Argentina football legend Gabriel Batistuta has confirmed that he will be in Johor to help the state football team.

Johor FA president Tunku Mahkota Johor Tunku Ismail Ibni Sultan Ibrahim tweeted that the legendary footballer is expected to arrive on March 16.

It is learnt that Batistuta’s role would be to advise the Johor FA on hiring import players especially those from Argentina and other South American countries.

Batistuta would also share his ideas and input to make Johor the strongest football team in the country.

The arrival of Batistuta marks a new era for the state football team who have been in the doldrums of late and are now playing in the second tier of the country’s football league.

Since taking over the presidency of Johor FA early this year, Tunku Ismail has appointed former Singapore in­­ternational Fandi Ahmad as the team manager and technical advisor.

Batistuta or better known as Bati­gol among his fans is Argentina’s leading goal scorer with 56 goals in 78 international matches and played in three World Cup Finals.

He also played for Argentina clubs Newell’s Old Boys, River Plate and Boca Juniors but he made his mark in the Serie A with Fiorentina where he won the Coppa Italia and Super­coppa.

Batistuta also won the Scudetto with AS Roma in 2000 and played for Qatar club Al-Arabi before retiring in 2005.

Link: http://football.thestar.com.my/2012/03/06/former-argentina-star-batistuta-for-johor/