Maradona to be offered new deal

Argentina head coach Diego Maradona is to be offered a new four-year contract.

The Argentinian Football Association's president Julio Grondona will meet with the 49-year-old next week and, should he accept the offer, Maradona, whose team lost 4-0 to Germany in the World Cup quarter-finals, will have the chance to lead his country again in four years' time, when the global tournament is staged in Brazil.

The AFA executive committee met to discuss Maradona's future and decided he remains the right man to command the national team.

Grondona intends to meet with Maradona no later than next Wednesday to discuss the contract extension.

In his playing days, Maradona led Argentina to victory at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, but he was a controversial appointment as coach in late 2008.

He had little coaching experience and had endured various personal problems in the later years of his playing career which continued in retirement.

He nevertheless led Argentina to qualification for the World Cup, thanks to a late winning goal in their final qualification match against Uruguay.