Basile replaces Simeone at Racing Club

Posted Tuesday, December 27, 2011 by YAHOO Sport

As Diego Simeone was landing in Spain on Monday to sign as Atletico Madrid coach, former Argentina boss Alfio Basile was stepping into the vacancy he left at Racing Club.

Racing vice-president Rodolfo Molina said the club had ironed out minor issues with Basile, who won the Copa America twice with Argentina and will begin his fourth spell as their coach before the Clausura championship starts in February.

“We talked through the differences we had and everything was resolved. We’re very happy to be able to start 2012 with a coach and now we must get down to work,” Molina told sports daily Ole (www.ole.com.ar).

Basile, who also won both titles in the 2005-06 Argentine league season with Boca Juniors, has been out of work since January 2010 when he quit Boca to end his second spell with the club.

The 68-year-old, who will be officially presented to the media on Thursday, is a Racing man through and through having spent most of his playing career as a central defender with them, winning the Copa Libertadores and Intercontinental Cup in 1967. He also played for Cesar Luis Menotti’s 1973 title-winning Huracan side.

Basile, whose gravel voice and slicked-back hair give him the appearance of an aging tango singer, is also one of only two coaches to have lifted a trophy with Racing since that pinnacle 44 years ago when he steered them to the South American Supercopa in 1988 during his first spell as coach.

Tuesday is the 10th anniversary of Racing’s last title, the Argentine Apertura which they won under coach Reinaldo “Mustard” Merlo.

Racing, based in the Buenos Aires suburb of Avellaneda, finished this season’s Apertura this month in joint second place, 12 points behind runaway winners Boca Juniors.

Among Argentina’s “Big Five” clubs, Racing are the least successful of the professional era since 1931 with seven titles but they won nine league crowns in the amateur years including seven in a row from 1913 when they earned the nickname “The Academy”.