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Maradona not bothered by Butcher hand-shake refusal

(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-11-19 10:03

GLASGOW - Diego Maradona will not lose any sleep over Terry Butcher's refusal to shake hands with him at Wednesday's friendly against Scotland, Argentina's coach said on Tuesday.

Argentina's coach Diego Maradona talks to the media during a press conference in Glasgow, Scotland, Tuesday Nov. 18, 2008 ahead of an international friendly soccer match against Scotland on Wednesday. [Agencies]

Maradona, who will make his debut as Argentina coach at Hampden Park, also said no English player could criticise him for his Hand of God goal after the English team won the 1966 World Cup final against Germany with an invalid goal.

"I'm not interested in shaking Butcher's hand," he said of the former England defender who is Scotland coach George Burley's assistant.

"I'm okay with the people I have to shake hands with. I don't understand why Butcher (said that), I let him get on with his life."

Butcher was on the receiving end with England of two Maradona goals when Argentina won their 1986 quarter-final in Mexico 2-1, the first with his fist, the second after a slalom through the defence from the halfway line voted the best goal in a World Cup.

The Englishman said on Monday he could not forgive Maradona for the first, so-called Hand of God goal 22 years ago.

"I'm not going to die over that, I'll sleep just as well if Butcher doesn't shake my hand," Maradona told a news conference at Argentina's Glasgow hotel.

"I would remind the senorita (reporter) that England beat Germany with a goal that wasn't, which we all saw and no-one said anything," he added, holding his hands a foot apart to show how far short of the line England's third goal in a 4-2 win at Wembley was.

"Butcher can't judge me in any way...there weren't (television) replays then (in 1966)."