To no ones surprise Javier Clemente was canned tonite as Espanyol coach based on his results this year especially at home where the team has played like crap as of late! He and his assistant coach will be replaced by Luis Fernandez who has coached various teams in Primera (At. Bilbao) and is originally from Tarifa Spain but raised in France. Saludos y viva er beti manque lopera! Pichi
The headline "Clemente Fired As Coach" is about on par with "Dog Bites Man". The mystery is how he keeps getting hired in the first place.
Re: Re: Clemente Canned at Espanyol Agreed, wasn't his last stint at Real Sociedad where they narrowly avoided relegation, he got canned, and they improved dramatically the next year (I'm thinking 2000-01 or maybe 1999-2000)? His ineptitude with la seleccion would be reason enough not to consider him for another job. Any idea who else is in line to replace him? It certainly can't be a talent issue with Espanyol. Sure, they haven't finished very high in La Liga over the past couple of years, but they have good players, esp. Tamudo.
Re: Re: Re: Clemente Canned at Espanyol It most certainly is a talent issue with Espanyol. Tamudo has been nothing more than awful this year. Espanyol did not re-hire Roger, one the most underrated midfielders in Spain and let go of a hard working De la Peña. I was surprised that Clemente was fired, Espanyol spent a lot of money getting him last year, he performed a miracle getting them out of relegation and did not get any help for this year. Other than Albacete, Espanyol is the worst team in La Liga. Of course, its fitting that Luis Fernandez firstgame back is against his Athletic.
Re: Re: Re: Clemente Canned at Espanyol I know that he did a stint with Betis where he kept them barely out of relegation zone in the year 98-99. They then succeeded in getting relegated the 99-2000 season but without Clementes help but with Hiddinks help! Saludos y viva er beti manque lopera! Pichi
Interesting too that Hiddink did such a poor job with Betis (who shouldn't have been relegated that year, they had far too much talent). That was also the year that I lived in Spain, so I followed each of the teams much more closely. Hiddink was considered a master with the way he coached South Korea during the World Cup. Really, the coach and his system has to be right for the players that are playing under him. Great coaches don't necessarily mix with great teams. Look at Quieroz, he failed with the Metrostars. Not to say that the MLS is so top-flight, but it's interesting that he did poorly here, then was given the reigns one of the most, if not the most expensive team on the planet.