BUENOS AIRES, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Former Argentina international defender Gabriel Heinze spoke of his emotional attachment to Newell's Old Boys as he officially took charge of the Primera Division club on Monday.
Heinze replaces Adrian Coria, who resigned in August following a poor run of results in Argentina's top flight.
"If we talk about feelings, there are many," the 44-year-old said of the club with which he began and ended his professional playing career.
"A big part of why I made the decision to be here is because of the way I feel for this club," he added.
Heinze, who also played for Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid, asked for patience as Newell's bid for their first major title since 2013.
"I am focusing on taking things day by day," he said. "We still have to build a group and then a team. Playing international competitions are very nice for the players, the fans and the leaders, but we are a long way from doing that."
After a strong start to the 2022 Primera Division season, Newell's struggled for consistency and finished 11th in the 28-team standings.
Heinze, who was capped 72 times for Argentina, had been without a job for more than a year, having parted ways with Atlanta United in July last year. ■
