Diego Maradona has hit out at the fact that Antonio Conte has agreed a move to join Chelsea already as he prepares Italy for Euro 2016 this summer.
The football icon is evidently not impressed with the decision to announce the deal before his current contract with his current employers has concluded.
Conte will leave his post when his deal with the FIGC expires after the European Championship, and has already confirmed that an agreement is in place for him to arrive at Stamford Bridge later in the summer.
While he isn’t the only individual to make such a move given Pep Guardiola is also Premier League bound with Manchester City ahead of next season, Maradona has taken exception to it.
“What happened is disgusting!” Maradona told Italian TV station Piùenne, as reported by Football Italia.
“The Coach of the Italian Nazionale who signs for Chelsea! That seems shameful to me.”
On one hand, there is an argument to support Maradona’s belief given that it can be interpreted as disrespectful to his current bosses as he has already planned out his future despite having another four months to go.
That in turn could also be seen as a distraction from what should be his more immediate focus of helping the Azzurri make progress and enjoy success in France this summer.
In contrast, the fact that Conte has cleared his future up and has left no room for uncertainty has ensured that the media, both in Italy and England, don’t continue to constantly question what his next move is.
That could also be interpreted as a distraction from coaching the Italian national side, and with his future sorted out, he now has peace of mind to leave on the best terms possible with a trophy to show for it.
Whichever way fans see it, the decision has been made and as ever, Maradona hasn’t been shy in putting forward his opinion on the matter against a player that used to represent a bitter rival during his days in Serie A.
There is also the angle that the Argentine legend is simply disappointed to see a coach of the Azzurri give up the position in favour of a move to a Premier League side, but whether or not that is really a contention issue is up for debate.