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| Photo By Francisco Leong |
Fledgling Fiorentina coach Paulo Sousa called on the club's fans to forget his past with hated rivals Juventus as he was unveiled by the Serie A club on Monday.
News of Sousa's appointment prompted graffiti in the streets of Florence by some fans protesting his links with Juventus -- one of Fiorentina's most bitter rivals.
But Sousa, who joined the club after just a season in charge of FC Basel, said his only objective was to leave fans with good memories of his time in charge.
"I understand some fans remember me for being at Juventus but I want them to remember me for the work I do in Florence, and for achieving excellent results," said Sousa.
"I'm very happy the club have decided to put their trust in me. I've always believed I was the right coach for this project, and I'll do everything I can to repay that trust."
Sousa, 44, replaces Vincenzo Montella, who was sacked at the end of the season for what the club said was a "lack of respect".
Montella had been rumoured to be quitting Fiorentina for some time and after steering La Viola to a superb fourth-place finish, and qualification for the Europa League, he remained aloof about his commitment to the club.
Having spent two years coaching in England and Wales between 2008-2010 with Queens Park Rangers, Swansea City and Leicester City, Sousa went on to coach Videoton in Hungary (2011-2013) before steering Maccabi Tel Aviv to the Israeli league title in 2014.
He joined FC Basel on a three-year contract last season, steering the Swiss giants to the Super League title before being handed the chance to return to Italy, where he played with Juventus as a midfielder in 1994-1996.
"I'll be up against top-level coaches but for me it is a great challenge," added Sousa. "I want to honour the history of the club, together we can achieve important objectives."Source: Yahoo News
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