Not so friendly.

As we head into a midweek international friendly fest, one game is getting more attention than it should. The Scottish (and the BBC) are embracing their hero and king of the cheats, Diego Maradona, ahead of tomorrow night's game with Argentina at Hampden Park. But there is still plenty of animosity towards the new Argentina coach. A former England captain doesn't forgive and neither do I.

First off this post is a bit of a rant and I have had enough coffee this morning to send an elephant to the 100 meter title. Still with me? Then read on.

There is no such thing as a friendly, especially this week with England taking on the auld enemy at the Olympic stadium in Germany. But as Capello's young team get a chance to impress against their biggest rival, another of England's rivals is being celebrated north of the border in what could be hailed as the friendliest of friendlies ever to be arranged.

Diego Maradona, known to me and most of my countrymen in such affectionate terms as 'that cheating bastard' is in Scotland for his first match in charge of Argentina. It's a real lovefest up there, But while a fat junkie cheat enjoys his welcome, Scotland number two (and traitor) Terry Butcher is still pissed at Maradona for 'that' goal 22 years ago. Aren't we all Terry!

"I will never forgive him. It was not nice to lose under those circumstances. I was selected for the drugs test with Gary Stevens and Kenny Sansom and ended up in the room with Maradona and two of his pals. Our World Cup was over and they were celebrating. It's very hard to forgive and forget in the circumstances. But it was 22years 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. I remember coming back in 1986 and moving from Ipswich to Glasgow and I think I saw more Argentina strips in Scotland than I did in Mexico." - Terry Butcher.

Butcher is not alone with his sentiments and quite frankly all the attention that the cheating Argentinean is getting on his inaugural trip as manager is getting on my tits. Let's all celebrate a cheat, a liar and man who claims that 'cheating' is a fair way to win a game. It's not surprising that the Scottish are treating Maradona like a God; there is nothing more pleasing to a Scottish man than to see the English lose.

Personally I am not against them having their fun as they will never be a concern to England or its fans. It's also likely they will never have the chance to be cheated out of a place in the semi-final of the World Cup. Celebrate your defrauding arse clown Scotland... enjoy!

Scotland's pleasure is not my concern; however, the attention it is receiving IS. Maradona's Scotland trip has featured heavily on the BBC website every day since he arrived. Take today for instance. Have a quick look of the BBC football home page and you will find a headline article, another on the time Alan Hansen played Maradona, SIX video features and a picture slide show! In fact it's looks like a Maradona tribute blog right now. I have never known such a slanted week of reporting. All for a drug addict and a cheat. Maybe we should celebrate Marion Jones, Floyd Landis, Jose Canseco, Jeffrey Skilling and NBA referees.

Oh Bigus, it was 1986, get over it!

It's not just the Hand of God that makes Maradona a cheat. He was banned for 15 months for taking drugs while at Napoli and again in 1994 when he was sent home from the World Cup after failing a drugs test. In fact if you Wikipedia 'cheating' Maradona is featured near the top of the page.

Yeah I'm bitter and I hate Maradona with a passion, but what kind of message do you send when you can be revered for taking cocaine and bringing the game into disrepute? Nice message to the next generation of footballers and the millions of kids reading and watching all this nonsense.

While the BBC spends its time glorifying a cheat there is a friendly of note taking place tomorrow in Berlin. England take on Germany in a far more important game, important for being a game between two of Europe's biggest teams with immense history, bragging rights on the line. Does anyone really care about the hiding Argentina will bestow upon the minnows of Scotland? Seriously... the game isn't even sold out.

Rant over, weight lifted, and now I will review your incoming abuse in the comments below.

-Bigus.

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