Sceptical Pele wishes Maradona well

Pele has wished Diego Maradona well in his new job as Argentina coach but the Brazil legend warned that great footballers rarely become great managers.

“I hope that everything goes well for him and that he'll be able to overcome what's happened in the past and that he'll know how to manage the Argentine players well,” Pele, making reference to Maradona's past problems with drugs and health, said.

According to Pele if Maradona is to succeed he must listen to his director of football Carlos Bilardo who led the Maradona-inspired Argentina to the 1986 World Cup title.

“He has at his side an experienced manager who knows football really well.

“If Maradona listens to Bilardo he can go far. He can learn a lot if he wants to.

“But often a great player doens't become a great coach. And sometimes players who weren't very good footballer like (Wanderlei) Luxemburgo (former Real Madrid and Brazil manager) become good managers.”

Maradona, who turns 48 on Thursday, was named as a surprise successor to Alfio Basile who stood down after Argentina's 1-0 World Cup qualifier loss to Chile a fortnight ago.

That left the south American giants in third place after ten matches, seven points adrift of leaders Paraguay.

Maradona's first match in charge is the February 2009 friendly with France in Marseille.