Simonsen lands Luxembourg job

Former European Footballer of the Year Alan Simonsen has been named as the new coach of Luxembourg.

Contract not renewed
The 48-year-old former Danish international will take over on 1 November from Raul Phillip, the longest-serving national team coach in Europe, after 17 years in charge. Phillip's contract will not be renewed when it runs out in June.

Scotland link
Simonsen, who also had been linked with the vacant Scotland coach's job, had expressed his desire to try out new challenges after eight years in charge of the Faroe Islands - who recorded back-to-back victories over Luxembourg in the recent 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign.

Better times ahead?
Those results and the fact that Luxembourg failed to register a single qualifying point indicate the gravity of the task facing Simonsen, although the minnows did show some promise last year when they narrowly lost 2-1 at home to Russia.

Simonsen honours
Simonsen was voted European Footballer of the Year in 1977 and played for FC Barcelona and VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach among others. He won two 1. Bundesliga titles and two UEFA Cups with Mönchengladbach, as well as scoring 21 goals in 43 games for Denmark.