Music: {allcanada} Floro to be named Canadian soccer coach

Thursday, July 4, 2013

{allcanada} Floro to be named Canadian soccer coach

Veteran Spanish manager Benito Floro will be introduced on Friday as the next Canadian men's soccer coach, sportsnet.ca has learned.

The news was first reported on Thursday by Marca, a Spanish national daily sports newspaper. Sportsnet.ca confirmed the Floro appointment through independent sources close to the situation.

The Canadian Soccer Association has called a news conference for Friday morning at a hotel in downtown Toronto where they will make an official announcement.

Floro, 61, has managed a number of clubs during his lengthy career, including Real Madrid from 1992 to 1994. Los blancos won the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup during Floro's managerial tenure.

Other clubs he has coached include Villarreal, Sporting Gijon, and Mallorca in Spain; Japanese outfit Vissel Kobe, and CF Monterrey of Mexico. Most recently he was in charge of Moroccan side Wydad Athletic Club.

In 2005, Floro famously replaced Italian legend Arrigo Sacchi as Real Madrid's sporting director.

Floro has never managed a national team.

Colin Miller is currently serving as Canada's interim manager and will lead the team at the CONCACAF Gold Cup, which runs from July 7-28 in the United States.

Canada has been without a full-time coach since Stephen Hart stepped down last October following an 8-1 loss to Honduras, a result that officially eliminated the Canadian team from qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

A CSA official declined to comment on this story when contacted by sportsnet.ca.