Coleman to announce decision to leave or stay on Thursday

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Real Sociedad's coach Chris Coleman

Real Sociedad coach Chris Coleman will announce on Thursday whether he decides to stay in the Basque team or he leaves, Real Sociedad recently-appointed president Iñaki Badiola said on Tuesday. "The decision is in his hands," the president added.

Iñaki Badiola and Chris Coleman met on Monday to try to solve a disagreement on how many players should the Basque club sign during the mid-season market opening.

Badiola has pledged to sign Valencia striker Nikola Zigic and take Arsenal's Fran Merida and FC Barcelona's Marc Crosas on loan. He has also announced two more signings. Coleman disagrees to include five new players in the team and only wants two of them.

Inaki Badiola became Real Sociedad's fourth president in the past 2 1/2 years after standing unopposed in the club's election.

Badiola, the owner of Hong Kong-based company Lighthouse Consulting, received the backing of members owning 57,004 shares, while members' abstentions represented 22,279 shares.

Badiola, 43, was reported last month to be hoping to boost Real Sociedad's finances by asking a group of Chinese investors to buy into the club.

Real Sociedad, which was relegated last season after 40 years in the top flight, is sixth in the 22-team second division after 18 round.

The team's Welsh coach, Chris Coleman, who was appointed in July, has threatened to leave the Basque club if Badiola won control. The new president is reportedly keen to replace Coleman with Javier Irureta, who was previously in charge of the club from 1995-97 and is one of Spain's most experienced coaches.