Diego Maradona, ousted Argentinian  manager has accused Argentina football chief Julio Grondona of lying and team manager Carlos Bilardo of treason in a bitter tirade. According to Maradona the two bosses conspired to cause his downfall.

“Grondona lied to me. Bilardo betrayed me,” said an emotional Maradona, whose colourful and controversial reign as Argentina coach came to an abrupt end on Tuesday.

“Grondona, in the dressing room after we had been knocked out of the World Cup in South Africa, told me in front of witnesses and the players that he was very happy with my work and that he wanted me to carry on.

“On our return to Argentina, things started to take on a bizarre twist and on Monday I met with Grondona.

“After five minutes, he told me that he wanted me to continue, but that seven of my technical staff could not stay. When he told me this, he was saying that he didn’t want me to carry on in the job.

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Argentina coach Diego Maradona has apparently stepped down on Monday, although the country’s local football association and a close friend told Reuters he had not resigned.

“It’s done, my chapter has ended,” Cronica newspaper quoted Maradona as saying, two days after Germany’s resounding 4-0 win over Argentina in the World Cup quarter-finals. “I gave everything I had.”

A spokesman for the Argentine Football Association (AFA) said Maradona had not officially resigned and that AFA President Julio Grondona would meet him after the World Cup had finished.

A close friend of Maradona’s told Reuters: “I still can’t confirm it, (the resignation) is something that’s being discussed.”

The friend said Maradona’s decision would be announced during a press conference but he did not say when.

“Diego is at home with his family thinking this over,” he said.

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Argentina booked their spot in the knock-out stages of the World Cup by smashing the Korean Republic 4 – 1 by means of a Gonzalo Higuain hat-trick – the first of the tournament.

Diego Maradona’s men were on top from the time they took the lead through a Park Chu-young own goal in the 17th minute. Higuain doubled the advantage after 33 minutes, but a lapse in concentration from Martin Demichelis on the stroke of half-time allowed Lee Chung-yong to give his side hope.

After briefly threatening a comeback early in the second half, the Koreans faded thanks to a double from Real Madrid striker Higuain that handed his side maximum points from their opening two fixtures in Group B.

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