体坛英语新闻：Maradona says he will not leave national team

BUENOS AIRES, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) -- Argentine soccer icon Diego Maradona told media on Thursday he will not leave his post as coach of the national soccer team and hinted that Pablo Aimar, Lionel Messi and Gonzalo Higuain will lead the attack for the Argentina-Peru World Cup qualifier due on Saturday.

    "I am neither quitting nor going," he said, quashing several days of media speculation after it was reported that he had to seethe president of the Argentine Football Association, Julio Grondona.

Argentina's national soccer team coach Diego Maradona visits the Rosario Central stadium ahead of their 2010 World Cup qualifier match against Brazil in Rosario, 310 km (192 miles) north of Buenos Aires, August 18, 2009. Maradona was granted permission by soccer authorities to move the venue of their September 5th World Cup qualifier against arch-rivals Brazil away from the River Plate stadium in Buenos Aires to the more compact Rosario Central stadium in Argentina's second city.

"I am not speaking bout quitting, I am speaking about a chat with Grondona about what I don't like. If all goes well I will stay, if not we will see."

    Speaking to media in Ezeiza training grounds on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, Maradona complained about media treatment of his statements and said it would be much easier to leave the job and observe everything from his home "smoking a cigar".

    He described Messi as "his ace that will always play" and said he was not interested in criticism of Messi's poor performance in comparison with his performance at Spanish league giant Barcelona.

    Barcelona coach Josep "Guardiola has more time to work with than we do. The idea is to surround Messi with good players. I am not interested in criticisms. They come in one ear and go out the other."

    He also called Airmar, who plays for Portuguese giant Benfica, "is a delicacy" and praised Higuain, who plays for Spain's other dominant team Real Madrid, who he called up for the first time. Higuain is "way ahead" of other forwards for the Peru match.

    Argentina will play Peru in the Monumental Stadium, River Plate's home stadium in Argentine capital Buenos Aires. The match is in the penultimate round of South American qualifying for 2010 South Africa World Cup.

    Argentina is in fifth place with 22 points, which would mean it has to face a central American team for a place in the Cup.

    Next Wednesday, Argentina will play Uruguay in the Centenario Stadium in Montevideo. That game is the last chance for Argentina, which won the Cup in 1978 at home and in 1986 in Mexico.