Kosovo names Frenchman Alain Giresse as new head coach

PRISTINA : Former France midfielder Alain Giresse was named on Wednesday as Kosovo's new coach on a contract until the end of 2023.

Giresse, 69, replaces Swiss Bernard Challandes who was sacked late in 2021 following disappointing results in their World Cup qualifying matches.

"I want with the current team to create a real collective team... to fight in every game, whether an easy one or a difficult one," Giresse said in a news conference alongside the head of Kosovo's Federation Agim Ademi.

Ademi said they had around 40 offers to be the country's coach. Giresse, who won 47 caps as a player for France, has extensive experience of managing national teams having previously coached Tunisia, Mali, Senegal, Gabon and Georgia.

Kosovo became a member of UEFA and FIFA in 2016, eight years after the country declared independence from Serbia.

(Reporting by Fatos Bytyci; Editing by Christian Radnedge)