Maradona visits Celtic Park (Nov 08)

They gathered in hushed tones around the entrance to an hotel in the centre of Glasgow yesterday. From the ever-growing kerfuffle that developed, any innocent passer-by might have thought that the Second Coming was imminent. “Have you seen him?” someone asked. “Yes, yes . . . he passed by that doorway five minutes ago.” When Diego Maradona is in town, the natives evidently stir.

Glasgow was grey and wet — “dreich” to use a colloquialism — but it didn’t stop the locals, the media and anyone else who fancied a peek from descending on the plush hotel where Maradona’s Argentina team are based for tomorrow evening’s friendly against Scotland at Hampden Park. And a “peek” is about all they got. I maintained a two-hour vigil, which incorporated a coffee, a chilled beer and then — marvel of marvels — a 20-second flash of Maradona as he sauntered across the lobby for lunch at about midday. “Don’t approach him,” we were warned.

Whatever else has come and gone from his life, it is good to report that the mullet is as bushy as ever. He was a bit grumpy, too: no photographs, no autographs, and certainly no pesky children getting in his way, so the word went out. A few of the television hacks were brassed off at being told that no one — save for an official Argentine film crew that is following him this week — could film Maradona near the hotel.

That did not stop one schoolboy from meeting the coach, though. Maradona’s mood appeared to lift as he hoisted Adam Brown into the air to pose for pictures with the 13-year-old after he found a St Christopher medallion that Fernando Gago, the midfield player, had lost on the field in training at Celtic Park. It captured the spirit of goodwill and Tartan Army well-wishers will congregate at Hampden tomorrow to offer Maradona their very, very best wishes. In Scotland, anyone who does what Maradona did to England that hot, sultry afternoon in Mexico City in June, 1986, is guaranteed a warm reception.

The “Hand of God” goal in the Azteca Stadium produced a split reaction in Britain that resonates to this day. In England, the screeching and sheer bleating over what Maradona did to Peter Shilton was so loud and prolonged that you can still hear its echoes. In Scotland, however, there was nothing but hearty guffaws at the former player’s cheek. Terry Butcher, the Scotland assistant manager but a hapless England central defender at the time whose job was to huff and puff fruitlessly after Maradona, claimed that he would “never forgive him for what he did”.

From memory, Butcher attempted two lunges at Maradona as he slalomed past England for his wondrous second goal that day and he is evidently still bearing the mental scars. Butcher’s grief was not helped by Maradona writing in his biography: “I sometimes think I preferred the goal I scored with my hand . . . it was a bit like stealing the wallet of the English.” Meanwhile, the Tartan Army are just happy to quote Barry Davies, the BBC commentator that afternoon, even if they juxtapose commentary and respective goals: “You have to say that’s magnificent!” The truth is that this has become a bit of a circus.

Faded geniuses in sport are always a bit complicated. Past greatness and present sadness are always the unspoken themes. Given his impulsive and faintly reckless nature, it seemed a bizarre decision when the Argentine FA appointed Maradona as Alfio Basile’s successor three weeks ago. Six months from now — even six weeks — will he still be in the job?

In the meantime, Glasgow is playing host to these first, improbable moments. The Argentina coach will give a press conference this afternoon, where he will be asked yet again about Butcher, England and 1986. It is like Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky all over again.

Evening Times

Hand of God raises up Hoops kid as Paradise welcomes another legend…

by Matthew Lindsay

MOST of football’s greats have passed through Parkhead’s gates ‘ Celtic supporters can now add another name to the anthem they belt out lustily at home and away games alike. For Diego Maradona, who fleetingly graced the hallowed turf at Celtic Park for a training session with Argentina last night, is as great as they get. Admittedly, Diego, the man many believe to be the beautiful game’s most talented ever exponent, was not at the world-famous Glasgow ground to play a match himself. He was there to put the national team which he represented with such distinction in his playing days, and has recently agreed to manage, through their paces. Yet, judging by the massive media interest in such a low key event, you would have thought the great man was taking part in another World Cup Final.Around 20 television stations from the four corners of the globe turned up to record the build-up to the friendly international with Scotland at Hampden tomorrow night. As well as camera crews from across the UK, there were interested onlookers from Argentina, obviously, as well as Brazil, France, Germany, Japan, the Far East and even as far afield as Australia. There were many more photographers training their enormous telescopic lenses on the legendary Boca Juniors, Barcelona and Napoli player as he oversaw proceedings.

Over 100 newspaper reporters were also in attendance. The giant screens which hang from the top of the stands at either end of Parkhead did not let the visit of the 48-year-old go unheralded either. A picture of arguably the game’s greatest player in his glorious heyday was accompanied by some words in Spanish: El futbol club Celtic da la bienvenida a Diego Maradona y a todo el equipo de Argentina a nuestro campoi de futbol El Paraiso.

Roughly translated, it reads Welcome to Paradise, Diego! There was some serious talent on the park enjoying the kickabout, too. Gabriel Heinze (£8m), Javier Mascherano (£19m) and Carlos Tevez (£20m) were all involved. On this evidence, George Burley’s men will have a tough task getting a morale-boosting result ahead of their World Cup qualifier with Holland next year. But all eyes were on one man and one man only. Not that there was much to see. After arriving on the immaculate pitch, Diego strode to the centre circle and gathered his charges for a brief pep talk. After that, the tracksuited figure waddled about the centre circle watching the training game and, the truth be told, contributing very little. Despite his impressive playing pedigree, Diego’s appointment at the helm of a country which is not guaranteed its place at the World Cup in South Africa in 2010 has not been universally welcomed in his homeland. Many would have preferred to see someone with a better track record in management.

Certainly, his fellow coaches seemed to offer more words of wisdom to the players. After bringing the training session to an end with a blow of his whistle, Maradona and the Argentina camp shuffled about the pitch looking for something in the turf. It soon emerged the Real Madrid midfielder Fernando Gago had lost the gold medallion from his necklace. But, just when all hope had seemed lost, Adam Brown, a member of the Celtic Under-14 team, spotted it and alerted the football legend.

Maradona bent down and lifted the 13-year-old aloft by the waist in gratitude – much to the amazement of the Cumbernauld boy and all of his team-mates. He did not stop there, taking off his hat and gloves and gifting them to the disbelieving youngster. Adam remarked: “It was brilliant.” No matter what the Abronhill High School pupil achieves in the game in the future, he will find it hard to top that magical moment. After posing with a Celtic strip and stopping for a few quick autographs, Maradona had left the building. He may have hung up his boots many moons ago, but he still knows how to leave a lasting impression.

Publication date 18/11/08

paradise found as adam strikes gold

David Friel
ADAM BROWN woke up on Monday morning as an Abronhill High School pupil and Celtic Under-14 player. By the time he went to bed, he was Diego Maradona’s new best friend and the most famous ballboy in the world.

As he joined his Celtic team-mates in the search for Argentina midfielder Fernando Gago’s missing medal on Monday night, the Cumbernauld Bhoy couldn’t have known that his life was about to change.

One cry of “found it” later and that’s what happened. In an instant, Adam had been hoisted high into the Celtic Park air by a beaming Maradona, who gave him his hat and gloves as a reward. A few photographs later, Adam had become a global star.

He was front and back page news in Scotland, while his story was being told all over the world on the internet. Posing with Maradona, he was on the Celtic website and the big screens at Celtic Park. Not bad going for a 13-year-old.

After receiving countless interview requests, Adam – nicknamed ‘Bomber’ – returned to Paradise on Tuesday afternoon to retrace his steps and relive the moment he shook the ‘Hand of God’.

“Along with my team-mates from the Celtic Under-14s, I’d been asked to be a ballboy for the Argentina training,” said Adam, with all the assurance of a media veteran.

“Gago, the Argentina midfielder, chested the ball during training and his medal fell on to the pitch. They asked us to help search for it and I actually swapped places with someone in the line.

“A few seconds later, I found it and Maradona came over to me. He said ‘Thanks, thanks very much’ and then lifted me up. He gave me his gloves and his hat. I’m going to put them in a frame.

“It’s a dream come true to meet Maradona. I never thought I’d ever get the chance. He’s one of my football heroes. He’s one of the best players ever to play the game.”

Adam’s dad Fraser watched events from the stand at Celtic Park, but his mum Pauline was at home and was initially unaware that her son had just become famous.

She smiled: “My husband texted me to say that Adam had been on the pitch with Maradona and that he’d been interviewed.

“I switched on the TV and I was glued to the sports channel for about two hours. I just couldn’t believe it when I saw Adam being lifted up on the pitch.

“We saw his picture on the website, but we didn’t realise how big a story it would be. When we bought the newspapers this morning, we couldn’t believe it. We’ve been getting interview requests all day, but Adam is such a grounded boy and he’s taking it all in his stride.

“It’s just unbelievable. One minute, he’s asked to be a ballboy and the next minute he’s all over the news with one of the most famous footballers ever. It’s been an incredible 24 hours.”