Pellegrino back with Reds
30 Jun 2008 - 12:50:49
Liverpool have confirmed the appointment of former player Mauricio Pellegrino as their new first-team coach.
Pellegrino, 36, made 12 appearances for the Reds during Rafael Benitez's first season at the helm of the Anfield club.
The Argentine defender was brought to Merseyside from Benitez's former club Valencia at the beginning of the 2004-05 campaign before moving back to Spain 12 months later.
Pellegrino had been coaching the youth side at Valencia since his retirement in 2006, but will join up with the Reds for the start of pre-season training.
He will form part of Benitez's new-look backroom staff alongside another former player in Sammy Lee.
"His role will be first-team coach, and he'll also carry out specialist training sessions," Benitez told the club's official website.
"He can also work specifically with the defence and also the reserves.
"Pellegrino has a winning mentality. He won the Intercontinental Cup before going to Spain with Barcelona and Valencia.
"He has a lot of passion. When I asked him to come he was very pleased, but first he wanted to find out if there was a school where his three children could play good football. He is a football man."