Mascherano and Tevez offer stark reminder of Argentina's aristocratic class

AMID all the inevitable hullaballoo surrounding one man's presence in Glasgow this week, it was all too easy to forget Scotland were also welcoming a collection of gifted footballers to Hampden.

And while the frenzied attention of the media photographers, not to mention Scotland supporters with camera phones, remained focused on Diego Maradona last night, the quickest of glances at the first team sheet of his tenure as Argentina managerprovided a stark reminder of the size of the test the SFA had taken on for George Burley and his squad.

While on one side there were names attached to second-tier English clubs such as Wolves and Derby County, the selection penned by the Hand of God was drawn from footballing aristocracy such as Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Bayern Munich, Manchester United and Liverpool.

The English Premier League heavyweights provided the two players who, in the absence of Barcelona magician Lionel Messi, would be most familiar to those among the Tartan Army able to wrench their gaze from the little man in the visitors' technical area.

Maradona has already made it clear both Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano and Manchester United forward Carlos Tevez will be central to his quest to lead his country to World Cup glory in South Africa in 2010.

Still only 24, Mascherano was earning his 45th cap last night and did so as Argentina's new captain. He was reportedly reluctant to take on the captain's role, initially indicating he felt he should defer to vastly experienced Inter Milan defender Javier Zanetti who, remarkably, was winning his 128th cap in this game.

Maradona, however, was insistent that the Liverpool player would wear the armband while he was in charge. On reflection, Mascherano may consider it the highest compliment he could ever be paid that his country's most celebrated footballer should bestow such an honour upon him.

It was not difficult to see why Maradona holds him in such high regard. There are few, if any, more accomplished exponents of the holding midfield role than the player whose outstanding performances at the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany earned him his move to England.

While his primary function, one he carries out with almost instinctive ease, is to control the tempo of a match from around the centre circle, Mascherano can also add extra potency to Argentina in the attacking third.

It took him all of six minutes to demonstrate that side of his game, a sweetly struck volley from 22 yards forcing a fine diving save from Allan McGregor who would already be bracing himself for a busy night.

Tevez, who has found his status as a regular starter with Manchester United threatened this season by the arrival of Dimitar Berbatov at Old Trafford, also has a point to prove in his country's colours. Sent off twice and without a goal so far in Argentina's stuttering World Cup qualifying campaign, Tevez's place in the team had been questioned by some observers but he has received a ringing endorsement from Maradona.

Playing in a free role just off main striker Ezequiel Lavezzi, he was an immediate source of concern for the Scots' defence and it was little surprise he played a key role when Argentina made their eighth minute breakthrough, working an angle deftly on the right to burst into the box and combine with Jonas Gutierrez to set up Maxi Rodriguez for his neat near-post finish.

Barry Ferguson, back on international duty for the first time in 12 months, had spoken with genuine enthusiasm on the eve of the match of testing himself against someone of Mascherano's calibre. On the night he matched the number of times Graeme Souness and Roy Aitken captained Scotland, Ferguson

could be satisfied with his contribution in stemming the early Argentine tide and turning it into a more even contest before he was replaced by debutant Scott Robertson just before the hour mark.

Despite the admirable Scottish response to their early setback, Mascherano was not to be denied a winning start to his captaincy and the managerial reign of Maradona. In doing so, he had helped remind everyone that no matter the size of personality in the technical area, it is the men on the pitch who matter most.

Taken from the Scotsman