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Kocian steps up to Slovakia role

Slovakia have appointed the 48-year-old former international defender Ján Kocian as their new coach after parting company with Dušan Galis last month.

Slovakia have appointed Ján Kocian as their new coach after parting company with Dušan Galis last month.

'Huge honour'
The 48-year-old Kocian takes the top job having previously worked as assistant to former national coach Jozef Vengloš between 1993 and 1995. "It's a huge honour for me to be appointed to this post," he said. Galis left the job by mutual consent with the Slovak Football Association on 12 October in the wake of the 4-1 defeat by Germany in UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifying.

Top honour
Born in Zlate Moravce, Kocian was a defender of note in his playing days, making 209 appearances for Dukla Banská Bystrica between 1979 and 1988 before moving on to German club FC St. Pauli where he made another 147 appearances up to 1993. Capped 26 times by Czechoslovakia, he was part of the team that reached the 1990 FIFA World Cup quarter-finals and went on to be voted the country's player of the year.

Experience
Kocian began his coaching career with Czech side FK Drnovice before moving to German clubs FC Rot-Weiss Erfurt and Sportfreunde Siegen. He has also worked as an assistant at 1. FC Köln and Eintracht Frankfurt. His first test with Slovakia will be the home friendly against Bulgaria on 15 November. Slovakia are third in UEFA EURO 2008™ Group D, three points adrift of Germany, having played one game more, and a further point behind the Czech Republic.

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