Cyprus champion APOEL signs fourth coach in 6 months Manuel Jimenez

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Cyprus champion APOEL Nicosia signed its fourth coach in six months in hope of amping up the team’s lackluster play in the domestic championship in the Europa Conference League.

Manuel Jimenez of Spain was hired on a one-year contract to replace José Manuel Martins Dominguez, who arrived in late August, APOEL announced on Saturday.

The 60-year-old Jimenez, a former Sevilla defender and coach and Spain international, led AEK Athens to championship and cup wins in Greece.

APOEL is fifth in the Cypriot first division, six points adrift of league leader Paphos.

Portuguese native Dominguez was considered a known quantity by APOEL after serving as the assistant coach last season. The club pinned its hopes on Dominguez to size up the team’s talent and quickly make the necessary adjustments to get the team to the top of the domestic league and earn Conference League wins.

But poor results in the domestic league and a 1-1 draw against Ireland’s Shamrock Rovers, who scored in the second minute of injury time, sealed Dominguez’s fate.

Dominguez replaced another Spaniard, David Gallego, who lasted only three months and who took over from Portuguese native Ricardo Sa Pinto, who left the club in May after steering the club to its first domestic championship title in five years.

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