Mikhaylichenko chosen by Dynamo

FC Dynamo Kyiv have appointed Olexiy Mikhaylichenko as their new head coach after the death of Valeriy Lobanovskiy earlier this month.

Decisive games
"We have decisive games to play against FC Shakhtar Donetsk in the league and in Ukrainian Cup, and the board has decided to put Mikhaylichenko in charge," said Dynamo vice-president Ihor Surkis. "We will decide on further steps in the second half of June."

Many honours
Mikhaylichenko spent seven years as a player for Dynamo, and won three Soviet Supreme League titles, as many USSR Cups and the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1986. An international midfield player for the Soviet team, he was in the squad which finished second in the 1988 UEFA European Championship, and won Olympic gold later that year.

Reunited with Lobanovskiy
The 38-year-old also won the Scudetto in Italy with UC Sampdoria in 1991, and three Scottish titles with Rangers FC from 1993-96. He returned to Dynamo to take an assistant's role when Lobanovskiy returned to the club in 1997 and often guided the team when the coach was ill.

'Tough period'
"I understand the responsibility which lies upon me now," Mikhaylichenko said after his promotion. "Dynamo are always expected to win, especially now, when we are in a very tough period of our history. Our goal is still to win both cup and league, to keep the faith for Lobanovskiy."

Died in hospital
Lobanovskiy died in hospital on 13 May in Zaporizhya, where he had been taken several days before with a brain haemorrhage. He was 63.