Valencia turn to Almeria's Emery as coach

MADRID, May 22 (Reuters) - Former Almeria coach Unai Emery is to take charge of Valencia for the next two seasons, the Primera Liga club said on Thursday.

The 36-year-old, whose contract with Almeria expired at the end of the season, will be presented on Friday and will take up the position from July 1st, the club said in a statement on their website.

In his first season with Almeria, Emery led them to promotion as second division runners-up in 2007 and then turned the south-coasters into one of the revelations of the Primera Liga.

They finished eighth in the standings and managed to claim the scalp of champions Real Madrid with a 2-0 home win in February.

He takes over a Valencia side that went through three coaches last season, starting with Quique Sanchez Flores, who was sacked at the end of October.

Ronald Koeman was brought in but despite winning the King's Cup and a place in the next year's UEFA Cup, he presided over a steady slide down the table until he was sacked last month as relegation loomed large.

Salvador Gonzalez 'Voro' steered them to safety in a temporary role and they ended the campaign 10th.