By Luis Ampuero
BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Alfio Basile has been appointed coach of Argentina for the second time, he told reporters on Monday.
"Obviously, I’m very proud to coach the Argentina national team again, like any Argentine would be," he said at a media conference held by his club Boca Juniors.
"I’m looking forward to it greatly, especially seeing the quantity of great players we have."
Basile will replace Jose Pekerman, who resigned after taking Argentina to the World Cup quarter-finals where they lost on penalties to hosts Germany.
The 62-year-old former defender, regarded as an exponent of attacking, football, was also at the helm from 1991 to 1994.
He won the Copa America twice -- in 1991 and 1993 -- and led Argentina to the second round of the 1994 World Cup.
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Argentina had looked potential world champions in that tournament hosted by the United States but their campaign fell apart after Diego Maradona failed a doping test.
Basile’s reign was also marred by a 5-0 home defeat against Colombia in a World Cup qualifier.
BOCA AGREEMENT
Basile will take up his post on September 15 after an agreement between Boca and the Argentina Football Association (AFA).
He declined to discuss his plans for the job.
"We can talk about the details later," said the gruff, gravel-voiced coach. "This only happened ten minutes ago."
Boca president Mauricio Macri, who was the first to announce the news, wanted to keep Basile at the club until January before agreeing to release him in September.
The decision followed a lengthy meeting between Macri and AFA president Julio Grondona which lasted most of Monday.
Grondona offered Basile the job two weeks ago but Boca argued that they needed time to find a replacement for the 2006/7 Argentine season which starts at the weekend.
Basile took over at Boca one year ago with Argentina’s most popular club at a low ebb. He quickly led them out of trouble, winning both the national championships played last season.
Ricardo La Volpe, who led Mexico at the World Cup in Germany, has already turned down an offer to coach Boca, while Maradona has repeatedly been named as a candidate for the job.
