Diego Maradona wasted little time putting his stamp on the Argentina national team, confirming he wants Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano to be his new skipper.
Maradona, 48, made the announcement just hours after he was formally confirmed as Argentina coach, succeeding Alfio Basile who stood down on October 16.
Maradona's first game in charge will be against Scotland at Hampden Park on November 19, and the new man has in the main stayed loyal to the group of players assembled under Basile.
However, two high-profile players did miss out on a place in Maradona's inaugural 20-man selection, with Internazionale midfielder Esteban Cambiasso and Getafe goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri failing to get the nod.
Maradona's wish to make Mascherano his captain appears to be his strongest statement of intent, with the combative 24-year-old set to wrest the armband from the vastly experienced Javier Zanetti.
Mascherano last week said he did not have the charisma to be captain of his country, but Maradona said: "I want Mascherano to be my captain because I believe he is the Argentinian player who is closest to the idea I have about the Argentinian shirt - sweat for it, sacrifice for it, being a professional, being close to the team-mate.
'I will convince him. He will be my captain.'
Star playmaker Lionel Messi has not been called up due to an agreement between the Argentinian Football Association and Barcelona president Joan Laporta, after the Spanish giants released him to play the Olympic Games in Beijing earlier this year.
'Messi is not in the list out of respect to Barcelona,' Maradona continued.
'When we met [AFA president Julio] Grondona, the verbal agreement was already set.
'Laporta was a gentleman by letting him play the Olympic Games so we decided to let him stay in Barcelona for this match. If Barcelona finally let him play, he will be included in the list.'
Maradona added that he will not be taking the friendly against the Scots lightly.
'In my national team, there are no friendly matches,' he insisted. 'They are international games and we must defend the shirt.'
Mascherano will be joined in Maradona's first squad by Newcastle pair Fabricio Coloccini and Jonas Gutierrez and Manchester United forward Carlos Tevez.
Maradona, 48, made the announcement just hours after he was formally confirmed as Argentina coach, succeeding Alfio Basile who stood down on October 16.
Maradona's first game in charge will be against Scotland at Hampden Park on November 19, and the new man has in the main stayed loyal to the group of players assembled under Basile.
However, two high-profile players did miss out on a place in Maradona's inaugural 20-man selection, with Internazionale midfielder Esteban Cambiasso and Getafe goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri failing to get the nod.
Maradona's wish to make Mascherano his captain appears to be his strongest statement of intent, with the combative 24-year-old set to wrest the armband from the vastly experienced Javier Zanetti.
Mascherano last week said he did not have the charisma to be captain of his country, but Maradona said: "I want Mascherano to be my captain because I believe he is the Argentinian player who is closest to the idea I have about the Argentinian shirt - sweat for it, sacrifice for it, being a professional, being close to the team-mate.
'I will convince him. He will be my captain.'
Star playmaker Lionel Messi has not been called up due to an agreement between the Argentinian Football Association and Barcelona president Joan Laporta, after the Spanish giants released him to play the Olympic Games in Beijing earlier this year.
'Messi is not in the list out of respect to Barcelona,' Maradona continued.
'When we met [AFA president Julio] Grondona, the verbal agreement was already set.
'Laporta was a gentleman by letting him play the Olympic Games so we decided to let him stay in Barcelona for this match. If Barcelona finally let him play, he will be included in the list.'
Maradona added that he will not be taking the friendly against the Scots lightly.
'In my national team, there are no friendly matches,' he insisted. 'They are international games and we must defend the shirt.'
Mascherano will be joined in Maradona's first squad by Newcastle pair Fabricio Coloccini and Jonas Gutierrez and Manchester United forward Carlos Tevez.
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