ARGENTINA: FOOTBALL / SOCCER - Former soccer coach for Mexico, Ricardlo La Volpe, becomes new coach for Argentina's Boca Juniors

Mexico's World Cup coach Ricardo La Volpe was named as the new coach of Boca Juniors, the most popular club in his native Argentina, on Tuesday (August 22). "I'm proud to be in charge of a team like Boca Juniors, one of the world's great clubs," he told a media conference. La Volpe, who has spent his entire coaching career in Mexico, replaces Alfio Basile, who will take over as Argentina coach from September 15. Basile led Boca to a double in the 2005/6 season as they won both the Apertura and Clausura championships. The gruff La Volpe, third choice goalkeeper in Argentina's 1978 World Cup-winning squad, took Mexico to the last 16 at the last World Cup, where they lost 2-1 to Argentina in the second round. His contract ended after the tournament in Germany. During his four years in charge of Mexico, La Volpe gave the team a younger and more competitive edge but he frequently clashed with the media. He was criticised for leaving out playmaker Cuauhtemoc Blanco, for fielding two foreign-born players and including his son-in-law Rafael Garcia in the World Cup squad. La Volpe had initially turned down the Boca job, saying he was unfamiliar with Argentine domestic football, before changing his mind.

ITN Source | August 24, 2006

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