30.03.2015 12:03 h

Fernandez poised to sign as Guinea coach

Former France international Luis Fernandez is poised to take over as coach of Guinea in place of compatriot Michel Dussuyer, the Guinean Football Federation (FGF) confirmed on Monday.

FGF Secretary General Ibrahima Barry told a press conference that the 55-year-old Fernandez had been in Conakry since Saturday visiting sports venues and holding talks with the country's sport minister.

FGF have been looking for a replacement since Dussuyer quit following Guinea's quarter-final exit from the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.

"It's an open discussion. We're at 90 or 95 percent," said Barry.

"We have agreement on a certain number of points and there remains the 10 or 5 percent as in all negotiations.

"There are administrative issues that have to be sorted but essentially we're on the right track. These questions will be cleared up in the coming days and we'll move on to signing the contract."

Spanish-born Fernandez played 60 times as a midfielder for France, winning the 1984 European Championship title.

He had an unsuccessful spell coaching Israel's national team from 2010-2011, and also coached French club Paris Saint-Germain and Spanish outfits Athletic Bilbao, Espanyol and Real Betis.

"I'm very honoured and very happy," said Fernandez, who also paid tribute to Dussuyer whom he knew during his playing career.

"Guinea are a young team with potential. It's an emerging team that can progress and improve."

Dussuyer, 55, coached Guinea since 2010, with his successor having the task of qualifying the team for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2018 World Cup.