Diego Maradona lashed out angrily at the media for failing to back him during Argentina's roller-coaster ride to last-gasp qualification for the World Cup finals. It did not take a long time before numerous reactions appeared.

At a press conference, Maradona pointed his finger at journalists who he said smeared the image of the national team, and insulted them before the cameras.

Journalists from America TV station, who were the epicentre of the attacks, defended their claims today saying Maradona had actually been "protected by the media," regardless of the "catastrophic" results of the national soccer team in the qualifiers.

"Another coach would have been blasted by the media in his situation, especially when he flew away from the country after losing against Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay. He was actually quite protected, thanks to his legendary history," they said.

Most of the Argentine media agreed with such statements and regretted "the lack of Maradona's self criticism".

Only the Argentine Football Association head supported Maradona's outburst: "We can thank our families, not the media. I wonder what those journalists with bad intentions will have to say now," Julio Grondona said.

After sneaking victory over Uruguay last night, the coach, who led his country to World Cup glory in 1986, used the crudest terms to attack repeatedly "those who did not believe" in him.

At the press conference after the game, Maradona said, after asking women to cover their ears, "to the ones who did not believe in us, you can suck it." He then targeted a journalist from the America TV channel in particular and insulted him.

Newspapers in Buenos Aires had reported that the coach's relations with team manager Carlos Bilardo were on the rocks. "You made up the problems with Bilardo," Maradona charged.

"Today were are in the World Cup finals, without anybody's help," Maradona noted, expressing his satisfaction after the 1 - 0 victory against Uruguay.

Diego Maradona lashed out angrily at the media for failing to back him during Argentina's roller-coaster ride to last-gasp qualification for the World Cup finals (watch video). It did not take a long time before numerous reactions appeared.