South Africa appoint Parreira coach: official

World Cup hosts South Africa appointed Brazilian Carlos Alberto Parreira coach on Friday, a South African Football Association spokesman said.

Parreira returns to a post he relinquished in April last year when his wife became seriously ill in Rio de Janeiro, and he was succeeded by compatriot Joel Santana.

International novice Santana, 60, lost his first match in charge away to Nigeria, struggled to improve the team, and was fired after suffering eight losses in nine matches.

Parreira, 66, guided Brazil to the 1994 World Cup title when they defeated Italy after a penalty shootout in the United States, but fared less well three years ago with Brazil making a quarter-finals exit to France.

That defeat cost him his job and he took over Bafana Bafana (The Boys) for the first time in January 2007, but struggled to convert the African also-rans into a formidable force on the world stage.

His greatest achievement came in his final match, a 3-0 defeat of Paraguay in a Pretoria friendly, soon after a poor 2008 African Nations Cup showing that led to a first-round exit.

South Africa snatched a late draw against Angola in Ghana, were outplayed by Tunisia, and managed to take only one point off a Senegal team demoralised by the resignation of their coach.

No details were immediately available of who would assist Parreira or of his salary. He was paid 1.8 million rand (195,000 euros) a month the last time he was in charge.