Haan named Albania national soccer team coach

TIRANA, Jan. 4 – Dutch coach Arie Haan signed a two-year contract to coach Albania on Friday.
The 58-year-old former Dutch and Ajax player replaces Croatia’s Otto Baric who resigned after Albania lost two Euro 2008 qualifiers. The Dutchman and his staff will reportedly be paid 300,000 euro for the two seasons. He will also receive a bonus for every win by the national side.
Haan said that his task would be to improve Albania’s ranking in the world list from 80 to 35-40. Haan, a former Dutch international who has previously coached China and Cameroon, said he aims to improve the small Balkan country’s world ranking from 80th.
“But don’t ask me to become world champion with Albania or I will leave now,” Haan said Friday after signing the two-year contract. For the 2010 World Cup qualifiers, Albania is in Group 1 with Denmark, Hungary, Malta, Portugal, and Sweden. China fired Haan after failing to qualify for the 2006 World Cup.