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English Spaniard Javier Clemente rejoins Libya
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Spaniard Javier Clemente rejoins Libya
Spanish coach Javier Clemente has rejoined Libya National team as manager, the Spanish FA confirmed. The LFA communicated that Clemente’s contract will last for a year with an option of renewal.
After his official appointment as Libya senior men national team coach, Clemente said, “I am happy to be back in Libya again. I know that the Libyans love me, and that is why I agreed to return.”
The Spanish coach officially began his second stint in charge of the Mediterranean Knights after leading them between 2013 and 2016. The biggest highlight of his first spell as coach was winning the 2014 African Nations Championship in South Africa with a win over Ghana in the final of the tournament for locally-based players.
“We are waiting for the FIFA World Cup qualifiers, and we know he have a tough mission against Egypt, Gabon and Angola. I have great confidence in all the players in order to make a great effort to qualify. Our match against Sudan team in the FIFA Arab Cup qualifiers is also important, and we will play the match with local players in the absence of the most prominent abroad based professional players,” he added.
Javier Clemente has said he is satisfied with the level of his Libya players despite losing 1-0 to Liberia in his first match back as coach.
Liberia won the match despite playing more than 80 minutes with 10 men after the sending off of Sampson Dweh in the ninth minute, the only goal of the game was scored by Czech-based Oscar Dorley from the penalty spot.
The game was played in Tunisia where Libya are holding a training camp ahead of an Arab Cup qualifier against Sudan in the Qatari capital Doha on 19 June.
A win in the one-off game will see them progress to the finals in November and December also in Qatar.
Clemente was appointed by the Libyan Football Federation to replace Montenegrin Zoran Filipovic, who was sacked in May.
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