Czech champions Pilsen name new coach

Prague: Czech champions Viktoria Pilsen named Dusan Uhrin Jr. as their new coach on Tuesday, following the departure of Pavel Vrba, who has taken over the Czech national team.

Uhrin, 46, who left Georgian champions Dinamo Tbilisi two weeks ago, will sign a two-and-a-half-year contract at Viktoria, who were eliminated from the Champions League after finishing third behind Bayern Munich and Manchester City in Group D. "I didn`t have to think long about the offer. It`s the most successful Czech team of recent years," Uhrin said. His predecessor Vrba won two league titles and twice took the team to the group stage of the Champions League. Uhrin has been in charge of several Czech top-flight sides and has also worked in Romania and Cyprus. He is the son of Dusan Uhrin, the coach of the Czech Republic team containing Pavel Nedved, Karel Poborsky and Vladimir Smicer that reached the final of Euro `96 in England. He will lead the side into their Europa League last-32 tie with Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk in February.