Argentina appoint Sao Paulo boss as head coach

New coach hopes to tempt talismanic striker Lionel Messi back from retirement

Argentina named coach Edgardo Bauza to run the national team, as the nation seeks to regain its football prowess and convince superstar Lionel Messi to return from early retirement.

Bauza, 58, takes on the job after a strong season at Brazilian club Sao Paulo, whom he coached to the semi-finals of the Copa Libertadores.

“We hope he will have the success we all need,” said Armando Perez, the president of a Fifa committee to whip things into shape at the crisis-plagued Argentine Football Association.

He told a press conference Bauza would be in Buenos Aires on Friday to give more details on his plans for the team. The new coach faces the stigma of being the default choice. A string of potential coaches including Diego Simeone of Atletico Madrid, Jorge Sampaoli of Sevilla and Mauricio Pochettino of Tottenham Hotspur reportedly declined the job.

Bauza takes over an Argentina smarting from Barcelona star Messi’s abrupt retirement announcement. However, he is “optimistic” he can convince Messi to return. “I'm optimistic about Messi,” Bauza said. “I hope that the chat I'd like to have with him will help convince him to stay with the team,” he added.