Diego Maradona's spell as Argentina coach came to an end Tuesday when soccer chiefs voted unanimously not to renew his contract, the country's AFA football association said Tuesday. Maradona's future had been in doubt since Argentina's 4-0 loss to Germany in the World Cup quarter-finals in South Africa earlier this month. “The executive committee... has resolved unanimously not to renew the contract of Diego Armando Maradona as coach of the national team,” an AFA spokesman told a news conference after the meeting of soccer bosses. Rumors had swirled ahead of the announcement that Maradona would not continue as Argentina's coach, a position he has held since November 2008, because of a disagreement with the AFA. Maradona told local media Sunday he wanted to stay on as coach but only if he could keep control over the choice of his assistants. His departure means Argentina need to find a new coach for the Copa America regional tournament next year. Local media said former Boca Juniors coach Carlos Bianchi, who led the team to a string of national and continental titles in two stints between 1998 and 2004, was a popular favourite to replace Maradona. Other names circulating as possible successors include Estudiantes coach Alex Sabella, Independiente's former coach Americo Gallego, former Argentina coach Marcelo Bielsa and ex-River Plate, Inter Milan and Argentina striker Ramon Diaz. Blanc eyes Ribery, Benzema Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema could be selected to play for France despite being under police investigation on suspicion of soliciting sex with an under-age prostitute, coach Laurent Blanc said Tuesday. “Criminal investigations are very long. I'm here for two years. Ribery and Benzema are among the key players of the team,” said Blanc in excerpts of an interview with Le Parisien posted on the newspaper's website (www.leparisien.fr) Blanc said in the interview that the fact that a player was under judicial investigation did not disqualify him from being selected.
