;)
Fernando Santos: New Coach for Greek National Soccer Team
Posted by keeptalkinggreece in Sports
Fernando Santo is the new coach of Greek National Soccer Team.
He has accepted the proposal of the Hellenic Football Federation (HFF), governing body of football in Greece, for a two-year contract. The agreement is expected to be officially announced on Thursday, after the meeting of HFF Board.
The HFF launched a search for a new skipper after Otto Rehhagel, who led Greece for nine years, stepped down after Greece’s early elimination from the World Cup in South Africa with a 2-0 loss to Argentina in their last group-stage match.
Rehhagel, 71, coached Greece to their greatest football triumph, the 2004 European title. His contract expires at the end of the month.
Giannis Topalides, Rehagel’s long-time assistant, also announced his resignation.
The 55-year-old Portuguese, Fernando Santos is credited with successfully coaching the Greek sides Panathinaikos, PAOK Saloniki and AEK Athens in the last decade as well as Porto, Sporting and Benfica earlier.
Santos quit the northern Greek club PAOK in May despite earning a spot in next season’s Champions League.
Santos is expected to settle to Greece by mid July. He would be tasked with guiding Greece to Euro 2012 in Ukraine and Poland. Greece are in the same group as Croatia, Israel, Latvia, Georgia and Malta in the qualifying phase of the tournament.
He debut will be in August – friendly game against Serbia – and by September against Georgia and Croatia.
Before losing to Argentina in South Africa, Greece lost to South Korea 2-0 and beat Nigeria 2-1, their first-ever World Cup victory and also first World Cup goals.
Greece’s exit from the World Cup brings the end of an era not only for Rehhagel but also for many of his senior players – including Kostas Katsaouranis and Giourkas Seitaridis – who took part in the surprise win at Euro 2004 in Portugal.
Greece were considered outsiders to qualify for the knockout stages of the World Cup. But many Greeks had hoped the team would spring a surprise as they did in Portugal.
Article Compiled from info of :
http://supersport.com/football/2010-world-cup/news/100628/Greece_about_to_name_Santos_as_coach
http://sports.in.gr/football/article/?aid=1231050307
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
