Breaking news has died.

Well well well

Quoted from 140067

Breaking news has died.

What did Breaking news die of :)

not by his own hand tho i guess

My thoughts on World Cup 1986. Hand of Maradona. The a dribble past England defenders (Fenwick just turned his back). Then similar against Belgium. Possibly chemically induced. A coke crazed genius or cheat?

That's a shame. Loved her in Evita.

Quoted from Rob_in_Grimsby

What did Breaking news die of :)

Ha ha ha yes it reads like that. I will not mourn.

Quoted from dicko995

not by his own hand tho i guess

By a nose.

Quoted from 140067

A coke crazed genius or cheat?

Both!

Cheat your way out of that if you can

Imagine the sesh he must have had after México 86!

Meh

Love him or loathe him he was the GOAT. Can't think of anyone else who single handedly (no pun intented) won a World Cup for an otherwise average - at best - side and won two championships with Napoli who up until his arrival were the whipping boys of Serie A.

Quoted from Withnail

Love him or loathe him he was the GOAT. Can't think of anyone else who single handedly (no pun intented) won a World Cup for an otherwise average - at best - side and won two championships with Napoli who up until his arrival were the whipping boys of Serie A.

Way more personality than the likes of Messi and Ronaldo, too. Was at one with the ball, in complete control.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cdf6D19Etmc

There was no doubting his flaws as a person but football has lost arguably its greatest ever player

Some of his mistakes were all his. Some of his mistakes were the result of unbelievable levels of pressure from a very early age. I still believe there was a good person behind the persona he sometimes sheltered behind. It was his way of dealing with the pressure, emotion, threats, injuries etc.

There will only ever be one El Diez. RIP

I really don't think he was the GOAT. Pele, Cruyff, Messi and maybe Ronaldo have very good claims to that and they didn't get smacked up, take performance enhancing drugs (as far as we know) and squander their talents. The BBC maintains that he was being treated for alcohol dependency, a very flawed character.

There's a great documentary about him (on Netflix I think) and it's very balanced about him but he was no saint.

Quoted from Knut Anders Fosters Voles

There was no doubting his flaws as a person but football has lost arguably its greatest ever player

Some of his mistakes were all his. Some of his mistakes were the result of unbelievable levels of pressure from a very early age. I still believe there was a good person behind the persona he sometimes sheltered behind. It was his way of dealing with the pressure, emotion, threats, injuries etc.

There will only ever be one El Diez. RIP

He made a lot of mistakes in his personal life, but there shouldn't be any doubt that he was a good person. Watch the Netflix series of him managing in Mexico if you haven't already, that'll confirm it for you.

He learned his trade watching videos of joe waters

Quoted from BobbyCummingsTackle

I really don't think he was the GOAT. Pele, Cruyff, Messi and maybe Ronaldo have very good claims to that and they didn't get smacked up, take performance enhancing drugs (as far as we know) and squander their talents. The BBC maintains that he was being treated for alcohol dependency, a very flawed character.

There's a great documentary about him (on Netflix I think) and it's very balanced about him but he was no saint.

It’s very difficult to compare Messi and C.Ronaldo to the rest. The game has changed so much. Neither LM or CR have ever had a serious injury. Maradona had to evade career ending tackles every week and sometimes he failed...which is wear the drug abuse first started.

I’m not sure he squandered his talents. From the late 70s to 89/90 he was the best player in the world by a huge margin, in an era of Van Basten, Platini, Rijkaard, Matthäus, Zico, Gullit...

Look at what he achieved with an unfashionable Napoli and an otherwise average Argentina. If he squandered talent it was only because he had so much more than anybody else.

Quoted from Withnail

Love him or loathe him he was the GOAT. Can't think of anyone else who single handedly (no pun intented) won a World Cup for an otherwise average - at best - side and won two championships with Napoli who up until his arrival were the whipping boys of Serie A.

Sad news. A true legend of the game. Interesting to see the comparisons between him and Pele for best player of the century. From what I gather FIFA officials  gave it to Pele because he wasn't a drugs cheat but had Maradona not done all them drugs they would have given it to him. The internet poll though on player of the century was won by Maradona by quite some margin with 53.6 per cent of the vote, compared to Pele's 18.53 per cent.

For me a undoubted genius. I always remember reading about Maradona's exploits as a young boy doing kick ups with a tennis ball at half time in a local game and becoming the main attraction. Never really practised it either. All came naturally to him.

Quoted from Knut Anders Fosters Voles

There was no doubting his flaws as a person but football has lost arguably its greatest ever player

Some of his mistakes were all his. Some of his mistakes were the result of unbelievable levels of pressure from a very early age. I still believe there was a good person behind the persona he sometimes sheltered behind. It was his way of dealing with the pressure, emotion, threats, injuries etc.

There will only ever be one El Diez. RIP

Yes .I saw a documentary  on tv a few months back on him. A victim of his own success. Sad to read that Barcelona pushed him way to hard .He was injured and they gave him injections as it was good for television rights  :-/ :o and he played . I think not having his family behind him at certain times also didn't help. A fragile figure who needed support but at critical points didn't get it.

Quoted from Knut Anders Fosters Voles

It’s very difficult to compare Messi and C.Ronaldo to the rest. The game has changed so much. Neither LM or CR have ever had a serious injury. Maradona had to evade career ending tackles every week and sometimes he failed...which is wear the drug abuse first started.

I’m not sure he squandered his talents. From the late 70s to 89/90 he was the best player in the world by a huge margin, in an era of Van Basten, Platini, Rijkaard, Matthäus, Zico, Gullit...

All good points. I am very biased against drug cheats (I really dislike them, it's just a thing...) but I'm not sure he was head and shoulders better than Platini and Gullit. Maradona didn't win the Ballon D'Or but Platini, Van Basten and Cruyff won it more than once, Gullit won it as well.

The accusation against the Ballon D'Or was that it was Europe biased but Maradona had most of his best years playing at either Barcelona or Napoli.

Quoted from Ipswin

Cheat your way out of that if you can

Ha ha ha😀😜

Quoted from Rick12

Sad news. A true legend of the game. Interesting to see the comparisons between him and Pele for best player of the century. From what I gather FIFA officials  gave it to Pele because he wasn't a drugs cheat but had Maradona not done all them drugs they would have given it to him. The internet poll though on player of the century was won by Maradona by quite some margin with 53.6 per cent of the vote, compared to Pele's 18.53 per cent.

For me a undoubted genius. I always remember reading Maradona's exploits as a young boy doing kick ups with a tennis ball at half time in a local game and becoming the main attraction. Never really practised it either. All came naturally to him.

The problem with those types of poll (internet polls particularly) are that they are voted on by people who tend to vote for players they have seen and they tend to be biased towards players still playing or recently retired. I didn't see the poll you're referring to but the likes of Puskas would be nowhere whilst some very modern players would be artificially high. It happens in other areas, I can't remember the precise example but there was a poll for the best pop song of all time and it was won by someone like Little Mix because the average age of the respondents was 13!

Quoted from Rodley Mariner

Look at what he achieved with an unfashionable Napoli and an otherwise average Argentina. If he squandered talent it was only because he had so much more than anybody else.

Probably why Messi has never overtaken him as Argentina's  finest player. Maradona won them that world cup almost single-handedly.

Quoted from 3610

Imagine the sesh he must have had after México 86!

Or before

He's in the hands of God now.

Quoted from BobbyCummingsTackle

All good points. I am very biased against drug cheats (I really dislike them, it's just a thing...) but I'm not sure he was head and shoulders better than Platini and Gullit. Maradona didn't win the Ballon D'Or but Platini, Van Basten and Cruyff won it more than once, Gullit won it as well.

The accusation against the Ballon D'Or was that it was Europe biased but Maradona had most of his best years playing at either Barcelona or Napoli.

Maradona would have had a hard time winning the Ballon d’Or, because he wasn’t European. Non-Europeans weren’t eligible until 1995

the only person i know who is the Goat is Ronaldinho.

Good footballer, his cheating is what he will be remembered for.

Quoted from Meza

the only person i know who is the Goat is Ronaldinho.

...who also had an interest in the high life and is now in prison. Brilliant player mind

Just to be clear...

“Druggy, alcoholic, cheating, Argie” football genius = bad

Druggy, alcoholic, cheating, English Prime Minister of the U.K. = good

I think some people have some warped values

Quoted from Meza

the only person i know who is the Goat is Ronaldinho.

Meza for pure skill 100% agree. I adore him. Genius personified. I dont think Pele or Maradona could match him for pure trickery.

(100)

This goal was a bit special  :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2REspbMp4yg&list=PLj0PrhK83xQv3n-uzxHQRQXJZOOElaISK&index=6

Cruyff was the best for me - a much more complete footballer / coach / tactician - invented modern football - combining the flair of the South American game with the tactical organisation of the European game. His addiction killed him as well - just fags. Deserved a WC Winners medal in 74 and Holland should have won it in 78 as well - the best team. Also provided amusement by giving the Scots a temporary masturbatory moment (captured superbly by Irving Welsh in Trainspotting) only to take it away by scoring a few minutes later - they deserved to win it just for that...

Great player. Lousy person.

Absolute genius. 60 is good going considering.

Sad news for his family.

How long will it be before a Sheffield Utd fan wheels out the “we turned down Maradona when we signed Sabella” story?

The later being “humbled” by Joe on “that’ day!

Greatest player ever & an even better character. Imagine what he would’ve done if he’d been one of these oxygen tent, cryogenic chamber robots like Ronaldo, or even an actual drugs cheat like Messi & his human growth hormones.

RIP Diego Armando Maradona.

Here’s one for the Mary Whitehouse brigade on here -

[img]https://i.postimg.cc/FHGW5Xn6/9-DA13115-5-E2-C-4-DA6-8318-0-FEB4268145-F.jpg[/img]

Quoted from Rick12

Meza for pure skill 100% agree. I adore him. Genius personified. I dont think Pele or Maradona could match him for pure trickery.

(100)

This goal was a bit special  :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2REspbMp4yg&list=PLj0PrhK83xQv3n-uzxHQRQXJZOOElaISK&index=6

Yeah i agree Rich, in terms of Skill \ trickery, Ronaldinho was probably the best (in that era) Maradona was also great with the ball as was Cruyff.  Dribbling past defenders is not something you see very often these days. its all pass pass pass until you fall asleep lol like Man City's walk it in method.

[youtube]3FcXBAC6-KI[/youtube]

Quoted from Meza

Yeah i agree Rich, in terms of Skill \ trickery, Ronaldinho was probably the best (in that era) Maradona was also great with the ball as was Cruyff.  Dribbling past defenders is not something you see very often these days. its all pass pass pass until you fall asleep lol like Man City's walk it in method.

Thanks for the link. Ronaldinho is my favourite player ever .I was very lucky to have seen him play live. Head and shoulders above any of the players on the pitch that day. Reminded me of going into a art exhibition  and seeing pictures painted  by  children and then you see one that was done by Rembrandt .

Added to that ex Barcelona player Xavi  said he had an endearing personality as well.

one less cheat, dont care how good he may have been, he was a cheat.

It’s his fault we have VAR 😬

Quoted from ska face

Greatest player ever & an even better character. Imagine what he would’ve done if he’d been one of these oxygen tent, cryogenic chamber robots like Ronaldo, or even an actual drugs cheat like Messi & his human growth hormones.

RIP Diego Armando Maradona.

Here’s one for the Mary Whitehouse brigade on here -

[img]https://i.postimg.cc/FHGW5Xn6/9-DA13115-5-E2-C-4-DA6-8318-0-FEB4268145-F.jpg[/img]

Totally agree, just like that other flawed genius George Best, who died exactly 15 years ago to the day. Spooky.

The greatest player to ever play the game. End of.

A footballing genius. Captained Argentina to their only World Cup win on foreign soil in 1986. And probably more impressively he almost single handedly dragged a terrible Argentina side to the Final in 1990.

Quoted from ska face

Greatest player ever & an even better character. Imagine what he would’ve done if he’d been one of these oxygen tent, cryogenic chamber robots like Ronaldo, or even an actual drugs cheat like Messi & his human growth hormones.

RIP Diego Armando Maradona.

Here’s one for the Mary Whitehouse brigade on here -

[img]https://i.postimg.cc/FHGW5Xn6/9-DA13115-5-E2-C-4-DA6-8318-0-FEB4268145-F.jpg[/img]

You’d have thought they’d have cleaned that glass. Look at all the dust on it

Mexico 86 was when I really got into football. Obviously really hated him at the time for what he did against England but I was just a kid then and as I got older wised up that he was a great player, maybe the best in my lifetime. As others have said too, unlike a lot of today's footballers he was full of character albeit massively divisive.

Quoted from Manchester Mariner

Mexico 86 was when I really got into football. Obviously really hated him at the time for what he did against England but I was just a kid then and as I got older wised up that he was a great player, maybe the best in my lifetime. As others have said too, unlike a lot of today's footballers he was full of character albeit massively divisive.

Barry Davies’, “You have to say that’s magnificent”, after Maradona scored that incredible 2nd goal vs England in 1986 is one of my favourite commentary moments too.

Up there with “And Solskjaer has won it” and “Nolan, does he go?” by our very own John Tondeur in the 2016 playoff final

Typical boring Grimsby response.... You lot are pathetic

[url]https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/football/55078940[/url]

Quoted from ginnywings

Totally agree, just like that other flawed genius George Best, who died exactly 15 years ago to the day. Spooky.

Yes but George wasn’t a cheating b@stard was he?

[url] https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news/diego-maradona-film-documentary-how-organised-crime-napoli-drugs-cocaine-change-a8958591.html[/url]

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

Yes but George wasn’t a cheating b@stard was he?

[url] https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news/diego-maradona-film-documentary-how-organised-crime-napoli-drugs-cocaine-change-a8958591.html[/url]

You say that, but a string of old girlfriends and his ex-wife probably thinks differently.

Quoted from GollyGTFC

You say that, but a string of old girlfriends and his ex-wife probably thinks differently.

;D

Yes but you don’t need to be a footballer to cheat like that! ;D

Never liked the bloke but you can't deny he was a great footballer, when he wasn't cheating.

Quoted from Knut Anders Fosters Voles

Maradona would have had a hard time winning the Ballon d’Or, because he wasn’t European. Non-Europeans weren’t eligible until 1995

That might explain it then. You live and learn!

Quoted from Knut Anders Fosters Voles

Just to be clear...

“Druggy, alcoholic, cheating, Argie” football genius = bad

Druggy, alcoholic, cheating, English Prime Minister of the U.K. = good

I think some people have some warped values

Not me racist to boot.

Said above that he virtually won the World Cup single-handedly.  

He DID win the World Cup single-handed!!  :'(

The SundayTimes recently had a big article arguing that Pele was the GOAT.  The article dismissed many myths that he scored a lot of his goals in friendlies etc.

Great as Pele was, I am old to remember him on TV and he was primarily a goal-machine like Ronaldo.

Maradona and Messi created magic and were (are) magicians over a long career.

Hard to judge players over different era's. They were all outstanding.    

Quoted from GollyGTFC

The greatest player to ever play the game. End of.

A footballing genius. Captained Argentina to their only World Cup win on foreign soil in 1986. And probably more impressively he almost single handedly dragged a terrible Argentina side to the Final in 1990.

This - and people who reference his cheating take a look at Owen's dive in 2002 World Cup finals v Argentina
Cheating illegitimate???

An amazing footballer, superb dribbling skills, tough, strong and in an era when the opposition were taking it in turns and getting away with hacking you down at every opportunity.

Certainly had his struggles mentally, physically, and addiction wise....would he have been worse without the drugs ?  Would he have been better without them ?  We will never know but his legacy is forever tainted.

I mean call him a cheat all you want, he did handball it but intercourse me, there were plenty of chances to tackle him, and we forget the other goal he scored, again, because we didn’t get near him.

The statement from Napoli is brilliant and not a single club in the uk would come up with some as poetic and heartfelt as this:

"Everyone is waiting for words from us. But what words could we possibly use for pain as strong as that we are currently experiencing? Now is the time for tears. Later, it will be words."

Brilliant...

Quoted from devs

This - and people who reference his cheating take a look at Owen's dive in 2002 World Cup finals v Argentina
Cheating illegitimate???

Or two seconds before Owen losing his balance, Beckham rolling around like a bogey on a finger, clutching his achilles like an extra from Hostel. Owen falls over and Beckham immediately springs up, checks his hair and takes the penalty. Then checks his hair again

My enduring memory of Maradona is not the handball. That was cheating but it isn’t the sort of cheating that made me despise him. It was in the 1994 World Cup when he ran full tilt towards the camera and there was this horribly distorted face clearly full of some sort of drugs filling the TV screen.  He tested positive shortly after.

He thought he was bigger and better than the game that gifted him his fame. I admire his ability but I have zero respect for anyone who treats the game as their personal property and so shabbily.

lmao.

The bloke was the greatest player on the planet whilst hopelessly addicted to cocaine and often played completely off his nut. Think that deserves extra credit.

Quoted from ska face

lmao.

The bloke was the greatest player on the planet whilst hopelessly addicted to cocaine and often played completely off his nut. Think that deserves extra credit.

Exactly...just watch the film. The dude barely remembers some games...

I'm sure I read sometime in the past that his drug problems started when he was encouraged to take increasingly higher amounts of codeine to mask his injuries and get him on the pitch while at Napoli. The Mafia and betting rings played a big part in his degeneration.


To be as good as he was with minimal training and his lifestyle speaks to what a phenomenally gifted player he was. God knows how good he would have been if he took it seriously.

Quoted from ginnywings

I'm sure I read sometime in the past that his drug problems started when he was encouraged to take increasingly higher amounts of codeine to mask his injuries and get him on the pitch while at Napoli. The Mafia and betting rings played a big part in his degeneration.


To be as good as he was with minimal training and his lifestyle speaks to what a phenomenally gifted player he was. God knows how good he would have been if he took it seriously.

Boca Juniors paid £1m+ for Maradona. £1m+ more than they could afford. They had to try to recoup as much of the costs as they could by playing lucrative friendlies all over the world. Maradona had to be on the pitch, as the star attraction. That was when the painkilling injections started, long before Barcelona or Napoli

If you’ve not watched the film you should. Wish I was a few years older so I could have seen him at the time.

Quoted from LH

If you’ve not watched the film you should. Wish I was a few years older so I could have seen him at the time.

Don’t wish your life away. Nobody is that good! ;D

Quoted from Knut Anders Fosters Voles

Just to be clear...

“Druggy, alcoholic, cheating, Argie” football genius = bad

Druggy, alcoholic, cheating, English Prime Minister of the U.K. = good

I think some people have some warped values

My feelings won't be any worse if Bozza went. In fact I'd be happier.

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

He thought he was bigger and better than the game that gifted him his fame. I admire his ability but I have zero respect for anyone who treats the game as their personal property and so shabbily.

I can't work out if this is serious or some sort of subtle, iron-filings styled tribute. Either way it made me laugh.

Not close to George Best who played on pitches that resembled a bog or rock hard pitches. Not a drug cheat.

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

Yes but George wasn’t a cheating b@stard was he?

[url] https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news/diego-maradona-film-documentary-how-organised-crime-napoli-drugs-cocaine-change-a8958591.html[/url]

No no.

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

My enduring memory of Maradona is not the handball. That was cheating but it isn’t the sort of cheating that made me despise him. It was in the 1994 World Cup when he ran full tilt towards the camera and there was this horribly distorted face clearly full of some sort of drugs filling the TV screen.  He tested positive shortly after.
.

Still a cracking goal mind.


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XJ4qF0QkcT4

First glimpse I had of him was Wembley 1980. This was a precursor to his World Cup goal against us, when he nonchalantly waltzed past the entire England defence and poked the ball just past the post. Would have been up there with the other one had it gone in. 55 seconds in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXrbxzKveRY

Cards on the table... I'm playing devil's advocate here.

I can't abide cheating, particularly in sport but that's no doubt as a result of the British sense of fair play. One of the really interesting aspects to come out of the Diego film is various commentators tell how many Latinos have a different perspective. They saw the Hand of God as being like a petulant street kid using his guile to get one over a slow witted member of the aristocracy. They think the rules are there to be broken if you're streetwise enough to get away with it. Something most of us would baulk at in the UK, when it comes to sport anyway.

I was livid when Maradona performed his infamous Hand of God. It was even more galling to see them then go on to win the bloody thing. So much for cheaters never prosper.

But after all these years I wonder if there is an element of pearl clutching when it comes to Maradona today.

Did he cheat that night? Undoubtedly. Did he cheat regularly? I don't know, other than the performance enhancing substance he took in USA 94. Maybe he was at it all the time? I can't believe taking cocaine would have given him an edge when he crossed the white line (no pun intended) if anything it would have had a debilitating effect on his health and fitness.

Is it the Hand of God that makes him an irredeemable cheat in the eyes of many, or the fact he took performance enhancing drugs, or indeed both?

If it's the first, then will Henry go down as nothing more than a cheat for his deliberate handball in the lead up to s goal against Ireland in a WC play off game?

Rivaldo for his face clutching simulation in WC 2002?

Man United and Liverpool players for fixing a game in 1915?

Juventus for match fixing in 2006?

Shearer for his excessive use of his elbows in aerial battles?

Roy Keane for deliberately crippling an opponent?

Drogba for constantly falling over at the slightest of contact?

Suarez's sly kicks at opponents to wind them up and indeed biting them?

Gazza, Merson, Tony Adams, Bryan Robson, Paul McGrath, etc...being hooked or booze and/or drugs?

Rio Ferdinand for "missing" a drugs test?"

Or are we tougher on Maradona because he had the audacity to cheat England out of a World Cup?

Personally, I think cheating is now endemic in professional ootball. How many times have we seen two opposing players scream "our ball" to the ref when one of them knows for a fact it isn't.

How many times have we seen a player roll around like they've been shot only to miraculous recover seconds later as play is waived on by the ref?

Players deliberately wasting time on freekicks or accidentally kicking/throwing it beyond a team mate to eat up more seconds before a freekick.

They're all minor, admittedly, but they add up. And when it's our team doing it we're happy to accept it.

In an alternate universe, Chris Waddle’s angled drive ricochets in off the post against West Germany in the 1990 WC Semi

Gazza holds back. Lineker holds it in. England hold on.

Diego does a number on us in the Final, mimes drinking a cup of tea - Alex Morgan style -  and captains Argentina to back-to-back World Cup victories.

The Sun gives away free airfix kits of the Belgrano, with bits missing, for the whole of the latter half of 1990 and beyond.

Rupert Murdoch orders The News of The World to hack the phones of Argentine celebrities but succeeds only in bugging a rickety villa owned by Aussie art dealers.

Fray Bentos pies are banned from UK supermarket shelves, even though they are Uruguayan.

Corn Beef Hash is renamed Steve Hodge Gash, after the scapegoated midfielder’s own goal in the Final.

In an effort to repair his image, and promote British beef, Steve Hodge is force fed a BSE infested spinal bap by John Gummer.

John Gummer’s daughter goes to Harvard instead of sitting around in her pants all day, watching Homes Under The Hammer.

Tesco are rocked by a scandal that they have been selling Argentinian beef (*spit*) incorrectly labelled as horse meat

The Argentine Tango week on Strictly is replaced by Nigel Farage morris dancing in a pair of crotchless Gaúcho chaps

Hodge and Farage (“Farodge”) - by this stage, as mad as each other - team up to launch an anti-Argentine political party, which suggests Argentina is on the verge of joining the EU and hordes of Zapata moustached revolutionaries are queuing up at UK borders.

Steve Hodge’s mind turns to Bovril. John Gummer is charged with manslaughter. Boris pardons him because, “Alas, the manslaughter was accidental, the beef was oven ready and we really need to channel the, grasp the, brandish the sword of Damocles and fight back against these puerile, Peronist pampasninnies”.

I want to live in your alternate universe Knut.

By the way, i think we would have beaten the Argies in the final had we got there.

Quoted from ginnywings

I want to live in your alternate universe Knut.

By the way, i think we would have beaten the Argies in the final had we got there.

The version where England win Italia 90 isn’t that different to be honest.

The Daily Mail employ lip readers to establish that Gazza’s tears induce pent up desires in Gary Lineker. As Gazza blubbers, Gary turns to Sir Bobby and says, “I really want him”, not “Have a word with him”.

Gary and Gazza elope and set up a string of sh1t bars in Spanish seaside resorts

Steve Hodge and Steve Bull replace the lovestruck Spurs duo in the Final. Hodge. Bull. 1-0. Goals pay the rent and Bull does his share.

Steve Bull signs a lucrative deal to promote British beef in the wake of the BSE scandal. “Bully’s Beef - you’d be mad not to”

Poses with Gummer. Goes mad. Mounts anything with udders, including a surprised Gazza in Linekers Marbella.

England still lose to Sweden at Euro 92, with Bull leading the line in an Umbro straightjacket. Gazza and Gary are watching it unfold in Linekers Torremolinos. Bromance. Darling. Brolin!

Steve Bull and Nigel Farage form a political party. BullKIP

Bull has a fallout with The Guardian (it’s just a red rag to The Bull) and, still upset about Euro 92, sets out to demonise the Swedes

Viking FM is taken off air

Ulrika is imprisoned in a flat pack prison

PM Bull appoints Mike Newell as player manager of England instead of Sven, and Gary and Gazza live happily ever after

Zhang Enhua decides he doesn’t want to leave China for BullKIP’s oppressive, authoritarian regime. Peter Handyside(s) ends up playing over 800 matches for Town and gets awarded a Grimsby ‘s’ in the New Year’s Honours List

Quoted from Knut Anders Fosters Voles

The version where England win Italia 90 isn’t that different to be honest.

The Daily Mail employ lip readers to establish that Gazza’s tears induce pent up desires in Gary Lineker. As Gazza blubbers, Gary turns to Sir Bobby and says, “I really want him”, not “Have a word with him”.

Gary and Gazza elope and set up a string of sh1t bars in Spanish seaside resorts

Steve Hodge and Steve Bull replace the lovestruck Spurs duo in the Final. Hodge. Bull. 1-0. Goals pay the rent and Bull does his share.

Steve Bull signs a lucrative deal to promote British beef in the wake of the BSE scandal. “Bully’s Beef - you’d be mad not to”

Poses with Gummer. Goes mad. Mounts anything with udders, including a surprised Gazza in Linekers Marbella.

England still lose to Sweden at Euro 92, with Bull leading the line in an Umbro straightjacket. Gazza and Gary are watching it unfold in Linekers Torremolinos. Bromance. Darling. Brolin!

Steve Bull and Nigel Farage form a political party. BullKIP

Bull has a fallout with The Guardian (it’s just a red rag to The Bull) and, still upset about Euro 92, sets out to demonise the Swedes

Viking FM is taken off air

Ulrika is imprisoned in a flat pack prison

PM Bull appoints Mike Newell as player manager of England instead of Sven, and Gary and Gazza live happily ever after

Zhang Enhua decides he doesn’t want to leave China for BullKIP’s oppressive, authoritarian regime. Peter Handyside(s) ends up playing over 800 matches for Town and gets awarded a Grimsby ‘s’ in the New Year’s Honours List

;D

I doff my cap to thee.

hated him. Could not give a flying intercourse

The GOAT 🇦🇷 only Messi comes close in my opinion.

RIP

Quoted from Rodley Mariner

I can't work out if this is serious or some sort of subtle, iron-filings styled tribute. Either way it made me laugh.

Pleased to be of service Rodley! ;D

Take your pick.

Quoted from LH

If you’ve not watched the film you should. Wish I was a few years older so I could have seen him at the time.

Just this.

It'll change your view on him.

Was he wrong to handball against England? Of course.  But then I don't remember many of us fretting too much when Michael Coulson sneaked one in with his hand in the 3-2 win against Bournemouth back in the ill-fated relegation season.  

If you're genuinely happy to see someone die because they handled a football, please seek professional help as this is not healthy.

Quoted from diehardmariner

Just this.

It'll change your view on him.

Was he wrong to handball against England? Of course.  But then I don't remember many of us fretting too much when Michael Coulson sneaked one in with his hand in the 3-2 win against Bournemouth back in the ill-fated relegation season.  

If you're genuinely happy to see someone die because they handled a football, please seek professional help as this is not healthy.

Not happy. Just not sad. Of all the former pro footballers who have died this year, or of any celebrities who have shuffled off this mortal coil, Maradona is the one I least give a excrement about.  The least deserving of my sorrow.

You could make a case for saying that the blatant cheating by Maradona in that game encouraged the whole cheating culture to grow to the extent that it has reached today. Diego has a hand in the misdeeds of Michael and Thierry. No amount of whataboutism will ever make me say that’s alright then Diego, have that one on us.

Quoted from Knut Anders Fosters Voles

The version where England win Italia 90 isn’t that different to be honest.

The Daily Mail employ lip readers to establish that Gazza’s tears induce pent up desires in Gary Lineker. As Gazza blubbers, Gary turns to Sir Bobby and says, “I really want him”, not “Have a word with him”.

Gary and Gazza elope and set up a string of sh1t bars in Spanish seaside resorts

Steve Hodge and Steve Bull replace the lovestruck Spurs duo in the Final. Hodge. Bull. 1-0. Goals pay the rent and Bull does his share.

Steve Bull signs a lucrative deal to promote British beef in the wake of the BSE scandal. “Bully’s Beef - you’d be mad not to”

Poses with Gummer. Goes mad. Mounts anything with udders, including a surprised Gazza in Linekers Marbella.

England still lose to Sweden at Euro 92, with Bull leading the line in an Umbro straightjacket. Gazza and Gary are watching it unfold in Linekers Torremolinos. Bromance. Darling. Brolin!

Steve Bull and Nigel Farage form a political party. BullKIP

Bull has a fallout with The Guardian (it’s just a red rag to The Bull) and, still upset about Euro 92, sets out to demonise the Swedes

Viking FM is taken off air

Ulrika is imprisoned in a flat pack prison

PM Bull appoints Mike Newell as player manager of England instead of Sven, and Gary and Gazza live happily ever after

Zhang Enhua decides he doesn’t want to leave China for BullKIP’s oppressive, authoritarian regime. Peter Handyside(s) ends up playing over 800 matches for Town and gets awarded a Grimsby ‘s’ in the New Year’s Honours List

I genuinely laughed out loud at that. Neighbours must think I’m off my trolley.

Thank you.

Quoted from NorfolkImp

The GOAT 🇦🇷 only Messi comes close in my opinion.

RIP

The GOAT wouldn't cheat to me he was just a CAB

To all those calling him a drugs cheat. Yes he tested positive for a banned substance, that substance being ephedrine - similar to what you and I can buy over the counter as Sudafed. Banned yes but hardly performance enhancing, particularly not compared to growth hormones a certain other Argentinian takes.

You have to remember he was blottoed off his skull on charlie most the time and I can’t imagine that made it easier to perform.

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

He thought he was bigger and better than the game that gifted him his fame. I admire his ability but I have zero respect for anyone who treats the game as their personal property and so shabbily.

I'd counter that by suggesting the game was gifted Maradona, not the other way round.

Loads of people talking about the Asif Kapadia documentary, which is great but as I mentioned earlier, people should also watch the Maradona in Mexico series on Netflix if they haven't. The Kapadia documentary is unbiased and goes into all the seedy, tragic details of his life. The series in Mexico strips all that away though and focuses on when he was in charge of Dorados de Sinaloa in 2018/19. His passion and love for both the game and the squad of players is compelling to watch at times. It's pretty much purely about football. That side of him gets lost in all the coke and mafia stuff and wasn't how he'd have wanted to be remembered. Him playing coked up wasn't the only factor that was working against him, his life was a constant circus so to achieve what he did was phenomenal with everything going on.

Quality

https://static.nexilia.it/alfredopedulla/2020/11/L-Equipe-copertina.jpg

Quoted from Stadium

Quality

https://static.nexilia.it/alfredopedulla/2020/11/L-Equipe-copertina.jpg

God might have something to say about that.

Quoted from ginnywings

To be as good as he was with minimal training and his lifestyle speaks to what a phenomenally gifted player he was. God knows how good he would have been if he took it seriously.

Reminds me a bit of Ronaldinho. Unbelievable talent and in his prime was a phenomenon .Sadly from reading books/articles/videos  on football started  going out to much and form began to lapse. Not only that but the amount of money he started to earn from sponsorship  also began to affect him . When Messi first came on the scene at  Barcelona Ronaldinho affected  him .Messi use to go out with him to nightclubs too much and his form suffered. Pep Guardiola took him to one side gave him a real talking to along the lines of if you don't sacrifice your career will stall but if you make the effort and try to improve physically and mentally you could be one of  the best .Messi took the latter option and respect to him because as we say the rest is history.

For me and others Ronaldinho sadly should have won more than the 2 Ballon d' Ors that his outrageous talent merited.

Quoted from Knut Anders Fosters Voles

It’s very difficult to compare Messi and C.Ronaldo to the rest. The game has changed so much. Neither LM or CR have ever had a serious injury. Maradona had to evade career ending tackles every week and sometimes he failed...which is wear the drug abuse first started.

I’m not sure he squandered his talents. From the late 70s to 89/90 he was the best player in the world by a huge margin, in an era of Van Basten, Platini, Rijkaard, Matthäus, Zico, Gullit...

I think his drug use started when he started hanging around with the Naples mafia !!!

Without doubt the greatest player of all time for me. What he did with Argentina in 86 singlehandedly and in 90 almost singlehandedly, as well as napoli, just incredible. Nobody else can touch him. When u think he was coked up, playing with nagging injuries and it was an era in which fouling players was punished less harshly it's even more incredible. But yeah I didn't like the cheating little argie twit lol.

The only one who comes close is Ronaldo and he is a right bell end too lol.

Well worth reading for an even handed account by one of the best ever sports journalists.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/end-of-the-world-for-diego-maradona-hugh-mcilvanney-on-stars-failed-drugs-test-at-1994-world-cup-n5nk907xx

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

Well worth reading for an even handed account by one of the best ever sports journalists.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/end-of-the-world-for-diego-maradona-hugh-mcilvanney-on-stars-failed-drugs-test-at-1994-world-cup-n5nk907xx

Thanks Ron

This book is worth reading . I remember going through it and  there was tragedy and triumph more so the the former . Maradona was one of the best ever but like others who have been blessed with God given talent couldn't cope with the adulation .

https://www.amazon.co.uk/El-Diego-Autobiography-Greatest-Footballer/dp/0224071904

Quoted from KingstonMariner

God might have something to say about that.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EnrwnJWXIAEl45v?format=jpg&name=large

Quoted from Stadium

https://www.channel4.com/programmes/diego-maradona

Thanks for uploading the link. Ive seen this one. I liked it a lot. Very moving especially in the fact that now he is dead. Flawed genius.

The respected football writer Guillem Balogue has been researching a book on Maradona.  He soon realised  that he knew virtually nothing about him.  The most complex of men.  The magician, the cheat, the god, the flawed genius.  

There are a 100 different Maradonas.  The journalists article is on the BBC Football website.  

Maradona not only won the World Cup and 2 Serie A titles;  he did it with below average teams.  For good measure, he also won the Italian Cup with Napoli as well as winning the league.

Maradona was the first football to have a full-time agent,  the first to have a personal trainer (he needed one). He was very supporting of other teammates, refusing to play for Argentina until all the other players were given bonuses.

In less than 250 seconds against England he scored 2 of the goals that are talked about more than nearly any other goal.  If he could score the second, he did not need to score the first the way he did.

As a flawed genius could he have been better without drugs etc?  Probably, not. Maradona believed that he could have been better.   The 2 goals v England sum him up.  2 extremes together.  The same way that say George Best or Ronnie O'Sullivan were and are also flawed performers.

The author took some Argentinian shirts and a Bigglleswade United shirt (He is Chairman) to Maradona for him to autograph.  Maradona only wanted to sign and pose for a picture with the Biggleswade shirt.  (Picture shown on the BBC article).
  
Maradone received some brutal treatment.  This directly helped change football and helped protect modern players such as Messi from similar treatment.

Free of drugs, and benefitting from all the developments and advantages modern footballers have, Maradona could have had a much longer career.  

Quoted from TownSNAFU5

The respected football writer Guillem Balogue has been researching a book on Maradona.  He soon realised  that he knew virtually nothing about him.  The most complex of men.  The magician, the cheat, the god, the flawed genius.  

There are a 100 different Maradonas.  The journalists article is on the BBC Football website.  

Maradona not only won the World Cup and 2 Serie A titles;  he did it with below average teams.  For good measure, he also won the Italian Cup with Napoli as well as winning the league.

Maradona was the first football to have a full-time agent,  the first to have a personal trainer (he needed one). He was very supporting of other teammates, refusing to play for Argentina until all the other players were given bonuses.

In less than 250 seconds against England he scored 2 of the goals that are talked about more than nearly any other goal.  If he could score the second, he did not need to score the first the way he did.

As a flawed genius could he have been better without drugs etc?  Probably, not. Maradona believed that he could have been better.   The 2 goals v England sum him up.  2 extremes together.  The same way that say George Best or Ronnie O'Sullivan were and are also flawed performers.

The author took some Argentinian shirts and a Bigglleswade United shirt (He is Chairman) to Maradona for him to autograph.  Maradona only wanted to sign and pose for a picture with the Biggleswade shirt.  (Picture shown on the BBC article).
  
Maradone received some brutal treatment.  This directly helped change football and helped protect modern players such as Messi from similar treatment.

Free of drugs, and benefitting from all the developments and advantages modern footballers have, Maradona could have had a much longer career.  

Think he was taking that at the last World Cup  ;)

Quoted from Rick12

Thanks for uploading the link. Ive seen this one. I liked it a lot. Very moving especially in the fact that now he is dead. Flawed genius.

Great documentary
Might message Shilton so he doesn't miss it.

Best player ever by a long way . Yes the righteous people will call him a cheat but it’s only sour grapes for the handball. If it wasn’t against us they’d say different . You only have to watch the 2 goals in Mexico to know he was on a different level . So many other incredible moments that any fan of the beautiful game should just say thank you , you nutter !!  

At the time I thought he was a cheat but as Lineker said he did not blame him but the ref and linesman who did not spot it.

As a.player he was second to none and loved wherever he played but he was.a addict although there is no evidence he did harm to anybody but himself.

He loved his family and they loved him that's all you can ask in life.

As many have said, had he not scored that goal against England, we wouldn’t give a excrement and I’d argue that to a man we’d all be saying the same thing.

We always ignore the fact that both goal, handball aside, were excellent and the England teams attempts to stop him were awful.

He was a genius and as stated earlier, took average teams to the very top. Napoli weren’t successful side, haven’t been since but that period of time they were excellent. Similar with Argentina and as folk have said, he enjoyed football.

Bonkers, yes? Too much time on the yeyo? Indeed...but even then, he was still the best in the world for a time...

Quoted from louth_in_the_south

You only have to watch the 2 goals in Mexico to know he was on a different level . So many other incredible moments that any fan of the beautiful game should just say thank you , you nutter !!  

Saw Maradona last night on BBC2  interviewed by Gary Lineker which was filmed in 2006 . There was filming done at a Boca Juniors game and my God was Diego  passionate about the game. That side of him I liked .Just a shame about the drug taking/cheating. Likewise watching the rerun yesterday of England v Argentina 1986 game which the BBC put on their online website and he was quality. Only watched a bit and was always looking out for Maradona but when he did get the ball  as you say another level.

For me, the semi-final against Belgium in 86 was more defining for him than the England game. His 2 goals are absolutely sublime.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0E9qCaoEgl8

Quoted from Manchester Mariner

For me, the semi-final against Belgium in 86 was more defining for him than the England game. His 2 goals are absolutely sublime.

Nice to see Maradona when he looked well in that video. Just came across this. Bloated but the talent never left him. Its why I admire Pele more. Another gifted player and probably the best all rounder ever but never took to the drugs and drink like Maradona did. Thats something I always admire. The ability to cope with the gifts God has given you and also the adulation that comes with it .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJ69bFbgVG8

Pele said something beautiful about Maradona's passing on twitter:

"What sad news. I lost a great friend and the world lost a legend. There is still much to be said, but for now, may God give strength to family members. One day, I hope we can play ball together in the sky".

He was a scumbag, the world a better place with him six feet under.

Quoted from fishboyUTM

He was a scumbag, the world a better place with him six feet under.

I feel sorry for individuals like you .

Quoted from fishboyUTM

He was a scumbag, the world a better place with him six feet under.

I mean tell us how you really feel?

I mean some explanation would be helpful...I mean a dwarf out jumped Shilton, handball or not, zero way the keeper should be put jumped.

I mean there are bigger scumbags, and that’s just in football...

Just watched that feature length documentary and if anything it’s strengthened my thoughts on him. Denies his child for 30 years. Don’t know how anyone could do that.

Hero, the 1986 world cup film is on BBC2 in 5 minuutes and then on the iplayer I assume. It's a good nostalgic watch and even if you hate Maradona there's plenty more to enjoy, even has a voice over by Michael Caine. I had it on video as a kid and played it to death.

Cheers MM, love these World Cup films!

Watched the documentary on channel 4 last night excellent watch.hadnt quite realised the depth of poverty hed come from
In contrast to Kingston I came out of it with a far more understanding opinion on him, not necessarily positive, but his awkwardness just makes more sense

Quoted from forza ivano

Watched the documentary on channel 4 last night excellent watch.hadnt quite realised the depth of poverty hed come from
In contrast to Kingston I came out of it with a far more understanding opinion on him, not necessarily positive, but his awkwardness just makes more sense

I get the poverty thing. Just all the talk about the importance of family and he rejects his son when he’s at the height of his prosperity.

Quoted from forza ivano

Watched the documentary on channel 4 last night excellent watch.hadnt quite realised the depth of poverty hed come from
In contrast to Kingston I came out of it with a far more understanding opinion on him, not necessarily positive, but his awkwardness just makes more sense

Interesting view. I think Pele had it a bit easier though .Hence only played for Santos in Brazil  most of his career whereas Maradona played for some of the biggest clubs in Europe. Had Maradona done a Pele and stayed in Argentina with Boca Juniors where his family were things may not have turned so pear shaped for him?.

Bloody spell check. 'Awkwardness'should read waywardness . Hope it makes more sense now

Ps still think he ranks behind messi, pele and Ronaldo. And possibly behind puscas, eusebio and di Stefano from an earlier era.

Quoted from fishboyUTM

He was a scumbag, the world a better place with him six feet under.

Thanks for confirming you haven't a clue.

Just watched napoli stiff roma4.0 with an inspired performance. Nice touch by napoli to play I  Argentina style kit. Theyve got a good little team and played some lovely stuff. Ps koulibaly is a class act  god knows why he isn't playing for one of the really big teams (&I dont mean moan u!!)

Heard  a joke that's going round sorry if you have heard this or are offended by it.

Maradona arrives at the pearly gates and instead of St Peter there is God himself at the gates.

Can I come in please says Maradona.

God lifts his hand and slaps Maradona across the face.

Maradona says why did you do that ?

God replies, that's for blaming me for the goal against England.

Now you can come in my son .

Quoted from grimsby pete

Heard  a joke that's going round

.

Its called purgatory Pete  ;)

For years I could never see the beauty in Maradona's 2nd goal against England because of the first.    Now I look at the first goal and think "Shilton, what the hell were you doing?"

A friend of mine is from Naples - he told me that seeing him play for Napoli when he dragged them to the Scudetto was almost like a religious experience!!