D'Onofrio extends Standard stay
Monday, June 20, 2005
Article summary
R. Standard de Liège will be coached by Dominique D'Onofrio again next season after he agreed a new deal.
Article body
Rethink required
The Liege side had previously said the 52-year-old would leave Standard this summer after three years at the helm, but after a search for a replacement proved fruitless, they have turned to D'Onofrio again.
'In full agreement'
"We had a verbal agreement with Erik Gerets, but he decided to take charge of Galatasaray [SK]," Standard said in a statement. "After that [technical manager] Michel Preud'homme searched at home and abroad before, with the full agreement of the board, it was decided to ask Dominique D'Onofrio to rethink his decision. After ten days of consideration, he accepted to stay on in the interest of the club."
Play-off defeat
D'Onofrio joined Standard in 2002 and guided the club to the inaugural UEFA Cup group stage in 2004/05. Although the team also finished third in the Belgian top flight, their play-off defeat by KRC Genk - who ended the season level with Standard on 70 points - erased hopes of a quick return to European competition.