was hurt in an aerial duel, and we are hoping that he will be okay.” he said.

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Puyol issues Dutch warning

Carles Puyol is wary of the threat the Netherlands pose in the World Cup final and admits Spain (1/2 to win the tournament with bet365) do sometimes try to play too much.

Vicente del Bosque’s men made Sunday’s showpiece event following a 1-0 win over Germany in Wednesday’s semi-final, with defender Puyol scoring the winning goal.

Many of the pundits believe the European champions will now lift the trophy, but the Barcelona star accepts their opponents pose a threat.

Puyol insisted: “The Netherlands have a lot of good players – Robben, Van Persie and Sneijder. We have to try to stop them but at the same time we need to play our game, to keep the ball and score goals.”

Although Spain’s pass-and-move style has been praised throughout the tournament, the centre-back admits they could be more direct.

Puyol (40/1 to win the Golden Ball), though, says the defenders are in such a confident mood that if Spain score first, they feel they won’t concede.

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Low not contemplating 2008 repeat

Germany coach Joachim Low has promised his side will put on a much better performance in their semi-final against Spain tonight than they did against the same side in the Euro 2008 final defeat (Spain now 2/1 to win the World Cup with Stan James).

Fernando Torres’ goal two summers ago handed Spain the European crown, but the two sides look far better matched ahead of this evening’s World Cup last-four showdown in Durban.

Germany have breezed into the semi-finals, beating England and Argentina and scoring eight goals in the process, while Spain have looked below-par but boast the freescoring David Villa in their ranks to inspire them against Low’s side.

The German coach has seen his team grow steadily throughout the tournament and they are now many people’s fancies to go all the way and win the competition for the fourth time (Germany 9/4 – tournament outright with Stan James).

“In 2008 we did not have the same consistency,” Low said in the build-up to Wednesday’s semi.

“I had seen in our pre-tournament preparations that we have players of a higher playing quality. Our combination football and the flow of our game have improved.

“Two years ago we put in a lot of energy but were not in a position to dominate a game. Now we can cause problems for teams and are much better with the ball.”

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Fab doubt for Germany clash

Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas could miss out on Spain’s World Cup semi-final clash with Germany after he picked up an injury to his right leg (Germany 9/5, draw 9/4, Spain 13/8).

Fabregas had been given the all clear to play in the match on Wednesday after recovering from a shoulder injury, but has now sustained a new problem having limped off the field during a Spanish training session in Potchefstroom.

The 23-year-old has now suffered a string of injuries having cracked his fibula in a Champions League match against Barcelona in March.

Fabregas has not yet started for Spain in the World Cup so far as the pre-tournament favourites are blessed with a midfield which includes the likes of Xavi, Alonso and Iniesta.

The former Barcelona (4/5 to win La Liga) academy player has continued to be linked with a move back to the Catalan club as the new Barca president Sandro Rosell has stated that he will not pay over the odds as he tries to move the player away from the Emirates Stadium.

He said: “We will never pay 50 or 60 million Euros (£41m or £49m) for Cesc.

“The whole world knows he wants to come and that we want to sign him.”

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Torres may yet get bench role

Out-of-sorts Fernando Torres could yet be dropped by Spain, now a 2/1 shot with Stan James to win the World Cup, for the semi-final against Germany, despite receiving the backing of coach Vicente Del Bosque.

Del Bosque has publicly offered his support to the misfiring Liverpool striker, who has failed to hit the net in any of Spain’s World Cup games in South Africa so far.

However, reports suggest the Spain coach is still considering his options ahead of Wednesday’s showdown in Durban and could yet opt to leave Torres on the bench.

Five-goal star David Villa (4/9 favourite to win the Golden Boot) is a certain starter up front for the European champions but Fernando Llorente could come in for Torres should Del Bosque decide to shuffle his pack for the huge game.

Cesc Fabregas, who has featured mainly as a substitute, is a doubt for the last-four encounter in Durban after picking up a leg injury, while experienced defender Carles Puyol has been given the all-clear after suffering from blurred vision in the 1-0 quarter-final win over Paraguay.

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