Iran appointed Spain's Javier Clemente as coach on Thursday ahead of the 2010 World Cup qualifiers starting in February. Iran has been without a coach since the departure of Amir Ghalenoei after they were knocked out of the Asian Cup quarter-finals by South Korea in July last year.

Clemente was sacked by Serbia in December after failing to steer his team to this year's European Championship finals which are being co-hosted by Austria and Switzerland. He faces the enormous task of transforming the team into a respectable force and living up to growing expectations from Iranian fans who see him as a saviour.

Clemente will come to Iran next week and he will officially start his job with Iran's first World Cup qualification game against Syria on February 6 in Tehran's Azadi stadium.

Source: Persian Football