Soccer-Giresse named new Tunisia coach

Former France international Alain Giresse was named Tunisia coach by the country's football Federation on Thursday after signing an 18-month deal.

It will be the 66-year-old's sixth appointment as a national team coach after previous stints with Georgia, Gabon, Mali (twice) and Senegal.

Giresse will lead Tunisia into the African Nations Cup finals in June, before the start of qualification for the next World Cup. His contract runs until June 2020 with an option to renew, the federation said.

Tunisia qualified for this year's World Cup in Russia but coach Nabil Maaloul stepped down after the tournament.

His replacement Faouzi Benzarti was sacked in October despite Tunisia being among the first countries to qualify for next year’s Nations Cup tournament.

Giresse played in midfield for France alongside Michel Platini in their 1984 European Championship winning side and won 47 caps for his country. He later coached at Toulouse and Paris St Germain. (Reporting by Mark Gleeson; Editing by Toby Davis)

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