Pellegrino rejoins Liverpool as first-team coach
Monday, 30 Jun 2008 15:39
Former player Mauricio Pellegrino rejoins Liverpool as new coach
Valencia youth team coach and former
Liverpool player Mauricio Pellegrino has rejoined the Reds as a coach for the first-team squad.
The Argentinean defender, who played in 12 matches under current manager Rafael Benitez in 2005, was originally signed from Benitez's former club Valencia.
However, his stay in England was short-lived and he returned to Spain just six months later to join Alaves.
It was rumoured that Pellegrino was signed by Benitez early in his Liverpool career as a way of teaching the established first-team defenders how to operate within his preferred zonal marking system.
And the 36-year-old's return as a member of the coaching staff gives some credence to the speculation.
Benitez told the Reds' official website: "His role will be first-team coach, and he'll also carry out specialist training sessions.
"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."
Pellegrino is the second high-profile addition to the Anfield backroom staff this summer following the arrival of former
Bolton Wanderers manager Sammy Lee as Benitez's new assistant.