体坛英语新闻：Mane named new Espanyol coach

MADRID, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- Espanyol named Jose Esnal "Mane" as their new coach on Monday following Sunday's sacking of "Tintin" Marquez.

    Mane has not been in the coaching place since he steered Athletic Club Bilbao in the 2006-07 season.

Espanyol's coach Bartolome Marquez reacts against Villarreal during their Spanish First Division soccer match at Lluis Companys stadium in Barcelona Oct. 18, 2008. Espanyol named Jose Esnal "Mane" as their new coach on Monday following Sunday's sacking of "Tintin" Marquez.

    The 58-year-old is best known for his time as coach of Alaves, whom he led to the 2001 UEFA Cup finals. Alaves lost one of the most exciting finals in football history 5-4 to Liverpool.

    "I am here because there has been a fall in results and to try and halt the slide. Espanyol is one of the most historic clubs in Spanish football," he told Barcelona-based Sports paper Diario Sport.

    Espanyol have only taken 12 points from 13 games this season. What is more worrying is that six of those points came from their first two games. Since then they have won only one out of their last 11 matches.