By sportswriter Pan Yi
BEIJING, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Jose Pekerman, whose coaching career in
Argentina shined all at the World Youth Championship, will lead the seniors to
Germany this summer for the World Cup trophy which left the soccer-crazy country
for 20 years.
Pekerman, 57, had led his U-20 team to win the CONMEBOL South American
Championships in 1997 and 1999, and the FIFA World Youth Championship in Qatar
1995, Malaysia 1997 and Argentina 2001.
"If it was up to me, I'd give Jose Pekerman a contract for life," said
Julio Grondona, president of the Argentine Football Association (AFA).
Pekerman's playing career was less distinguished. He started out as a
right-sided midfielder at Argentinos Juniors, where he played 134 games and
scored 12 goals between 1970 and 1974. He then signed for Independiente Medellin
of Colombia, where he made 101 appearances, scoring 15 times. As a youth coach,
he cut his teeth at Chacarita Juniors before leaving in 1982 for a ten-year
spell at former club Argentinos Juniors.
Since 1994 when Pekerman was appointed to work with Argentina's youth sides,
he not only achieved greatly in international arena, but also nurtured a group
of players who now form the nucleus of the Argentine national side.
In 1998, following Daniel Passarella's resignation, Grondona offered him
the job of senior coach for the first time. However, Pekerman chose instead to
take a coordinating role as general director of the Argentine national sides and
recommended Marcelo Bielsa for the top job.
Then, in 2003, after refusing offers from several first division clubs,
Pekerman headed to Spain for a six-month spell as director of football with
Leganes.
In September 2004, Grondona again turned to Pekerman after Bielsa had
stepped down and Carlos Bianchi declined to replace him. This time, Pekerman
accepted the offer without a second's hesitation. Pekerman was quick to settle
into his new role, successfully steering his side through their remaining FIFA
World Cup qualifiers.
Argentina were the first South American team to notch a berth in the World
Cup finals. Their 3-1 home win over Brazil in the qualifiers last year told the
world they are still one of the hot favorites for the World Cup trophy.
Nevertheless, Pekerman still eyes Brazil as the clear favorites to win the
World Cup.
"There are several good teams and they might reach the latter stages, but
the only real title contender is Brazil," he said, adding,"It is not very often
you get such a clear favorite."
"After Brazil, there are a lot of teams, including Argentina, who will be
fighting to do as well as they can." he noted.
Pekerman has three pets with rather curious and meaningful names: "Qatar",
"Malaysia" and "Argentina."
Maybe he will have the four in July with the name of "Germany".
Following is Pekerman's coaching Career:
International Side:
1994-2001 Argentina youth team coach
Since 2004 Argentina
Clubs:
1982 Chacarita Juniors (Argentina) - Youth team coach
1982-1992 Argentinos Juniors (Argentina) - Youth team coach
1992-1994 Colo Colo (Chile) - Youth team coach
2003 Leganes (Spain) - Director of football
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