Portugal's Jorge to coach Iran's national football team

DPA - Portuguese coach Artur Jorge Braga Melo Teixeira has been named by the Iranian Football Federation (FFI) as new coach of the Iranian national football team, ISNA news agency reported Wednesday. ISNA quoted an informed source as saying that Jorge would soon come to Tehran to sign the contract.

The FFI has not yet confirmed the deal and said that the coach's name would not be disclosed before next week.

It is said that Jorge would first sign a contract until the end of the first round of the World Cup qualification games which would, however, be automatically extended if the Iranian team reaches the second round.

In case of qualification for South Africa, Jorge would also lead the team in the 2010 World Cup.

The FFI also held talks with French coach Jacques Santini and German Peter Neururer but Jorge is said to have demanded much less.

Iran has had no coach since last July after the team suffered a humiliating elimination in the quarter finals of the Asian championship in Malaysia and Indonesia.

The 61-year Jorge had been coach of the national teams of Switzerland, Portugal and Cameroon as well as several clubs such as FC Porto (Portugal) and Paris Saint-Germain (France). His biggest success was winning the Champions League title in 1987 when Porto beat Bayern Munich 2-1 in Vienna.

He also had a short engagement with Saudi Arabia's Al Nasr club in 2002 and is currently coaching French second division team US Creteil-Lusitanos.

In the first round of the World Cup qualifiers, Iran has to play Kuwait, Syria and the United Arab Emirates.

Due to differences with the FIFA over governmental interference in football affairs, the FFI has no president since last year. The new president is to be elected on January 9.