Football: Sociedad keen for arrival of new boss Moyes

MADRID - Former Manchester United manager David Moyes was heading to Spain Wednesday to take over as the new head coach of struggling Real Sociedad.

"David Moyes will now arrive in San Sebastian, his new home," on Wednesday and will pose for the cameras before being officially presented on Thursday at 5:00 pm (1600 GMT) at his new club's Anoeta Stadium, the Basque side said in a statement.

Real Sociedad's captain Xabi Prieto said the team was "looking forward to meeting him and being under his command".

"I think he is a good manager, a very prestigious one who did very well in England," Prieto said in a video on the club's website, praising the Scottish manager's record during his 11 years with Everton in the Premier League.

"It is very difficult to be so long at one club, as David was with Everton, and it is a sign that he did very well. He made the club grow and for several years he got them into Europe. I hope that same will happen with Real Sociedad." Moyes, 51, had been expected to arrive on Tuesday and coach a training session on Wednesday but his arrival was delayed for unexplained reasons.

He was sacked by Manchester United in April after less than a season in charge at Old Trafford as they failed to qualify for the Champions League for the first time since 1995.

The Scot enjoyed a broadly successful 11-year spell at Everton prior taking the job at Old Trafford, although he has yet to win a major trophy as a coach.

Sociedad have been looking for a new coach since Jagoba Arrasate was sacked last week after just one win in their opening 10 league games.

They responded in style to beat La Liga champions Atletico Madrid 2-1 on Sunday, which saw them move out of the relegation zone.

Sociedad have a history of appointing British managers, starting with Henry Lowe, who took charge for five years from 1930.

Welshman John Toshack had three spells as boss there, while current Wales manager Chris Coleman had an ill-fated six months in charge during the 2007-08 season.