Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Maradona says he was betrayed

Updated at 8:30 am on 31 July 2010

Diego Maradona's accused Argentine football chiefs of betraying him, after they voted unanimously to end his tenure as national team coach.

The Argentine Football Association decided not to renew Maradona's contract following the team's quarter final elimination at the recent World Cup.

Maradona says immediately after the loss he was told by officials he'd done a good job with the team and they wanted him to stay on.

He says he had taken over the team in a time of crisis in 2008 and had been dropped before being able to finish the job.

When he met recently with the Argentina Football Association Maradona says he told them he wanted to remain in the job but was told he'd have to replace seven members of his coaching staff, which he wasn't prepared to do.

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