I have a rule with football players, entertainers, musicians, etc ... ... 'entertain me and f**k off'. I don't want to know how stars live, what they're like in private or if they love their mams. As for the goal, I've done that myself in Sunday League games purely out of reaction. I wasn't cheating when I did it, my brain was just focused on getting the ball into the net. But I was cheating if I didn't admit it to a ref who'd missed it. When it's 0-0, last minute against a grudge side and you're mobbed by your team mates it's hard to hold your hands up, if you'll excuse the pun. It's also cheating if you know you were offside, and the linesman missed it, but it doesn't feel as bad. In my mind Maradona cheated England but so did the referee and linesman ... ... Shilton was only guilty of a terrible mistake.
I reckon your first two paragraphs sum it up perfectly. I think that add into that equation that the1982 Falklands conflict would have been in the minds of some as well he would have been universally despised in England. It still makes me chuckle though when I watch his second goal and Peter Reid is probably thinking “**** running after you, mate” so just kind of slows down to a walk. If Maradona had died moments after that game I would’ve said good riddance to the cheating prick. Now I’ll just say RIP to a unique and outstanding footballer.
This is something that comes up from time to time. To us, Maradona cheated. To him, and to many other people, he just got round the rules. He came from a very different football culture, where deceiving the referee is something to be admired. In Italy, its called furbo or furbizia. I don't know what its called in Argentina but Diego was considered to be the embodiment of the pibe, a street urchin trickster that Argentinians are very proud of. If you can get round that, you can't deny that he was one of, if not the, greatest players ever. Here's a bit on furbizia http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/p...n-football-part-ii-furbizia.html#.X7-7YmmnydM And here's a bit on Diego and the pibe https://amp.theguardian.com/footbal...lment-of-a-prophecy?__twitter_impression=true
I grew up playing rugby in England. We didn't call it cheating, we called it winning. Every so often some dickhead called it the dark arts. But that's about it. If you've ever found yourself at the bottom of a ruck you probably know what I mean.
I don't think many people would really consider that cheating anyway. Gaining an advantage is just part of the game. The British concept of 'fair play', like rugby union, was spread through the public school system but has pervaded all aspects of society. Its a fluid concept though and we only apply it when it suits us. Which in itself is almost as machiavellian as furbizia
When Neil back tapped the ball out of the scrum half's hands into his side of the scrum and got away with it, I thought it was the best ****ing thing I had ever seen. When I played football, if I thought I would lose a header from a set piece... more realistically if I was just too tired to jump, I'd step on the foot of the guy I was marking. They managed to jump downwards after that. Maybe it was a **** thing to learn but I saw that kind of stuff as a skill in itself.
The fact he revelled in his cheating and not only continued to mock, but showed hatred towards the country he cheated, then I understand the negative feelings towards him. The fact that people seem to overlook his use of drugs, probably not used as performance enhancers, but must surely have had that effect, is what sticks in my throat.
He's the Argie-Gazza ... ... although, tbf, I've no idea if he's been a wife beater, drunk driver or best mates with someone shooting policemen.
I played one time after taking a few mushrooms on astroturf under floodlights. Was really good fun but deffo didn't make me any better. I quite like the idea that Maradona was off his nut yet still brilliant.
please log in to view this image I was stationed aboard the USS Enterprise in 1982. I was hoping Maggie would give Ronnie a call, but I knew you had it covered.
He would have been a better player had he signed for us in the late 1970's mind lol we would have won the league, F A cup european cup etc. The greatest goal in world cup final was Brazil's in 1970, they were sensational like Italy in 1982.
I’m not too fussed about it all TBH. I don’t think he has a soft spot for England and I didn’t have one for him. Listening to Alan Brazil ****ing over him two days running couldn’t help feeling that if THAT goal hadn’t have been against the English then the Scotch mess wouldn’t care less. Messi is a better player IMO.
