Source: Daily_Mail
Craving Cottage: Diego Maradona linked with Fulham as pressure on Mark Hughes increases
Diego Maradona has already tested out the comfort of the Craven Cottage directors' box - but could English football's No 1 villain soon be sitting in the Fulham hot seat?[LNB]Reports in Italy claim the Argentina legend is set to replace underfire Mark Hughes at the west London club after an appalling run of just one win in their last 14 Barclays Premier League games.[LNB]Maradona was a surprise visitor for Fulham's 4-1 crushing by Manchester City in November and has made no secret of his desire to get much closer to the action in England.[LNB] I want a job! Diego Maradona has been linked to numerous managerial positions since leading Argentina at the World Cup[LNB]His cheating left hand - not to mention a less-than-impressive managerial record - maybe a barrier to him landing a post, but he said in October: 'Of course I would like to manage in the Premier League.[LNB]'It has very good teams, an exceptional level and great players. The only problem is all the teams I like in England have good coaches. If any important job comes along I will accept it.[LNB]'Everything is so professional there: the players, the managers, the coaches. The players are surrounded by everything they need. Everything is phenomenal.'[LNB] Hughes, you lose: Fulham fans have turned on Mark Hughes after the club's miserable run[LNB]Hughes's position at Fulham is under increasing threat after a 3-1 defeat by fellow strugglers West Ham on Boxing Day left them just a point off the bottom of the Premier League.[LNB]Maradona can barely get through a day without being linked with a job. Visits to Iran, China and Venezuela have seen him tipped for unlikely posts in each of the countries, while Aston Villa and Blackburn have also been mentioned in England.[LNB]One job he really wanted was at Boca Juniors, the Buenos Aires club where he forged his reputation as arguably the greatest player the world has ever seen. However, the Argentine side turned him down this month in favour of former national team goalkeeper Julio Cesar Falcioni.[LNB] In a battle: Fulham have won just one of their last 14 league games[LNB]Maradona had very little managerial experience before Argentina appointed him as boss in November 2008. The relationship ended acrimoniously when the team were thrashed 4-0 by Germany in the World Cup finals in July and he was dismissed.[LNB]It was different when he was a player. Argentina won the 1986 World Cup largely thanks to his genius, but many England supporters will only remember him punching the ball past Peter Shilton in the quarter-final to send Bobby Robson's home. [LNB] Lay off Hughes! Fulham No 2 Bowen tells fans to get behind under-fire managerSack Hughes? Fans were right, says Fulham boss after Hammer blowBjorn Helge Riise demands talks with Mark Hughes after lack of Fulham first-team actionBlackburn rule out Maradona swoop as Eriksson snubs Ewood chanceFULHAM FC
