Clemente agrees to live in Iran
The Spaniard performs a u-turn at Iranian demands.
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| Javier Clemente has reportedly agreed to live in Iran [AFP] |
The on again, off again saga of Iran’s football coach moved a step closer to completion with Spaniard Javier Clemente now agreeing to the football federation’s condition that he should live there.
Efforts to appoint the 57-year-old former Spain and Serbia coach broke down this month over his refusal to stay in Iran.
“By telephone, Clemente accepted Iran’s condition of living in Iran all the time,” Iranian state television said in a brief caption headline without giving details.
The Iranian Football Federation (FFI) said on Wednesday it had given Clemente a second chance to become the Islamic state’s coach despite FFI chief Ali Kafshian’s insistence earlier in the week that a local coach would be employed instead.
Clemente told the FFI last week that he would not accept the condition about where he lived and rejected the job offer.
Iran made a disappointing start to their 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign when they were held to a 0-0 draw by lowly Syria earlier this month.