Maradona or Messi

[El Flaco]

I know that your post was made for several years ago, but I'd like to answer it anyway...

Why are some people obsessed by trying to say Maradona played in a poor Napoli side that were relegation candidates?

It just isnt true, Napoli were one of the biggest spenders in Italy in the mid to late 80's. Look at the players they brought in after Maradona signed -

Careca - Arguably the best Brazilian striker of the 80's. Signed for Napoli on the back of scoring 5 at the 1986 World Cup. Was also top scorer in Brazil and named South American player of the year.
Alemao - Signed from Atletico Madrid where he was named the best foreign player in Spain, having previously been voted the best player in South America. Was part of the 1986 Brazil World Cup squad.
Ferrara - one of the best defenders of his generation in Italy, over 40 odd caps for Italy and went on to win many trophies as the main man in the Juventus defence.
Di Napoli - Over 50 caps for Italy and went on to play for AC Milan in the early 90's. Played in 1986 WC. 1988 euros, 1990 WC.
Bagni - Over 40 caps for Italy and was part of the 1986 WC squad.
Crippa - 17 caps for Italy
Francini - Italian intl who was in the Italy squad for 1988 euros.
Carnevale - striker played for Italy at the 1990 WC
Fusi - Italian intl who was in the 1988 euros squad
Zola - Younger years at Napoli where he won his first cap.

The squad that Napoli had was second only to Milan in terms of players. Almost all those named above were brought in after Napoli started spending big and brought in Maradona. Its a tired line to say Maradona joined a relegation threatened Napoli and turned them into champions. It just isnt true. He was the best player in a strong squad.

Carbevale made only 10 national team caps for Itlay (really impressive...) and Alemao didn't join Napoli until the year 1990.

Most of the players on your list, have made few national team caps on their respective CV (like Francini with tiny 8 national team caps).

To even compare these players with the squads Internazionale, Juventus and Milan is just a way to grasping at straws...

Napoli spent their entire transfer budget on Maradona during 1984. They had to take bank loans to even afford him. And it was until several years later, after when Maradona single handedly brought his club titles & income back when Serie A actually were the strongest league in the world, that players like Careca & Alemao joined Napoli. They weren't enough for Napoli to actually have a squad that made them equal to Milan (Van Basten, Baresi, Maldini, Rijkaard, Gullit) Juventus (Platini, Laudrup, Ian Rush) or Internazionale (Mattheus, Brehme, Klinsmann, Zenga) during the same era though.

The fact that Napoli had some players with few national team caps, doesn't dimish Maradona's achievement and they weren't strong in comparision to other Serie A teams.

 

[RMU ReBorn]

Leo

 

[Yannik]

I'm below the age of 45, so I couldn't reliably tell how good Maradona was.

 

[Barcaman]

I remember his "hand of god".

I was six, my parents brought me to their friend's house. They had a son who was about my age and we were playing and watching tv when we saw it.

I guess, it's like Kennedy murder. Everyone remembers where they were when it happened.