BUENOS AIRES, (AFP) – Former Argentina coach Diego Maradona is in hot water after he accused sacked successor Sergio Batista of accepting bribes to include certain players in the team, local media reports alleged Thursday.

Batista was sacked after July’s Copa America flop on home soil having only replaced Maradona following the 2010 World Cup, which ended in a quarter-final thrashing by Germany.

Batista had already been in the Argentine coaching set-up before taking over from Maradona as coach of the senior side having led the Olympic squad to glory at the 2008 Games.

He said he is taking legal action after Maradona, now coach of UAE club Al Wasl, for telling TyC Sports broadcaster that “after we (Maradona and his entourage) took over the team there was an end to bribes”.

Maradona suggested that certain arrangements had been in place to giving certain players guarantees before he stamped out the practice.

Batista strongly rejected Maradona’s allegations and said he would take legal action to counter Maradona’s “falsehoods (which are) a product of resentment” at being ousted as national coach.

Maradona meanwhile said he was still unhappy to have been relieved of his duties with the Albiceleste but “I have done my period of mourning and I am very happy in Dubai, trying to show that when they give you time you can do things well.”