Aguinaga takes over at Barcelona
Reuters - Saturday 26 March 2011, 01:14
QUITO - Former Ecuador captain
Alex Aguinaga has taken up his first head coach role after
agreeing a deal to succeed sacked Argentine Ruben Insua at
struggling Ecuadorean side Barcelona.
"We'll pull Barcelona through because they have a great
squad. We know the Barcelona fans are demanding but we'll play
great," Aguinaga was quoted as saying by the Guayaquil-based
club's official website.
"I know there are elections (at Barcelona) soon... I don't
want to put stones in the way of the (club's) new board, I hope
to convince them with my work," said Aguinaga, who won more than
100 caps and helped Ecuador reach their first World Cup finals
in 2002 at the age of 33.
The 42-year-old has lived mostly in Mexico for the last 22
years where he spent the better part of his playing career. He
has had coaching experience as an assistant with top Mexican
club America and has most recently held a management post at
Necaxa, the club where he played for 13 years.
Insua was sacked on Friday for criticising the directors of
Guayaquil-based Barcelona, Ecuador's most popular team.
Barcelona won their last league title in 1997 in the first of
Insua's three spells as their coach.