Maradona sacked as Argentina boss

Soccer: Lionel Messi, Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano have all been included in the Argentina squad for next month’s friendly international against the Republic of Ireland. After Diego Maradona’s sacking last night, Sergio Batista will take charge of the team for the match at the Aviva Stadium.

Batista, who took Argentina’s Under-23 side to gold at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, will take charge of a squad which was picked by Maradona and contains 17 of the 23-man World Cup group.

Newcastle defender Fabricio Coloccini, Manchester City’s Pablo Zabaleta and Liverpool wing-back Emiliano Insua all return to the Albicelestes squad for the match on August 11th.

Midfielders Fernando Gago, Jesus Datolo and Ever Banega, and forward Ezequiel Lavezzi are also back after missing out on the World Cup.

Maradona's stormy spell as coach came to an abrupt end last night. The Argentine Football Association (AFA) voted unanimously not to renew Maradona’s contract and Batista, who took Argentina’s under-23 side to gold at the 2008 Olympics, will manage the senior team for the international against Ireland.

AFA president Julio Grondona suggested Batista might remain in charge for some time as no candidates were yet in the frame for the full-time position. "We have time to choose the technical staff," he said. "We have not thought about anybody yet. Batista is a member of the staff of this body so he will obviously fill the place as long as is needed."

Maradona's future had been in doubt since Argentina's 4-0 thrashing by Germany in the World Cup quarter-finals in South Africa this month, less than two years since his headline-grabbing appointment.

"There needed to be some changes among Diego's staff . . . and we couldn't come to an agreement," Grondona said. "No one's being kicked out, a contract hasn't been renewed because we didn't have the conditions to do so."

An AFA spokesman cited "unbridgeable differences" with Maradona, who led Argentina to World Cup victory as captain in 1986. The team's earlier-than-expected exit from the tournament followed a shaky qualifying campaign, but the former player was still given a hero's welcome when the squad returned home.

Several dozen fans, some banging drums and chanting, gathered outside the AFA's headquarters yesterday’s announcement.

Speculation had mounted ahead of the meeting that Maradona would not stay on as coach - a position he had held since November 2008 - because of the disagreement over his coaching staff. Maradona said at the weekend he wanted to stay on, but only if he could keep control over the choice of his assistants.

Argentina Squad 

Goalkeepers: Sergio Romero (AZ Alkmaar), Mariano Andujar (Catania).

Defenders: Martin Demichelis (Bayern Munich), Walter Samuel (Inter Milan), Nicolas Burdisso (Inter Milan), Gabriel Heinze (Olympique Marseille), Fabricio Coloccini (Newcastle), Pablo Zabaleta (Manchester City), Emiliano Insua (Fiorentina).

Midfielders: Maximiliano Rodriguez (Liverpool), Javier Mascherano (Liverpool), Angel Di Maria (Real Madrid), Jonas Gutierrez (Newcastle), Mario Bolatti (Fiorentina), Javier Pastore (Palermo), Fernando Gago (Real Madrid), Jesus Datolo (Espanyol), Ever Banega (Valencia).

Forwards: Gonzalo Higuain (Real Madrid), Carlos Tevez (Manchester City), Sergio Aguero (Atletico Madrid), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Diego Milito (Inter Milan), Ezequiel Lavezzi (Napoli).