ZCZC
BSP-11
SPORT-CHINA-FOOTBALL
Ex-Watford boss Sanchez Flores moves to Shanghai Shenhua
SHANGHAI, Dec 26, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Former Watford, Benfica and Atletico
Madrid boss Quique Sanchez Flores has been named head coach of Chinese Super
League (CSL) Shanghai Shenhua.
Shenhua issued a statement welcoming the Spaniard and his coaching team,
who are due to arrive in Shanghai on Friday to prepare for the new CSL season
beginning on March 1, 2019.
“(We) hope they will get familiar with the team as soon as possible through
winter training, instil their football techniques and tactics in the players
and help the young players in the team grow faster,” Shanghai Shenhua said in
a post on China’s Twitter-like Weibo Tuesday.
The club’s former Chinese coach Wu Jingui will move to the role of sporting
director at the club. Wu led the team to win the Chinese FA Cup in 2017.
Sanchez Flores, 53, was sacked by Espanyol in April. In the 2016-17 season
he led the Catalans to eighth place in La Liga, as high as they have finished
in a decade.
The former Valencia right-back previously managed Watford, and reportedly
rejected a return to the English Premier League earlier this season with
Stoke City.
Sanchez Flores will bring a five-strong backroom team to Shanghai,
including assistant coaches Antonio Diaz and Dean Austin.
BSS/AFP/MR/1020 hrs