Diego Maradona Dies Aged 60

[Azeem]

100th comment

[JoshBRFC+]

15 hours ago, Stan said:

The doctor looking after Maradona has been investigated for manslaughter...

Apparently there was a fight between them both? 

5 hours ago, McAzeem said:

100th comment

Wow... dude. 

[Carnivore Chris]

Maradona's first goal for Newell's Old Boys and Messi's yesterday, which he dedicated to him by showing off the Newell's shirt. Almost identical goals and very fitting. 

 

[JoshBRFC+]

6 minutes ago, Carnivore Chris said:

Maradona's first goal for Newell's Old Boys and Messi's yesterday, which he dedicated to him by showing off the Newell's shirt. Almost identical goals and very fitting. 

 

Wow. The amount of times they’ve done things almost identical is scary. 

[Stan]

Wow, very similar. He's scored a lot like that but to do it again yesterday is very fitting. Reminds me of the goal against Getafe which mirrored Maradona's vs England. 

[Spike]

There is a lot to be said about Maradona but the city of Napoli cannibalised him, a very toxic relationship. The Camorra, drugs, women, hounding his every moment with paparazzi and idolisers, and eventually some turned on him during the WC90. The most despised man in Italy after the WC, compounded with a loss in the final, a crippling drug addiction proped up by the Mafia, being banned from playing football, imagine the mental stress. How is someone meant to recover from that and live a healthy life? Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are lucky they have the combined personalties of a bucket of primer and a piece of wet cardboard.

Some people say that Maradona lived his life to the fullest but I'm not even sure about that, I'm sure there is a lot of regret and sadness in that man's life.

[Cicero]

4 minutes ago, Spike said:

There is a lot to be said about Maradona but the city of Napoli cannibalised him, a very toxic relationship. The Camorra, drugs, women, hounding his every moment with paparazzi and idolisers, and eventually some turned on him during the WC90. The most despised man in Italy after the WC, compounded with a loss in the final, a crippling drug addiction proped up by the Mafia, being banned from playing football, imagine the mental stress. How is someone meant to recover from that and live a healthy life? Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are lucky they have the combined personalties of a bucket of primer and a piece of wet cardboard.

Some people say that Maradona lived his life to the fullest but I'm not even sure about that, I'm sure there is a lot of regret and sadness in that man's life.

Aye, the man was finished at age 30 whereas Messi and Ronaldo continued to thrive well on after that. Could make a well documented series on Maradona and his life off the pitch should someone be granted the rights. 

[Spike]

3 hours ago, Cicero said:

Aye, the man was finished at age 30 whereas Messi and Ronaldo continued to thrive well on after that. Could make a well documented series on Maradona and his life off the pitch should someone be granted the rights. 

Have either ever had an injury as bad as Mardona's ankle break? Besides fouls are called at the slightest of tackles these days. Elbows could thrown in Italy without a foul in the 80s.

[Cicero]

39 minutes ago, Spike said:

Have either ever had an injury as bad as Mardona's ankle break? Besides fouls are called at the slightest of tackles these days. Elbows could thrown in Italy without a foul in the 80s.

Off the top of my head I believe Messi had an MCL tear back in 2015 and Ronaldo thinking Patellar damage?

[El Profesor]

5 hours ago, Spike said:

There is a lot to be said about Maradona but the city of Napoli cannibalised him, a very toxic relationship. The Camorra, drugs, women, hounding his every moment with paparazzi and idolisers, and eventually some turned on him during the WC90. The most despised man in Italy after the WC, compounded with a loss in the final, a crippling drug addiction proped up by the Mafia, being banned from playing football, imagine the mental stress. How is someone meant to recover from that and live a healthy life? Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are lucky they have the combined personalties of a bucket of primer and a piece of wet cardboard.

Some people say that Maradona lived his life to the fullest but I'm not even sure about that, I'm sure there is a lot of regret and sadness in that man's life.

 

Very interesting point about the relationship of the city of Napoli and Maradona. Had never really thought about it. We often hear how Maradona is revered there but there may be a whole other dimension to it.

Napoli is probably one of the worst places in Europe to a person struggling against addiction to live. 

By the way, how did Napoli managed to fund his transfer in the first place? Was Camorra behind it somehow? If I´m not wrong, his transfer from Barcelona was the most expensive of football history at the time.

 

[Spike]

8 minutes ago, El Profesor said:

 

Very interesting point about the relationship of the city of Napoli and Maradona. Had never really thought about it. We often hear how Maradona is revered there but there may be a whole other dimension to it.

Napoli is probably one of the worst places in Europe to a person struggling against addiction to live. 

By the way, how did Napoli managed to fund his transfer in the first place? Was Camorra behind it somehow? If I´m not wrong, his transfer from Barcelona was the most expensive of football history at the time.

 

Not the Camorra, in fact the president at the time was deeply enraged and offended at that suggestion during the press conference when Maradona was presented. President Corrado Ferlaino was a rich man that made a fortune from many companies. Napoli didn't even have proper sanitation... still doesn't.

[El Profesor]

42 minutes ago, Spike said:

Not the Camorra, in fact the president at the time was deeply enraged and offended at that suggestion during the press conference when Maradona was presented. President Corrado Ferlaino was a rich man that made a fortune from many companies. Napoli didn't even have proper sanitation... still doesn't.

 

Yes, I remember reading in one of Roberto Saviano´s books (don´t remember which) that Camorra turned Napoli into the garbage dump of Italy. 

And I wasn´t aware that Napoli had a mecenas in the 80s. Thanks for explaining it. I had no idea how a southern italian club in the 80s managed to have the funds to sign Maradona. I had always found it strange. 

 

I´m watching a sports show and the guests include Careca. All of them, who played with or against and who also were friends with him off the pitch say they loved Maradona and behind the public persona there was a really humble and nice person. 

[Spike]

36 minutes ago, El Profesor said:

 

Yes, I remember reading in one of Roberto Saviano´s books (don´t remember which) that Camorra turned Napoli into the garbage dump of Italy. 

And I wasn´t aware that Napoli had a mecenas in the 80s. Thanks for explaining it. I had no idea how a southern italian club in the 80s managed to have the funds to sign the likes of Maradona and Careca. I had always found it strange. 

Allegedly Napoli was the only club to make an offer to Barcelona. The president was also criticised because it was seen as a aberration that such a poor city would spend such an exorbitant amount on football

[The Artful Dodger]

13 hours ago, Spike said:

There is a lot to be said about Maradona but the city of Napoli cannibalised him, a very toxic relationship. The Camorra, drugs, women, hounding his every moment with paparazzi and idolisers, and eventually some turned on him during the WC90. The most despised man in Italy after the WC, compounded with a loss in the final, a crippling drug addiction proped up by the Mafia, being banned from playing football, imagine the mental stress. How is someone meant to recover from that and live a healthy life? Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are lucky they have the combined personalties of a bucket of primer and a piece of wet cardboard.

Some people say that Maradona lived his life to the fullest but I'm not even sure about that, I'm sure there is a lot of regret and sadness in that man's life.

Depends how you view it, would you take his life and die at 60? I think I probably would.

[Carnivore Chris]

 

[El Profesor]

15 hours ago, Spike said:

Allegedly Napoli was the only club to make an offer to Barcelona. The president was also criticised because it was seen as a aberration that such a poor city would spend such an exorbitant amount on football

That´s a surprise. Didn´t know that. 

Hearing what some former players that knew him well, the impression I could gather is that Maradona was an intelligent, sensible and generous person who didn´t have the structure behind him to cope with the demands of being a global superstar. 

The likes of Messi and Ronaldo live in a bubble and I guess this for good reason, after all when you´re at that level of fame and recognition, it´s almost impossible to have normal social relationships. Everyone will want a piece of you. 

 

[JoshBRFC+]

 

Nice touch 

But 

 

[Spike]

11 hours ago, The Artful Dodger said:

Depends how you view it, would you take his life and die at 60? I think I probably would.

At 60? I don't know, that is pretty young. That is a lot of time that one doesn't get to see family and grandchildren, and for someone like Maradona whose family was important to him, I'm sure he wouldn't have picked 60. He was never a man that strived to be an icon but to just give his parents and sisters a better life. The glory is tempting but it's never that simple, the grass always seems greener.  In and out of hospitals, psychiatric wards, rehabilitation centres, used up and spit out by the people around him. He was the greatest of all time, but he would have been the greatest all time even if people didn't take advantage of him, feed him drugs, feed into his insecurities, amplify his bad habits, and pump him full of painkillers when his body was injured. On the pitch he was god but in real life he was human that was abused by his peers.

[Michael]

11 hours ago, Spike said:

At 60? I don't know, that is pretty young. That is a lot of time that one doesn't get to see family and grandchildren, and for someone like Maradona whose family was important to him, I'm sure he wouldn't have picked 60. He was never a man that strived to be an icon but to just give his parents and sisters a better life. The glory is tempting but it's never that simple, the grass always seems greener.  In and out of hospitals, psychiatric wards, rehabilitation centres, used up and spit out by the people around him. He was the greatest of all time, but he would have been the greatest all time even if people didn't take advantage of him, feed him drugs, feed into his insecurities, amplify his bad habits, and pump him full of painkillers when his body was injured. On the pitch he was god but in real life he was human that was abused by his peers.

Maradona had his problems and his demons throughout his life. But he also had plenty of things that made him happy. Being involved in football and being close to his family seemed to be the most important things for him. 60 was way too young for him to die, he would never have wanted to die that young. He enjoyed being with his immediate family and he would have wanted to see them all grow further. Lets not forget that he also had many genuine friends, like ex-footballers he was close to. The problem with Maradona is that he also unfortunately made friends with the wrong type of people as well. You are right when you say that they used and abused him, this is something that is extremely sad. As a player, Maradona was second to none in terms of natural ability and incredible as his footballing career was, the reality is that it could have been much more successful if he hadn't abused his body.

[Carnivore Chris]

On 01/12/2020 at 00:56, El Profesor said:

 

Very interesting point about the relationship of the city of Napoli and Maradona. Had never really thought about it. We often hear how Maradona is revered there but there may be a whole other dimension to it.

Napoli is probably one of the worst places in Europe to a person struggling against addiction to live. 

By the way, how did Napoli managed to fund his transfer in the first place? Was Camorra behind it somehow? If I´m not wrong, his transfer from Barcelona was the most expensive of football history at the time.

 

Yeah, the most expensive transfer at the time. He was brought in with the hope that himself and Bernd Schuster would form something brilliant. But it unfortunately didn't really work out that way, although Maradona still did have his moments and show his brilliance, such as the performance at the Bernabeu against Real Madrid, which actually had the home fans raising to their feet to applaud him. 

 

As for the whole Argentine/Brazilian connection, I genuinely don't think Messi himself has ever connected as well with another player as he did with Dani Alves, but the young Messi always combined well with Ronaldinho as well(it was a shame never to see both in their prime together, perfect combination) and another great one was with Neymar. Obviously there has been Xavi and Iniesta, also with Suarez of course and Alba. But I think the one with Dani Alves, and later on Neymar, was pretty much the perfect pairing.

 

[Cicero]

9 minutes ago, Carnivore Chris said:

Yeah, the most expensive transfer at the time. He was brought in with the hope that himself and Bernd Schuster would form something brilliant. But it unfortunately didn't really work out that way, although Maradona still did have his moments and show his brilliance, such as the performance at the Bernabeu against Real Madrid, which actually had the home fans raising to their feet to applaud him. 

 

As for the whole Argentine/Brazilian connection, I genuinely don't think Messi himself has ever connected as well with another player as he did with Dani Alves, but the young Messi always combined well with Ronaldinho as well(it was a shame never to see both in their prime together, perfect combination) and another great one was with Neymar. Obviously there has been Xavi and Iniesta, also with Suarez of course and Alba. But I think the one with Dani Alves, and later on Neymar, was pretty much the perfect pairing.

 

Still adamant in saying Dani Alves was Guardiola's greatest ever signing and possibly Messi's best ever partner. The chemistry they had was ridiculous. 

 

[JoshBRFC+]

5 hours ago, Cicero said:

Still adamant in saying Dani Alves was Guardiola's greatest ever signing and possibly Messi's best ever partner. The chemistry they had was ridiculous. 

 

Hmm tough one is that. It’s so hard to just pick one as to Messi’s best ever partner. I’ll agree Alves is top 3.. Iniesta there too.

As for Pep’s best signing of his career. Alves again definitely top 3 I’d say. But there have been some cracking signings.. Alves winning 2 trebles with Messi though. One of the best right backs of all time. 

Kimmich is a good one, only a few million pounds and from the 2nd tier in Germany too?

Lewandowski on a free also.

Pique for just a few million.

For all the money he’s spent he has also made some very good signings to be fair. 

[JoshBRFC+]

Confirmed. 

[El Profesor]

14 hours ago, Carnivore Chris said:

Yeah, the most expensive transfer at the time. He was brought in with the hope that himself and Bernd Schuster would form something brilliant. But it unfortunately didn't really work out that way, although Maradona still did have his moments and show his brilliance, such as the performance at the Bernabeu against Real Madrid, which actually had the home fans raising to their feet to applaud him. 

 

As for the whole Argentine/Brazilian connection, I genuinely don't think Messi himself has ever connected as well with another player as he did with Dani Alves, but the young Messi always combined well with Ronaldinho as well(it was a shame never to see both in their prime together, perfect combination) and another great one was with Neymar. Obviously there has been Xavi and Iniesta, also with Suarez of course and Alba. But I think the one with Dani Alves, and later on Neymar, was pretty much the perfect pairing.

 

More than Iniesta and Xavi on the middle, I'd say that the exits from Dani Alves and Puyol were the ones that hurt Barça the most. 

Alves was the player that had the closest relatonship with Messi on the pitch, due to his position on the right flank. 

And Puyol due to his leadership. 

Barça never really replaced those players. 

 

 

[Cicero]