Diego Maradona RIP

[Mike Charlick]

What a player! RIP. :nworthy:

 

[Clarke B]

Obviously an incredible, other-wordly player, but I've never been able to get past the thought that he was on some kind of performance-enhancing drugs at the '86 World Cup.

There have long been rumours that Argentina's 1978 squad were given drugs to aid their energy levels. There have been claims that they were so high on speed that they had to run for hours after games to use up the excess energy. They supposedly used a waterboy to supply clean urine so they would pass their drug tests. This was a nation not averse to giving their athletes a 'boost'.

Then there's the fact that Maradona openly admitted using a fake penis and a bag of urine to fool drug testers for years. He did it so often it became part of his matchday routine. This was a man for whom drugs were a major part of life.

Fifa protocols eventually changed to combat his evasive measures and his drug-taking finally caught up with him at the 1994 World Cup, where a nurse actually escorted him from the pitch holding his hand after he had played against Nigeria. He thus had no opportunity to obtain clean urine and he was caught so pumped full of ephedrine that he could have taken on the Chinese Army.

So yes, 'that' goal against England was incredible. But in my eyes, too incredible.

Drugs or no drugs...Shilton shouldn't have been outjumped by someone who was 5 ft 4!

 

[monkeywrench]

Absolutely sensational player. Best I've ever seen in the era I've been watching football.

What a player. RIP Diago

 

[WoodsyGreen]

Obviously an incredible, other-wordly player, but I've never been able to get past the thought that he was on some kind of performance-enhancing drugs at the '86 World Cup.

There have long been rumours that Argentina's 1978 squad were given drugs to aid their energy levels. There have been claims that they were so high on speed that they had to run for hours after games to use up the excess energy. They supposedly used a waterboy to supply clean urine so they would pass their drug tests. This was a nation not averse to giving their athletes a 'boost'.

Then there's the fact that Maradona openly admitted using a fake penis and a bag of urine to fool drug testers for years. He did it so often it became part of his matchday routine. This was a man for whom drugs were a major part of life.

Fifa protocols eventually changed to combat his evasive measures and his drug-taking finally caught up with him at the 1994 World Cup, where a nurse actually escorted him from the pitch holding his hand after he had played against Nigeria. He thus had no opportunity to obtain clean urine and he was caught so pumped full of ephedrine that he could have taken on the Chinese Army.

So yes, 'that' goal against England was incredible. But in my eyes, too incredible.

Drugs or no drugs...Shilton shouldn't have been outjumped by someone who was 5 ft 4!

No, although Shilton was only 6ft himself, not big for a keeper.

That being said, he probably wouldn't have been out-jumped if Maradona hadn't used his arm. If you look at the many photos of the incident, Shilton's fist is higher than Maradona's head and it's entirely possible (though we'll never know for sure), that he would have beaten him to it under normal 'fair' circumstances.

 

[Pift]

I visited Naples last year and the amount of Maradona paraphernalia on every corner was unbelievable. This was some 30 years after his amazing time with Napoli and he is still revered as a God.

To think Inter and AC were the big boys in Italy back then and Diego went in and shook the league up. Some influence he had as an individual.

People are bitter about his handball (rightly so) but there was a helluva lot more to the man than that.

 

[pafcprogs]

Strangely enough I watched a youtube clip of him training. His touch and precision was unbelievable

Far and a way the best player there


And he was the overweight alcohol addicted coach in his late fifties and the rest were the professionals he was coaching.


Magical......flawed.....unplayable at times


Then again he never had to get marked by Jock Morrison....

 

[Larry David]

Top Top player. Drugged up? Undoubtedly. A cheat? Obviously, but supremely talented.

Irrevocably tarnished for me a bit like Ben Johnson as a sprinter, so I would go with Pele then probably Best. As for today’s players? I don’t think you can compare as the protection they receive today makes it impossible.

 

[Clarke B]

Obviously an incredible, other-wordly player, but I've never been able to get past the thought that he was on some kind of performance-enhancing drugs at the '86 World Cup.

There have long been rumours that Argentina's 1978 squad were given drugs to aid their energy levels. There have been claims that they were so high on speed that they had to run for hours after games to use up the excess energy. They supposedly used a waterboy to supply clean urine so they would pass their drug tests. This was a nation not averse to giving their athletes a 'boost'.

Then there's the fact that Maradona openly admitted using a fake penis and a bag of urine to fool drug testers for years. He did it so often it became part of his matchday routine. This was a man for whom drugs were a major part of life.

Fifa protocols eventually changed to combat his evasive measures and his drug-taking finally caught up with him at the 1994 World Cup, where a nurse actually escorted him from the pitch holding his hand after he had played against Nigeria. He thus had no opportunity to obtain clean urine and he was caught so pumped full of ephedrine that he could have taken on the Chinese Army.

So yes, 'that' goal against England was incredible. But in my eyes, too incredible.

Drugs or no drugs...Shilton shouldn't have been outjumped by someone who was 5 ft 4!

No, although Shilton was only 6ft himself, not big for a keeper.

That being said, he probably wouldn't have been out-jumped if Maradona hadn't used his arm. If you look at the many photos of the incident, Shilton's fist is higher than Maradona's head and it's entirely possible (though we'll never know for sure), that he would have beaten him to it under normal 'fair' circumstances.

Have another look at the footage and still photos of the Hand of God goal. Shiltons feet were barely off the pitch. He didn't even jump properly! Terrible goalkeeping.

As we saw when he came to Argyle he was a has-been between the sticks who could barely move. He shouldn't have been anywhere near the 86/88/90 England squads.

 

[buck197]

To compare the physicality of the 60-80’s with today’s snowflakes diving, rolling around and faking injury is laughable. Messi and Ronaldo have had an easy time during their careers.

 

[WoodsyGreen]

Obviously an incredible, other-wordly player, but I've never been able to get past the thought that he was on some kind of performance-enhancing drugs at the '86 World Cup.

There have long been rumours that Argentina's 1978 squad were given drugs to aid their energy levels. There have been claims that they were so high on speed that they had to run for hours after games to use up the excess energy. They supposedly used a waterboy to supply clean urine so they would pass their drug tests. This was a nation not averse to giving their athletes a 'boost'.

Then there's the fact that Maradona openly admitted using a fake penis and a bag of urine to fool drug testers for years. He did it so often it became part of his matchday routine. This was a man for whom drugs were a major part of life.

Fifa protocols eventually changed to combat his evasive measures and his drug-taking finally caught up with him at the 1994 World Cup, where a nurse actually escorted him from the pitch holding his hand after he had played against Nigeria. He thus had no opportunity to obtain clean urine and he was caught so pumped full of ephedrine that he could have taken on the Chinese Army.

So yes, 'that' goal against England was incredible. But in my eyes, too incredible.

Drugs or no drugs...Shilton shouldn't have been outjumped by someone who was 5 ft 4!

No, although Shilton was only 6ft himself, not big for a keeper.

That being said, he probably wouldn't have been out-jumped if Maradona hadn't used his arm. If you look at the many photos of the incident, Shilton's fist is higher than Maradona's head and it's entirely possible (though we'll never know for sure), that he would have beaten him to it under normal 'fair' circumstances.

Have another look at the footage and still photos of the Hand of God goal. Shiltons feet were barely off the pitch. He didn't even jump properly!

That's the point though isn't it, he didn't think he had to.

He said himself that he never came out for a ball he wasn't certain he could win, and I'll take his word over either of ours.

 

[gaspargomez]

Maradona was the best player ever.
Better than Messi and Ronaldo without a doubt. Pele too.

Whatever silly things he did away from the pitch- thats his own business. He didn’t harm anyone.

 

[WoodsyGreen]

Tell that to the four journalists he put in hospital after shooting them with an air rifle!

 

[Mike Charlick]

Obviously an incredible, other-wordly player, but I've never been able to get past the thought that he was on some kind of performance-enhancing drugs at the '86 World Cup.

There have long been rumours that Argentina's 1978 squad were given drugs to aid their energy levels. There have been claims that they were so high on speed that they had to run for hours after games to use up the excess energy. They supposedly used a waterboy to supply clean urine so they would pass their drug tests. This was a nation not averse to giving their athletes a 'boost'.

Then there's the fact that Maradona openly admitted using a fake penis and a bag of urine to fool drug testers for years. He did it so often it became part of his matchday routine. This was a man for whom drugs were a major part of life.

Fifa protocols eventually changed to combat his evasive measures and his drug-taking finally caught up with him at the 1994 World Cup, where a nurse actually escorted him from the pitch holding his hand after he had played against Nigeria. He thus had no opportunity to obtain clean urine and he was caught so pumped full of ephedrine that he could have taken on the Chinese Army.

So yes, 'that' goal against England was incredible. But in my eyes, too incredible.

Drugs or no drugs...Shilton shouldn't have been outjumped by someone who was 5 ft 4!

No, although Shilton was only 6ft himself, not big for a keeper.

That being said, he probably wouldn't have been out-jumped if Maradona hadn't used his arm. If you look at the many photos of the incident, Shilton's fist is higher than Maradona's head and it's entirely possible (though we'll never know for sure), that he would have beaten him to it under normal 'fair' circumstances.

Or if he hadn't been so slow off his line.

 

[Justin]

Obviously an incredible, other-wordly player, but I've never been able to get past the thought that he was on some kind of performance-enhancing drugs at the '86 World Cup.

There have long been rumours that Argentina's 1978 squad were given drugs to aid their energy levels. There have been claims that they were so high on speed that they had to run for hours after games to use up the excess energy. They supposedly used a waterboy to supply clean urine so they would pass their drug tests. This was a nation not averse to giving their athletes a 'boost'.

Then there's the fact that Maradona openly admitted using a fake penis and a bag of urine to fool drug testers for years. He did it so often it became part of his matchday routine. This was a man for whom drugs were a major part of life.

Fifa protocols eventually changed to combat his evasive measures and his drug-taking finally caught up with him at the 1994 World Cup, where a nurse actually escorted him from the pitch holding his hand after he had played against Nigeria. He thus had no opportunity to obtain clean urine and he was caught so pumped full of ephedrine that he could have taken on the Chinese Army.

So yes, 'that' goal against England was incredible. But in my eyes, too incredible.

Drugs or no drugs...Shilton shouldn't have been outjumped by someone who was 5 ft 4!

No, although Shilton was only 6ft himself, not big for a keeper.

That being said, he probably wouldn't have been out-jumped if Maradona hadn't used his arm. If you look at the many photos of the incident, Shilton's fist is higher than Maradona's head and it's entirely possible (though we'll never know for sure), that he would have beaten him to it under normal 'fair' circumstances.

Time to get over it.

His other goal was a wonder goal. The greatest ever?

You have absolutely no evidence that Maradona was under the influence. Just bad faith guesswork.

It’s irrelevant anyway, ask any pro from his era, they were all in awe of him because he was so much better than anyone else.

Nothing to do with recreational drugs or otherwise.

 

[WoodsyGreen]

Of course I don't have any evidence, I'm not a lawyer presenting a court case. I'm posting an opinion on the internet and it's up to you whether you believe it holds any water or not. It makes no odds to me either way.

Great player? Yes, of course. Let's just leave it at that.