Bielsa pledge has hollow ring

Marcello Bielsa, the Argentina coach, promised yesterday that whatever happened in the Sapporo Dome his side would play fair. His pledge would have been more convincing, however, if he had not, in almost the same breath, admitted his greatest heroes were Rattin and Maradona.

Antonio Rattin was sent off in England's tempestuous encounter with Argentina in 1966, prompting the then-England manager Sir Alf Ramsey to describe the Argentinians as "animals". Few need reminding of the "Hand of God" goal by Diego Maradona against England in the 1986 tournament, although he swiftly followed that with perhaps the greatest goal in World Cup history.

Bielsa was adamant that Argentina were focused purely on football. "It will be very intense with a lot of pressure from both sides," he said. "After beating Nigeria we know that we have to step up a level if we are to beat England."

It is clear that the Argentinians, for whom Ariel Ortega and Juan Sorin have not trained for the past three days with niggling but not serious injuries, had been working on ways of cutting down David Beckham's space on the right.

"It's how the team plays that matters, not the fitness of one individual," Bielsa said. "I am very aware of how England play and we have prepared for this game as thoroughly as any other. The most important thing for us will be possession of the ball. We have no choice but to play to our strengths.

"We have a very important obligation to live up to our predecessors. Like any fan, my memory goes as far as Rattin and Maradona."