BOGOTA: Jose Pekerman has signed a new four-year deal as coach of Colombia, according to an announcement from the South American country’s football federation.

Federation president Luis Bedoya told local radio:  “We’ve been saying it since the start, for several months, that Pekerman was our plan A, B and C,”

Pekerman’s initial contract expired on July 31 after the 64-year-old Argentinian took Colombia to the quarter-finals of the World Cup where they lost narrowly to hosts Brazil.

He took over in January 2012.

Under his guidance, Colombia then qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 16 years.

Pekerman had been considered a possible contender for the vacant Argentina job but the vacancy created by the resignation of Alejandro Sabella was filled by Gerardo Martino.

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