Lucas Alcaraz
has been appointed Algeria coach – three days after being sacked by La Liga
strugglers Granada.
The Algerian
football federation confirmed the 50-year-old’s appointment on its website on
Thursday, saying he will take office in the coming days.
He replaces
Belgian Georges Leekens, who resigned after Algeria’s group-stage exit from the
African Nations Cup earlier this year.
Alcaraz’s
third spell as Granada coach ended on Monday following a 3-1 weekend loss to
Valencia, with former Arsenal captain Tony Adams taking over the reins at Los
Carmenes.
Granada-born
Alcaraz has enjoyed a two-decade-long managerial career in Spain with the likes
of Almeria, Recreativo, Cordoba and Levante, but has never coached outside his
homeland and represents a left-field choice by the Algerian federation.
The North
African heavyweights had been linked with moves for both ex-Middlesbrough coach
Aitor Karanka and another Spaniard, Joaquin Caparros, who had been the
frontrunner for the post.
Alcaraz, who
has been appointed by new FAF chief Khereddine Zetchi, will hope to end a
period of instability for Algeria, who have now had four full-time coaches in
just over a year
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