Buenos Aires, Argentina (Sportsbooks) - Sergio Batista was named as the new manager of Argentina on Wednesday, taking over for Diego Maradona on a permanent basis. Batista has been acting as the caretaker boss following the departure of Maradona after the World Cup, and he has been in charge of the team for wins over both Ireland and Spain, as well as a loss to Japan. The 47-year-old has been handed a contract that runs through qualification for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, and as long as Argentina qualifies for the tournament, the deal will be extended. Batista will also lead the team in next year's Copa America competition, which will take place in Argentina. |
