Srecko Katanec, whose Slovenia side of 2000 caused football mania in the country, has been appointed coach of the United Arab Emirates according to federation officials on Monday.
The 45-year-old Slovenian succeeds Frenchman Dominique Batheny, who was appointed in September 2008 but who failed in his bid to qualify the side for the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa.
No details of Katanec’s contract, which is for a two-year period, were revealed.
Katanec, a former Yugoslavia international, played against the United Arab Emirates at the 1990 World Cup in Italy.
As a coach he led Slovenia to the European Championships in 2000 and to the 2002 World Cup, where Slovenia lost their three opening matches.
After a brief spell with Olympiakos in Greece, which ended in 2003, Katanec did not coach at the top level until he became coach of Macedonia in 2006.
He resigned from that post on June 4.
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