Guadalajara turn to Jose Real as coach

Football | International

Mexican giants Guadalajara have brought back former coach Jose Luis Real to try and revive their fortunes after years of underachievement.
The Chivas (goats), also called the Sacred Flock, share a record 11 league titles with champions and bitter rivals America from Mexico City but last lifted the crown in 2006, an eternity for one of the country's most popular clubs.

"I want to thank (Guadalajara) for this second opportunity," said the 61-year-old Real who was previously in charge of the team from 2009-11.
"I'm happy to see you again...to coach Chivas is the ultimate for any trainer," he told a news conference on Monday.

"It would be easy to promise the championship and many things and it's not that we won't try but the key is to work as a team."

Real replaces Juan Carlos Ortega who moves upstairs as development director having failed to qualify for the Apertura championship knockout phase.

Reaching the quarterfinals by finishing in the top eight in the league phase is the least expected of Mexico's leading clubs by their administrators and fans.
Guadalajara's experiment with Dutch great Johan Cruyff's consultancy in 2012 was another failed attempt to revive the team.

"I realise the bar is high. I won't be moved by criticism or praise, I'm not a kid, I've been doing this for a long time and have no doubts about what needs doing," said Real, a former Chivas player.
Real, who steered Chivas to the final of South America's Libertadores Cup as a guest team in 2010 when they were beaten by Brazil's Internacional, has also coached Guadalajara city rivals Atlas and Chivas USA, the club's American subsidiary.

Guadalajara, owned by businessman Jorge Vergara, are the only club in the top flight who pride themselves on a squad made up entirely of Mexican players in a league riddled with South Americans.