Jose Riga: Blackpool confirm ex-Charlton Athletic boss as manager

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Jose RigaImage source, Empics
Image caption,

Charlton won seven of their 16 matches under Jose Riga's management

Jose Riga has been confirmed as the new manager of Championship club Blackpool.

The 56-year-old Belgian has signed a one-year rolling deal at Bloomfield Road and will be unveiled by the club at a news conference on Wednesday.

Riga spent the final two months of last season in charge of Charlton Athletic but was replaced by Bob Peeters in May, despite guiding the Addicks to safety.

Blackpool have been without a permanent boss since Paul Ince was sacked in January after 11 months in charge.

Barry Ferguson stood in as interim player-manager of the Seasiders, who narrowly avoided relegation last term.

They finished 20th, two points above the Championship's bottom three, and were beaten 3-0 at home by Riga's Charlton in their final game.

Blackpool led the table in the early weeks of the 2013-14 season under former England captain Ince, but their form dipped alarmingly in the second half of the campaign and the 46-year-old was dismissed during a run of 17 league games without a victory.

Ferguson was unable to significantly improve the team's results, winning just three of his 20 matches in charge, and was one of 17 out-of-contract players allowed to leave the club at the end of the season.

Riga, who was previously technical director of AC Milan's academy and has also managed several sides in Belgium, won seven of his 16 games at Charlton.

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