Mexico club ‘Big Fish’ nets Maradona as its new coach

CULIACAN, MEXICO: Argentine legend Diego Maradona has been hired to coach Mexican seconddivision football club Dorados in his latest foray into management, the club announced Thursday.

Maradona’s colourful career has included stints coaching the Argentine national team and a series of clubs around the world, and he had just started a job as president of Belarus side Dinamo Brest in July.

But after parting ways with coach Francisco Ramirez Gamez, Dorados managed to convince 57-year-old Maradona to sign up for a spell in Mexico at the club known as ‘Big Fish’.

“Dorados is pleased to announce Diego Armando Maradona is the new manager of the ‘Big Fish,’“the club said. “Considered by many to be the best footballer of all time, Diego was known in his playing career for leading teams with guts and fight to carry them to successes that few believed possible,” it said.

The club wants Maradona to stay for the remainder of the 2018 season and all of next season, Dorados president Jorgealberto Hank Inzunza told ESPN.

“In my conversations with him he’s been very excited to come coach here. Honestly, it was easier to convince him than I thought,” he said.

Dorados are currently in 13th place in their 15-team league.

Located on Mexico’s Pacific coast, Sinaloa is home to several famous beach resorts and the drug cartel of the same name, founded by jailed kingpin Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman.

Maradona himself is no stranger to drugs.

He was hit with two doping bans as a player, and has publicly battled with drug addiction, alcoholism and obesity.