Olympiakos confirms hiring of Spanish coach Oscar Garcia
Greek champion Olympiakos Piraeus appointed Oscar Garcia Junyent as their new coach on Friday, just 24 hours after axing former incumbent Takis Lemonis.
The Piraeus giant, who has won the Greek top flight a record 44 times, announced the arrival of the Spaniard in a brief statement on its website (www.olympiacos.org).
No contract details were given, but according to local media reports, Garcia has penned a deal for an initial one-and-a-half years.
The Catalan coach is expected in Athens on Monday to get started in his new role, with the club saying that current assistant coach Christos Kontis will take charge of this weekend’s league match at Larissa.
Former Barcelona midfielder García resigned from his post as coach of Ligue 1 outfit Saint-Etienne in November citing “tensions with the board”.
He has also previously coached Maccabi Tel Aviv, Brighton and Hove Albion, Watford, and Red Bull Salzburg.
García inherits a team which currently leads the Super League by a single point in what has been one of the most exciting title races in recent memory, with just two points separating fourth from top spot.
Meanwhile, Lemonis could be set to stay with the club after being offered a new role, although no details have been announced as yet.
The 57-year-old was brought in last September to salvage the club’s worst start to a domestic season in 30 years, replacing the unpopular Besnik Hasi.
Despite guiding the team from fifth place to top spot before Christmas, he failed to help the team get past the Champions League group stage – albeit in a tough group involving Barcelona, Juventus and Sporting Lisbon.
[Reuters]
