ARGENTINA’S FIRST contact with the media yesterday did little to dispel the uncertainty surrounding the team since they bunkered up at their World Cup base after arriving in South Africa on Saturday.
Coach Diego Maradona and captain Javier Mascherano reassured fans that the squad were in good spirits and all 23 players were vying for a place in the team to face Nigeria in their Group B opener in Johannesburg on June 12th.
But Maradona’s supposed certainties about having found his team and tactics when Argentina beat Germany 1-0 in a March 3rd warm-up in Munich no longer appear to be absolutes.
“The team will come out (of the practices) very few days before (the Nigeria match),” Maradona told a news conference at the squad’s University of Pretoria base. “I have 23 wild cats prepared to leave their skins on the pitch. With each training session it gets harder to decide.”
Maradona said it did not bother him not to have any warm-up games arranged in the coming days before the tournament starts on June 11th.
“I’m not concerned because our practices carry you to a level you might not reach in a match risking injury to one or other (player),” he said.
The less experienced players were making “a very big leap in quality” while the veterans were in optimum shape.
“We’re going to reach a level that the (Argentina light blue and white striped) shirt deserves . . . Argentines should relax because to beat this team (rivals) will have to put all their beef on the grill,” said Maradona using favourite imagery.
He suggested that those who did not believe Argentina would do well in the tournament were ignorant. “Those who know about football in Argentina said we beat nobodies,” he said sarcastically, referring to the 5-0 victory over Canada in their farewell in Buenos Aires on May 24th.
“We had a great farewell with Canada . . . Spain beat Saudi Arabia 3-2,” he said without going into detail. Argentina also face South Korea and Greece in their group.
Meanwhile, Shay Given has backed Joe Hart to be England’s World Cup number one – but aims to keep him out of the Manchester City side.
Hart has earned a place in Fabio Capello’s World Cup squad after excelling on loan at Birmingham and is now locked in a three-way battle with Portsmouth’s David James and West Ham’s Robert Green to start against USA on June 12th.
At 23, Hart is the least experienced of the three keepers but staked his claim with a fine display in Sunday’s 2-1 friendly win against Japan after coming on as a half-time substitute.
And Given believes his City understudy would handle the pressure if given the nod in South Africa.
"It would be great for Joe to get a couple of games," Given told the Manchester Evening News. "He's had a fantastic season. Rob Green and David James are two fantastic keepers as well. It's going to be a difficult decision for the England manager, but Joe has given him that difficult decision to make. He's done really well."
Given missed the last three games of the season after suffering a dislocated shoulder in City’s 0-0 draw at Arsenal in April.
Hart could therefore begin the season in goal for City after returning from Birmingham but Given is determined to get back to full fitness in time having jumped ahead of Hart as City’s first-choice keeper when he signed from Newcastle for €9.5 million in February 2009.
“I was told I would be out for three to four months when I picked up the injury,” said the Republic of Ireland international.
“Three months would take me to the end of July, while four would make it the end of August, so I’m pushing for the earlier date!
“I’m hoping to be back for the start of the season. That’s the aim, because I don’t want to miss any games. I was gutted to miss the final week of last season. It couldn’t be helped, but I don’t want to miss any more matches. I want to be back for the first game. That’s my target. I hope I can get to play in pre-season as well.” Given added: “The physios are really happy with the way I’ve healed.”
