World Football

MUSCAT, July 16 (Reuters) - Frenchman Claude Le Roy has agreed to take over as coach of Oman's national team, the country's soccer federation said on Wednesday.

Le Roy, who led Ghana to the semi-finals of this year's African Cup of Nations, has signed a one-year contract to become Oman's fifth coach in just over two years.

"The deal is complete. We have a very experienced coach who we expect will do a good job with our team," Taha Suleiman Al Kishri, secretary-general of Oman's soccer federation, told Reuters.

The former Cameroon, Senegal, Congo and Malaysia coach steered Ghana to 14th in the FIFA world rankings but rejected a new contract, saying he had reached "the end of that chapter".

The 60-year-old will be expected to deliver almost instant results for Oman, where patience with highly-paid foreign coaches seems to be in short supply.

Uruguayan Julio Cesar Ribas became the oil-rich Sultanate's fourth coaching casualty in just over two years when he was sacked after an unsuccessful World Cup qualifying campaign.

However, Al Kishri said Le Roy, who was one of 35 candidates for the post, would be given ample time to adjust.

"We will give him a fair chance," he said. "He will have full authority in decisions about the team."

Le Roy will prepare the team for 2011 Asian Cup qualifiers and will be expected to steer Oman to victory when they host next year's eight-nation Gulf Cup.