Int Football - 'Fist of Butcher' threatens Maradona

Eurosport - Tue, 18 Nov 13:39:00 2008

Scotland's assistant manager Terry Butcher has said he will never forgive Diego Maradona for his Hand of God goal at the 1986 World Cup.

1986 World Cup Argentina-England Diego Maradona Peter Shilton - 0

Butcher was part of the England side that lost the infamous quarter-final 2-1 to Argentina, as Maradona scored with a clear handball before adding a magnificent solo run.

The former defender said he was still angry with Maradona, who coaches the Argentina team that play Scotland at Hampden on Wednesday, and even joked that he might use the "fist of Terry Butcher" to exact revenge.

"I can never forgive him for what he did. It was probably the best chance England had of winning the World Cup since 1966," said Butcher.

"At the end of the day it is not nice when you lose a World Cup quarter-final under those circumstances. It's very hard to forgive and forget in the circumstances.

"But it was 22 years ago. I think I'm 4-1 to get a red card in the tunnel - it would be the fist of Terry Butcher rather than the hand!"

Butcher also revealed that he encountered Maradona after the game when the pair were required to do drugs tests along with his England team-mates Gary Stevens and Kenny Sansom, and the Argentinian claimed he had not handled the ball.

"It could have been a warzone in there but it wasn't. I wasn't next to him; if I was I might have done something. I would pay a few thousand pounds to be in that drugs room again if I knew he was going to be in there," Butcher said.

"He came in and celebrated. He was the last person you wanted to see because, remember, he had also scored a wonderful goal on the way to which he beat me twice. I felt it more than anybody else.

"When I signalled to him about the head or the hand, he pointed to his head. Maybe that was because it was a small room and there were three Englishmen, not very happy, so he probably took the safe option.

"But that irritated me even more. If he had come in and said 'It was my hand, I apologise' then I would have only [wanted to] hit him four or five times instead of 20."

The Scotland assistant said he wanted to concentrate on Wednesday's match, and predicted that the home side could cause an upset.

"Scotland have traditionally done well as underdogs against the top sides," he said.

"It is like when teams play the big four down south or the Old Firm in Scotland, you play above yourself because you do not want to get smashed.

"The spotlight is on us at home so we have to adapt with the players we have here. The key thing is adapting quickly and wanting to play on the big stage.

"These are the games that can forge reputations but doing well or scoring a goal; they will remember that for the rest of their lives but other people will remember it too. It is a big thing for the Scotland squad.

"It is not a case of feeling inferior, it is a case of going out and being the ones in the spotlight."

Eurosport

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  1. Is terry still in a bunker in the falklands waiting for­ the argies to come over the hill?. Get over it terry­ .Goal of the century in the same match.

    From thetwotoedsloth, on Thu 20 Nov 3:22AM

  2. im a england fan & i don't blame maradona,i­ blame the ref & his linesmen!..maradona should of­ come clean straight away & said yes i went 4 it wiv­ my hand cos im 4ft nothin & got away wiv it!!move­ on...

    From Kevin O, on Wed 19 Nov 6:00AM

  3. t

    From Mark, on Wed 19 Nov 4:15AM

  4. It's true that Maradona was a cheat, a drug misuser­ and an over-rated player. Butcher is being criticised­ for refusing to shake hands with Maradonna and,­ personally, I don't blame him. Talk Sport has been­ full of it all day. They keep saying that Butcher­ should 'be a man' and shake hands with the­ cheat. I would think better of the situation if­ Maradonna was to make the first move, approach Butcher­ and say "I'm sorry Terry. I did cheat in that­ match, and in many more to cover my shortfalls as a­ player and to enhance my reputation falsely, and I­ regret the way England lost through my misdemeanours. I­ really should give a press conference to apologise for­ my actions to everyone and also apologise to God since,­ as a Catholic, I have insulted Him by claiming the goal­ was scored by the hand of God. God is impartial and­ supports neither side. I hope that both you and He will­ forgive me." It would then be up to Butcher to­ respond accordingly.

    From quatt47, on Wed 19 Nov 2:59AM

  5. So cmon messi lets see if you can dot it round 10­ players?..Can hear the excuses already.!

    From dalsidhu2000, on Tue 18 Nov 10:26PM

  6. So i suppose when M.Owen goes to Argentina and­ apologises for diving we can expect the football God to­ come to England to do the same

    From dalsidhu2000, on Tue 18 Nov 10:26PM

  7. C'mon you just dont get the same when the likes of­ Shearer, Liniker, owen turn up to a training ground,­ and talking of cheating butcher..have we all forgotton­ a certain M.Owen against the argies when he­ dived...clearly...to earn a pen..which shearer took and­ scored..?

    From dalsidhu2000, on Tue 18 Nov 10:25PM

  8. and it goes on & on..1966 World Cup...footbal was­ even invented properly then anyway so who gives a hoot­ toot to who won it b4 1986...??.This was when the real­ World Cup began as we know it today. They've all­ had a go..the Buthcher, the baker the roody candlestick­ maker..c'mon people wake up he is a legend, the­ best, when you get the whole of the Manchester Football­ team falling overthemselves to catch a glimise of this­ guy, and you get Jammie Cararagher bringing members of­ his family in to try and meet & greet the guy, and­ Rio.F (the present Eng Cap) saying he looked up to him,­ and if it wasnt for Mr.M then he would not be in footy­ 2day?

    From dalsidhu2000, on Tue 18 Nov 10:24PM

  9. Its only a Game let it go, its still a greet game in­ joy it now and stop moaning,

    From Michael F, on Tue 18 Nov 6:21PM

  10. after all this years you need to forgive and move ahead­ . I try not to remember that act immediately after his­ second goal what where u people thinking were u people­ on that field u look like dummies , only him and he­ glare the ball from his own half to your net and u­ still talking about forgiveness

    From AhmedH, on Tue 18 Nov 6:11PM

  11. so many ignorant comments. i think butcher would­ clearly not be still so angry after 22 years unless he­ absolutely thought england would have won the game. oh­ and were arsenal a pleasure to watch on saturday dave?­ up the villa.

    From tom, on Tue 18 Nov 6:09PM

  12. Can you please cool down Butcher some day will come for­ the english men to cerebrate that trophy and who knows,­ it might also be an error. So please leave the guy­ alone its asport and anything can happen in the world­ of football. Dont let the people to question your­ position, this is 2000 century and that guy is still­ respected. Ask yourself WHY:

    From ruth, on Tue 18 Nov 6:06PM

  13. Yeah, right, pablopeliza i agree with you, but as u­ suggest like that, things can argue both way, if­ Maradona didn't scorce that goal, would england­ lose 2-1? maybe england would lose 3-0? 4-0?
    If this?­ if that? it is pointless to make those assumption.­
    History is written by winner, not loser.

    From Sam, on Tue 18 Nov 6:04PM

  14. hi

    From ruth, on Tue 18 Nov 6:02PM

  15. Cheating git but possibly the most exciting and­ talented footballer i have ever seen

    From Redmanshouts, on Tue 18 Nov 6:02PM

  16. Maradona = JUNKIE DRUGS CHEAT

    From vlf126, on Tue 18 Nov 5:47PM

  17. Maradona was the same as all south americans, a­ cheating @#$%.

    From albion_forestor, on Tue 18 Nov 5:45PM

  18. Hmmm...i think the part where he used his­ HAND!....might of slightly disheartened the england­ defence....would he have scored that goal..if it was­ still 1-0? i think not.

    From Robert, on Tue 18 Nov 5:40PM

  19. Maradonna is a cheating @#$% - those england players­ will no doubt be haunted by the memories until the day­ they die. C'mon Scotland - do us a favour!

    From Samaldo, on Tue 18 Nov 5:39PM

  20. i think it is beacuse he was so astronomically good­ Sam.

    From guidedog, on Tue 18 Nov 5:38PM
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