Zaragoza extends contract with coach Manolo Jimenez

Madrid – Spanish Primera Liga football club Zaragoza have extended the contract of coach Manolo Jimenez for three seasons.

Jimenez’s new contract comes as a reward for the incredible job he did in rescuing his side from what appeared to be almost certain relegation to the Spanish second division in the season which has just finished, Xinhua reports.

Jimenez replaced Javier Aguirre as Zaragoza coach on the last day of 2011 with Zaragoza bottom of the BBVA Primera Liga and looking doomed for the drop.

However, he was able to motivate a limited squad of players and Zaragoza produced a sensational finish to the campaign, winning eight of the last 14 matches, including the last four games of the season to eventually secure Primera Liga football for another year.

Zaragoza’s safety was finally confirmed with a 2-0 win away to Getafe on the last game of the season with thousands of jubilant Zaragoza fans watching for the fans.

“We had no option other than to give everything we have and that is what we did,” said Jimenez.

The former Sevilla coach, does however, have a difficult job ahead as his side is likely to lose star goalkeeper Roberto Jimenez, who will probably move to a bigger club following a fine campaign. Meanwhile like so many other clubs in Spain, Zaragoza will have to rely on a series of free transfers and loan deals to strengthen their side over the close season.