Pellegrino will coach at Liverpool

(CNN) -- Former Argentina defender Mauricio Pellegrino has been appointed first team coach at Liverpool.

The 36-year-old made 12 appearances for the English Premier League club in 2005

"His role will be first-team coach and he will also carry out specialist training sessions," said Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez, who appointed another former Anfield player, Sammy Lee, as his assistant last month.

"He can also work specifically with the defense, and also the reserves.

"Pellegrino has a winning mentality. He won the Intercontinental Cup before going to Spain with Barcelona and Valencia.

"He has a lot of passion. When I asked him to come he was very pleased, but first he wanted to find out if there was a school where his three children could play good football. He is a football man."

Benitez signed Pellegrino on a free transfer from Valencia in January 2005, but he was released that summer and returned to Spain to play with Alaves.

Since his retirement in 2006, Pellegrino has been coaching Valencia's youth team.

Liverpool had 18 players back to start pre-season training on Monday, with the players involved in Euro 2008 given an extended break.

Benitez praised the performance of fellow Spaniard Fernando Torres in their country's success at the championships.

"I am very proud of Fernando, especially after he has been criticized by some journalists in Spain," Benitez said.