Garcia named new Villarreal coach

Spanish top division club Villarreal has named Luis Garcia Plaza as their new coach after sacking Javier Calleja earlier in the day.

Luis Garcia's last job saw him earn promotion to the Chinese Super League with Beijing Renhe, but he has ample experience in Spain with clubs such as Levante and Getafe and he also coached the Villarreal B-team in the 2005-6 season, reports Xinhua.

"I'm really keen to turn this situation around. We're coming here to work as hard as possible and we hope to change the dynamic. Thursday is a final, we hope to win the match and from there, carry on getting better," Luis Garcia said on Monday evening.

He has accepted an initial contract until the end of the current season.

His first game is a Europa League tie at home to Spartak Moscow on Thursday, a match that Villarreal have to avoid a defeat to progress to the knockout stage of the competition.

"On Thursday, we have a vital match. We're playing to stay in the Europa League. We can't change anything in two days, but in the first session, we've seen very positive things," he commented.

Finally, he expressed his satisfaction at returning to the club.

"When I left, I felt I needed to grow as a coach to return one day. I'm really proud to be able to come back and I hope it will be a successful era for both the club and myself," Garcia concluded.

--IANS

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