Batista leads Argentina in post-Maradona era

Posted Wednesday, August 11, 2010 by YAHOO Sport

DUBLIN (AP)—Argentina interim coach Sergio Batista admits his players are still hurting from the humiliating way they were knocked out of the World Cup as they prepare to begin the post-Diego Maradona era with a friendly against Ireland on Wednesday.

Argentina’s 4-0 defeat by Germany in the quarterfinals in South Africa proved to be Maradona’s last match in charge as the country’s football association decided not to renew his contract.

Batista, Argentina’s youth team coach, has been placed in temporary charge of the senior squad.

“The players are still smarting from the defeat to Germany - that really hurt,” he said on Tuesday. “But then you are not a real footballer if something like that does not still hurt you after a few weeks and months, so this is a real opportunity to get that day out of our system.”

Batista has made no secret of his desire to replace Maradona on a permanent basis and will also be in charge when Argentina play Spain in a friendly in Buenos Aires on Sept. 7.

Estudiantes coach Alejandro Sabella and Claudio Borghi of Boca Juniors are also reported to be in the running for the position but a victory against Ireland would further Batista’s claims to take the job full-time.

“I’d prefer it if I was judged not on one game but a whole project, which might stretch from now to 2014,” he said. “I’d also like to be judged on what I’ve achieved in the national set-up on a whole to now.”

Batista guided Argentina to gold at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Lionel Messi was part of that title-winning side and Batista claims he has the backing of the Barcelona forward and the team’s other leading players.

“I think Messi offered it because he knows how I am, how I handle a group,” Batista said. “I hope we can be together a long time.”

Key players Messi, Javier Mascherano and Gonzalo Higuain are available to Batista on Wednesday in a squad selected last month by Maradona. Several players left out of the 23-man World Cup group have been recalled, including forward Ezequiel Lavezzi and midfielders Jesus Datolo and Fernando Gago.

Ireland coach Giovanni Trapattoni was hospitalized with nausea on Tuesday, a day before the friendly at Lansdowne Road, leaving his assistant Marco Tardelli to take charge of training. The Football Association of Ireland said the 71-year-old Trapattoni’s condition was not serious.

Ireland, which did not qualify for the World Cup finals, is waiting on the fitness of striker Kevin Doyle (calf) and Richard Dunne (knee), but Aiden McGeady, Shane Long, Caleb Folan and Marc Wilson have been ruled out because of injury.

Tottenham striker Robbie Keane, who is set to win his 100th cap for Ireland, could start on his own up front if Doyle is not passed fit.