Adelaide end their wait for a coach

Josep Gombau ... the Spaniard has been appointed coach of Adelaide United. Source: Supplied

Adelaide United have announced Josep Gombau as the club's new coach on Tuesday afternoon.

The Spaniard, who is currently in Hong Kong coaching Kitchee, agreed to a two-year term.

The former Barcelona schools coach will start his tenure when he fronts for Reds pre season training in mid-July.

Gombau will also bring with him current Kitchee assistant boss Pau Marti.

Marti will join current assistant coach Michael Valkanis on the bench.

"I want to come to Adelaide because Australia has one of the most successful leagues in Asia at this moment and I want to enjoy this experience in the A-League," Gombau said.

"Because I think football in Australia is growing and it would be a pleasure for me to come to this club.

"I see it as a very good chance to grow in my coaching and I hope me and the club and that together we can make something nice by becoming champions in the A-League."

Gombau, 36, coached Spanish youth teams CF Amposta and RCE Espanyol before becoming an academy youth coach at FC Barcelona in 2003.

He also had stints as a technical director of the Catalonia Clubs division and FCB Escola in Barcelona, Dubai and Hong Kong.

He holds a UEFA Pro Diploma coaching licence.

Adelaide football director Michael Petrillo said Gombau would bring a distinct philosophy to the club.

"What we looked for in a coach was the ability to implement a football philosophy, which is first and foremost successful," Petrillo said.

"The by-products of the philosophy also need to produce a style that is entertaining and relevant to the modern game a style that the players will understand and embrace as theirs.

"Josep has a wealth of experience within what has arguably been the best club in world football for the last decade."

"What is more important is that he has been able to successfully implement his own version of the football philosophy, methodology and developmental pathways at work at FC Barcelona as a senior coach of Kitchee in Hong Kong.

"He's young in terms of his age but experienced in terms of his coaching development.

"Josep also has the experience to implement the changes needed throughout the whole football department in the future including the youth team and player development.

"He's a young and ambitious coach and has agreed to take the next step into a bigger league and we're confident he is the right person for the role."

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