Vladikavkaz name Courbis as coach
MOSCOW, Russia (Reuters) -- Former Marseille coach Rolland Courbis has agreed to take charge of Russian premier league club Alania Vladikavkaz.
"He has agreed to coach our club and we expect him in Moscow on Sunday to formally sign a two-year contract," Alania general director Sultan Tokayev told Reuters.
The 50-year-old Frenchman, who led Marseille to the UEFA Cup final in 1999, will become the fifth foreign coach in Russia's top flight.
Portugal's Artur Jorge, Italy's Nevio Scala and Czech Jan Grebik were appointed after the 2003 season which ended in November, taking over the prominent Moscow clubs, CSKA, Spartak and Dynamo respectively.
Another Czech, Vlastimil Petrela, coached Zenit St Petersburg to the runners-up spot in 2003.
Alania, who won the 1995 Russian league title and finished second in the following season, have struggled in recent years.
The Vladikavkaz side also decided to changed their name from Spartak-Alania back to Alania at the end of last season after finishing in 13th spot.
Yartsev signs new Russian deal
Russia coach Georgy Yartsev, who led the national team to the Euro 2004 finals, has extended his contract through the 2006 World Cup qualifiers, the country's soccer head said on Friday.
Alexander Tukmanov, executive director of the Russian Football Union (RFU), told Reuters that the 55-year-old coach had agreed a new deal this month.
"It was a pure formality," Tukmanov said. "Also one of the provisions in his contract calls for an automatic extension if the national team reaches the World Cup finals in Germany."
Yartsev transformed the struggling national side after taking over from Valery Gazzayev in August.
