*Sochi:* Former Argentine great Diego Maradona has offered to coach hiscountry for free, eight years after his last attempt ended in World Cupfailure.
Maradona, who watched his side eliminated 4-3 by France last weekend inKazan, was asked if he fancied another shot at the job – even thoughcurrent coach Jorge Sampaoli has a contract until 2022.
“Yes, and I would do it for free,” Maradona said on a Venezuelan TV show.“I wouldn’t ask for anything in return.”
The former Boca Juniors and Napoli player coached Argentina at the 2010World Cup, where his team were beaten 4-0 by Germany at the quarter-finalstage.
Since then, the player who guided Argentina to their last World Cup win in1986, has only coached two club sides in the United Arab Emirates.
He is still one of the most controversial faces in football, and he hit theheadlines in Russia for his colourful appearances at Argentina games.
Never a stranger to extremes, Maradona produced some of this World Cup’slasting images – celebrating victories in iconic poses, giving the fingerto fans, and being helped into a hospitality box to be seen by doctorsafter suffering from low blood pressure.
“People think I am happy but my heart is heavy,” Maradona said aboutArgentina’s elimination. “I feel really bad that everything we built withso much effort we destroyed so easily.”