Former Liverpool defender Mauricio Pellegrino has been
appointed as the club’s new coach, manager Rafa Benitez revealed on
Monday.
Pellegrino played just 13 games for The Reds after joining in
January 2005 but now returns to Anfield with a remit to assist
Benitez behind the scenes.
The Argentinian, 36, joins Sammy Lee in agreeing to work under
Benitez for the coming campaign and the pair help compensate for
the departures of Pako Ayesteran and Alex Miller in the past
year.
"His role will be first-team coach, and he'll also carry out
specialist training sessions," Benitez told the club’s official
website of the man who had been working with Valencia’s youth
team.
"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."