Chris Coleman’s agent expects the Welshman to be officially presented as the new coach of Real Sociedad next week.
Sociedad President Maria De La Pena announced the arrival of the Welshman at a press conference at the club’s Anoeta stadium on Thursday.
But a new board has been drafted in and must be ratified on Saturday before Coleman’s arrival at the club who lost their La Liga status earlier this month can be officially confirmed.
Alan Smith is aware things have to be “ironed out” – but believes Coleman will be in position with the Basque side soon.
Smith, manager of Coleman’s former club Crystal Palace from 1993-95 and 2000-01, said: “It’s all very fruitful.
“There are some items to iron out – not financial, but technical, which they need to clear – not least that they have an AGM.
“They need to get it out of the way and then some documents will be sent to us.
“Chris is keen on the job but the AGM needs to be out of the way before we can push forward.
“Until it (the AGM) is cleared there is no point in them finalising anything one way or the other.
“We just need to do it properly.”
Smith acknowledges that 37-year-old Coleman will have to learn Spanish to improve his chances of making a success of the job.
Smith explained: “Football is a universal language but they (Sociedad) made it clear they’d expect him to learn the language.
“Chris is clear he’ll have to put himself out but I don’t see this as a major problem.
“He’s got to do his homework but a lot of people are prepared to help.
“He’s spent four and a half years in the Premier League, so he would have had the same problem if he’d gone to a Championship side.
“But I don’t want to be too parochial – the flight out here is an hour and 15 minutes and he’d be doing that if he went to Middlesbrough or Newcastle.
“He wants to give this a go – it is a challenge – but everything has got to be right for both parties.”
