Peru appoint Uribe as coach again

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LIMA, Peru -- Former striker Julio Cesar Uribe has been named Peru coach for a second time and will attempt to take his country to their first World Cup since 1982.

"Julio Cesar Uribe has been chosen and I just hope that all Peruvians back him in his task," said Juvenal Silva, president of the Peruvian football federation committee.

"We need a breath of fresh air, to be much more professional than we have been in the past and avoid squabbling," he added.

Uribe is currently coach of Cuzco-based club Cienciano of which Silva is also president. His first match in charge will be the friendly away to Japan on March 24.

The other candidates included former Peru forward Juan Carlos Oblitas, former Uruguay coach Jorge Fossati and ex-Colombia and Ecuador national coach Hernan Dario Gomez.

One of Uribe's first problems will be to decide whether to recall English-based midfielder Nolberto Solano and Bayern Munich striker Claudio Pizarro.

Pizarro fell out with previous coach Franco Navarro last year, saying he would not play under him again.

The Peruvian federation then announced that Pizarro was banned indefinitely.

Solano last played in the World Cup qualifier against Uruguay in June 2005 and said afterwards he thought his international career was over.

However, he said recently that he was prepared to contemplate a return.

Uribe will also have to decide whether to follow Silva's controversial suggestion to play Peru's home games at high altitude in Cuzco, 3,400 meters above sea level.

Uribe's first competitive games will be at the Copa America in Venezuela in June and July. He will then lead Peru in the qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup, which are due to begin in South America later this year.

Uribe, a former forward known as the Black Diamond who played in the 1982 team, was previously in charge from September 2000 to November 2001 during the 2001 Copa America and the qualifiers for the 2002 World Cup.

His record was three wins, four draws and eight defeats in 15 games. Since then, Peru have been coached by Brazil's Paulo Autuori, Freddy Ternero and Navarro.

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