With Maradona, it's either disaster or success

He's been here before. Given up for dead; considered a has-been ; a glory of the past. It was a long time ago, but he resurrected himself, and emerged as the unlikely hero of a nation struggling to qualify for the World Cup; recovered personally, both physically and psychologically, stepped in and led Argentina to the Finals.
Against Greece, he scored a goal that was so satisfying that he bellowed an ugly grimace by way of celebration : it was as if he was saying to the whole world "stick this in your pipe and smoke it" but with more expletives and anger and a run up to the cameras portraying a demented wild animal.Against Nigeria he had seemingly calmed down, and when a large blonde nurse came on to the pitch to lead him off the world stage for a drugs test, he smiled like a naughty school boy and marched off the green grass of dreams.
That, then, really was it. It was USA 1994 and following a positive result, Diego Maradona wept on camera. "I feel like they've cut my legs off" he said. He was sent home, disgraced once again. His international football career over.
And now, South Africa 2010, there he is again, preparing his men to face Nigeria (and later Greece!!) in the group stage. The whole world's attention turns to his every move, his every word. "What does he mean 'leave the meat on the grill?'" asks an Irish radio station.
There are aspects of the current setup which can worry those whose emotions are capped to Argentina's fortunes on the football pitch. Firstly, the squad has been in South Africa for a week now. While most participating nations still play friendly fixtures by way of preparation, Argentina's expected clashes were cancelled at a late stage because no financial deal could be reached. As the squad travels towards the final stretch of the road to glory, so too does a substantial number of the Argentinian press.
The media hang around outside the University of Pretoria campus. They are not allowed in. Maradona and his men close up even more. We've been here before. It is rumoured Maradona doesn't give technical instructions . At most, says the rumour mill, he'll shout out "Yeah, yeah. Good work" at someone. He said "I have 23 tigers willing to leave their skin on the pitch" and that is as much an indication as how hard he is finding it to define a starting 11 as it is of his desire to keep his cards close to his chest.
It was the match against Germany in early March that he is most pleased with, and although several voices are raising the alarm bells that Nigeria could well be a very different adversary , the formation of the March victory is being regurgitated again: Romero; Otamendi, Demichelis, Samuel, Heinze; Mascherano; Jonás , Verón , Di María ; Messi, Higuaín . But this is a case of pure speculation. Milito , experiencing his finest hour, did not play in Munich. Now, he is a strong contender.
The men inside the concentracion - the Argentinian word for the training camp - are among the very finest in world football. Some are very experienced, some tasting their first World Cup Finals. In 2006 goalkeeper Romero had not even had his first division debut in league football; now he is the number 1 choice of guard. Walter Samuel and Juan Sebastian Veron stayed away from th 2006 finals but had played in 2002 - perhaps considered past their peak back then, both have shone since and made remarkable comebacks.
This is a group under pressure. Messi is expected to perform yet again as if he hailed from another planet. How very difficult to confront such a task.
This is a group lead by a manager under pressure. Maradona's blood pressure alone has seen him close to death several times since that last walk from a World Cup pitch, held by the hand of a large blonde nurse, smiling like it was all a bit of cumbersome bureaucracy as well as a bit of a laugh. It turned out, then, to be the worst nightmare for himself and his country. He is now under pressure, presumably, from these young men who have demonstrated throughout their lives and careers that they can taste both triumph and disaster.
We have been here before. We know, therefore, that it could all go horribly wrong. But it could, equally, end in delicious victory.