Diego: I'm not anti-Brazilian

Argentine coach Diego Maradona has denied claims made by former Al Wasl player Alex Pires Da Silva that he is anti-Brazilian.

Pires slammed El Diego after signing for Santa Cruz recently, saying: "He messed around with all the Brazilians. He never played me and even made me train separately and didn't even talk to me or the other Brazilian players or staff. He got rid of all the Brazilians and even sacked the Brazilian kit man. Even Alexandre Oliviera who had been there five years was forced out. In the end, we all got fed up and went back to Brazil. The only thing we miss now is the salary."

Surprised

But in his pre-match weekly press-meet Maradona denied the claims: "I'm very surprised to see these allegations. I don't know what to say. I've never even met this Alex Pires. I was told players wanted to leave and the coach doesn't have the liberty to hire and fire that's the management of Al Wasl's job. I have a special fitness trainer who is Brazilian called Cacau who I brought in for the U19 team so how am I anti-Brazilian?

"Maradona tries to get people jobs and find them work he doesn't get them unemployed. If I ever see the person who wrote this I may have to punch him. The player says one thing but it's the media who come out with false reports to play with the minds of the readers."

Whether anti-Brazilian or not Maradona isn't doing himself any favours in proving his love for his northern neighbours. After Pele said Lionel Messi still had a way to go before being as good as him, Maradona replied: "This is due to old age affecting Pele's decision making. You can't blame him for comments like this. He hasn't done anything in 20 years. I've not even seen him go out to the supermarket.

'Remote control doll'

"All he does nowadays is turn up to the Fifa Awards ceremony and stand next to the Fifa President handing out awards. He's like a remote control doll - it's no surprise he's come out with this latest non-sense."

This comes just weeks after Maradona also laid into Paris Saint Germain's Brazilian executive Leonardo. Maradona said: "I don't understand Leonardo. I didn't understand him when he moved to Inter from AC Milan and I understand even less what he's doing today with PSG. I wonder if he's a player, a coach, an agent or an oil dealer. This is proof in football today it pays off if you know how to lobby."

On top of this Al Wasl Club denied earlier reports last year that Maradona was denying signatures and photos to children wearing Brazil shirts.

In his defence Maradona has worn a Brazilian shirt for a 2006 soft drink commercial in which he lines up alongside Kaka and Ronaldo before a match to sing the Brazilian national anthem only to awake from his nightmare, caused by drinking too many energy drinks. He later said he had no problems pulling on the yellow jersey but wearing a River Plate top was a different matter entirely for the Boca Juniors diehard.