Diego Maradona may quit Argentina role

Argentina head coach Diego Maradona says he will walk out on the national team if he is refused permission to appoint Oscar Ruggeri as his assistant.

Since being appointed on 4 November, the 48-year-old has reportedly been in dispute with the Argentina Football Association over his choice of staff.

Maradona's first match is scheduled to be away to Scotland on Wednesday.

"I will be the trainer with my technical staff I want, otherwise I will not come to Glasgow," he said.

Carlos Bilardo, the Argentina FA's technical secretary, insists Maradona will not carry out his threat.

"He won't resign. I have spoken to Diego and told him he has to go slowly. There are 500 people he can choose to assist him," said Bilardo.

"When I coached the national team (between 1983 and 1990) I had to change my whole staff after four or five months of work.

"But Diego wants them all at once."

Argentina FA boss Julio Grondon, who Diego Maradona is reported to be in dispute with, would not reveal the reasons for his dislike of former Argentina defender Ruggeri.

"It's my problem," he said. "I don't want to talk about this."