Baric to coach Albania for Euro 2008 qualifiers
Mon Jul 3, 2006 2:01 PM BST
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TIRANA, July 3 (Reuters) – Otto Baric will replace German international Hans-Peter Briegel as Albania coach for the Euro 2008 qualifiers, the Croatian said on Monday.
“Briegel has done a good job with this team, he has taken Albania two or three steps forward,” said the 74-year-old, who coached Croatia to third place at the 1998 World Cup.
“I shall do my best to qualify, but my main aim is to help this team take more steps forward.”
Albania have been drawn in Group G with the Netherlands, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Belarus and Luxembourg. The qualifiers start on Sept 2 and end in November 2007. The finals run from June 7-29, 2008 in Switzerland and Austria.
Under Briegel, the national team became a symbol of reborn Albanian national pride after beating European champions Greece in Tirana.
They have risen to 86 in the FIFA world rankings but failed to qualify for the World Cup, finishing fifth in their qualifying group.
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