It's now seven months since Mauricio Taricco made the journey home back to Argentina. As ever, he is always more than happy to be interviewed by Town fans, be it for his website - www.mauriciotaricco.com - or TWTD. Simon Fuller, who runs the currently-under-refurbishment-www.mauriciotaricco.com caught up with Suffolk's favourite Argentinian.

How have you been since returning to Argentina?

I'm fine, enjoying being with my family in particular, spending time with them. This was the one thing I have missed the most, so this is what I'm doing. Taking my boy to school, picking him up after school etc.

I'm also playing some football on weekends with some friends in a local tournament, nothing serious though, just enjoying the essence of football. Well, you know me, I play to win anyway!

With over 10 years having passed since you last lived in Argentina, has it changed much and are you pleased to be back home?

I don't think that Argentina has changed that much. I changed. After living for abroad for so long and seeing a different way of life, you learn a lot and you get used to certain things and like it.

When you return home, and those things aren't here you miss them, so it's a bit difficult to settle completely, but you come to terms with it and it's fine. I am pleased to be home and especially with how well my son has settled here. He's enjoying his new school and has made friends.

Is there anything you miss about living in England?

I miss the organised society that England has, even though a lot of people there complain, you have a good and strong country.

Seen many games in Argentina? What do you think of the standard?

I have seen lots of games, it's good. There are some good footballers coming up and what surprises me the most is that in general the players are really young - 17, 18 ,19 - and already playing in big teams here with a lot of pressure on their shoulders and they are doing a good job.

Any plan to scout any young Argentines for us here in Ipswich?

No scouting job for me thanks!

Are you satisfied you made the right choice when you decided to retire?

I'm OK with my decision. I was listening in an interview with a central defender who has now retired. He played for Argentina in the World Cups in 1986 and 1990, his name is Ruggeri, and he was saying how he decided to retire after playing for Real Madrid.

He took the decision, talked to his family and came back to Argentina as a retired player. When he arrived here, he got a phone call from the Argentinian national team manager. They met a few days later and he was told that he had to be the skipper, that Argentina really needed him and he changed his mind.

What I'm trying to say is that that didn't happen to me; in other words no one made me change my mind, so I'm happy with my decision.

Does that mean us Town fans can persuade you to play for us for another year?

For you I would play another year, but it's not you who has to convince me!

Might that suggest Joe ought to get on the phone to Argentina? Do you still keep an eye on the goings on at Spurs?

I don't to be honest, but I will look out for them once the current set of coaches leaves their job!

What was your reasoning behind leaving West Ham after picking up an injury in the 27th minute of your debut?

As I have already explained, I went to West Ham to help them, not to give them a problem. I felt after getting injured that it was the right thing to do and I offered them the chance to cancel the contract and they grabbed it. End of story.

I don't consider myself a good guy for that, for me it is simple, black and white, not grey. I also learned how badly they wanted me!

It would have been a very painful time for a lot of Ipswich fans had you stayed there, not only losing in the play-offs but losing to a former hero...

It would have been for sure. I guess I would have been happy but sad at the same time. I believe things happen for a reason, maybe I did not have to be there!

I was glad not to be playing for West Ham really. I felt for Ipswich that another year of hard work was out of the window, another disappointing year for my ‘English team'.

Ipswich have done a great job, the players shouldn't feel they let people down or anything like that, it's just unfair that the work of an entire season finishes like that, with the promotion to the Premiership of a team that finished 12 points behind.

But, those are the rules unfortunately and we all have to come to terms with it.

What are the chances of returning to Portman Road to cheer the team on, or maybe playing in Richard Naylor's testimonial?

It's a long way, but, as I always say, never say never. My regards to all Town fans!

So what should we take from this? Mauricio is happy he can live the life of a normal person for a change instead of that of a footballer being able to spend quality time with his family but maybe, just maybe there could still be a burning desire to pull on the shirt again and play for a club he still loves be it as a player or just in a testimonial.

For some reason I have a feeling that we haven't seen the last of Mauricio at Ipswich, even if it is only as a spectator watching a game against Sheffield United or Norwich!

Photo: Action Images

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