Paco Jémez appointed new Raja Casablanca head coach

Raja Casablanca have appointed Spaniard Paco Jémez as their new head coach on a one-year contract, replacing Tunisian coach Nasreddine Nabi.

The Moroccan club confirmed the appointment on Monday evening, formally bringing Jémez in to take charge of the team ahead of the new season.

Jémez, however, had already started working with the squad before the announcement was made. The Spaniard led his first training session on Monday as Raja began preparations for the campaign ahead.

His immediate task will be to assess the players available to him and determine the strengths and potential of the squad. He will then begin putting his ideas into practice and making decisions on the team as Raja’s first official matches of the season draw closer.

The appointment gives Jémez another opportunity to take charge of a club after gaining extensive experience on the Spanish benches.

During his coaching career in Spain, he has worked with several clubs, including Cordoba, Las Palmas, Rayo Vallecano, Granada and Ibiza. Those spells have given him considerable experience of Spanish football and its different levels of competition.

Jémez now moves into a new environment with Raja, where he will be expected to establish his methods and shape the squad ahead of the club’s competitive return.

His most recent professional role came at West Ham United, where he worked as an assistant coach until last winter. He subsequently became available after leaving the club and had been without a team before Raja’s approach.

The appointment brings his period without a club to an end and gives the Spaniard a fresh challenge in Moroccan football.

With the new season approaching, Jémez has already begun the process of getting to know his players. His first training session provides an early opportunity to assess the squad before deciding how he wants the team to play.

The coming days will therefore be important as the new coach evaluates the players at his disposal and begins to establish his own vision.

Raja have handed Jémez a one-year contract as they look to move forward under new leadership following Nabi’s departure.

The Spaniard’s experience at Cordoba, Las Palmas, Rayo Vallecano, Granada and Ibiza, together with his most recent work at West Ham United, will now form the background to his latest coaching challenge at Raja Casablanca.