Argentina new head coach, Diego Maradona - AP

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP)

Diego Maradona officially took over as the new coach of Argentina yesterday, asking his sceptical countrymen to "give me a chance".

He was contracted to the end of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa if Argentina qualifies. Argentina was lying third in the South American race.

"It's an honour," Maradona said. "It's a dream come true being named coach of the national team.

"I'm going to give it my all to make sure that things go well. We're going to work every day so that Argentina has a national team that keeps getting better and better."

Dressed in a suit and blue tie, the 48-year-old Maradona was flanked at a news conference by new Argentina manager Carlos Bilardo and Julio Grondona, the head of the Argentine Football Federation.

While Maradona remains a national hero, his appointment has been questioned by local media and fans since it was first announced last week.

Many are doubtful Maradona can translate his technical skills into coaching expertise, and are wary of the star's past, which includes near-death battles with drugs and obesity.

Grondona brushed aside criticism that Maradona wasn't qualified to be the national coach, saying "we have the security of excellence".

Maradona agreed: "It's fine, but they're going to have to be my fans because I'm Argentine," he said. "I ask that they give me time, that they give me a chance."

He said he'd recuperated from his drug and alcohol problems, and that the job offer came at a most opportune time.

"This is the best moment in my life," he said. "I have my two daughters, I get up every morning and I look forward to the day. That's something I've got back.

"I'm earning back the confidence of my daughters and I have the beautiful dream that is the national team ... it's like touching heaven with my hands."

Asked by reporters if he was daunted by the prospect of failure while leading the team and further damaging his reputation as a living football great, Maradona said, "I'm not afraid that my crown will fall. It would be worse to hide myself."

He replaces Alfio Basile, who stepped down on October 16, a day after an historic 1-0 loss against neighbours Chile in World Cup qualifying.

His first game in charge will be a friendly against Scotland on November 19 at Glasgow, followed in February by another friendly against France. His first match before a demanding home crowd will be a World Cup qualifier against Venezuela in March.

One of Maradona's first decisions was to replace Javier Zanetti as captain with Javier Mascherano.

Maradona said Mascherano was the "best suited player" because he brings together the necessary characteristics of "thinking, sacrifice, professional, being attentive to teammates."

His first squad for the Scotland game was little changed from Basile's tenure.

As expected, star Lionel Messi was not on the list due to a deal struck between AFA and his Barcelona club to allow him to play in Beijing but then finish the season playing only for the club, an arrangement Maradona said last week he would respect.

The roster includes his son-in-law Sergio Aguero, from Atletico Madrid, and the only notable absence was goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri.

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