Griga steps into Sparta fray

Contract signed
The 43-year-old has signed a contract with the Czech champions until June 2007, with the option of a further two years. He will fill the gap left by Hrebík, who was fired last week following a run of poor results and disputes with senior players.

Familiar figure
Griga is a familiar face at Sparta, having joined the club as a striker in 1981 and left eight years later after scoring 120 league goals. He also played for Feyenoord and SK Rapid Wien and registered eight goals in 34 internationals, a tally which includes Czechoslovakia's run to the 1990 FIFA World Cup quarter-finals.

Coaching CV
He started his coaching career with hometown club MŠK Žilina and then led FK AS Trencín, ŠK Slovan Bratislava, FK ZTS Dubnica and Slovakia's Under-21s. More recently, he steered FC Slovan Liberec to fifth place in the Czech top flight last season, despite a six-point deduction for a bribery scandal incurred the previous campaign.

Sparta woes
Griga resigned as Liberec coach this summer and has been unemployed since. Sparta have endured their worst seasonal start in years with three wins and four defeats from eight games. They also have just one point from two Champions League matches and next play Arsenal FC on 18 October.