Sparta capture Kotrba

Surprise choice
Kotrba, who has agreed terms on a contract that will keep him at the Letná stadium until June 2004, admitted he was "surprised by the offer". "I have done nothing this season to deserve it," said the 44-year-old, who was sacked by FC Príbram two games into the current campaign before taking temporary charge of SK Sigma Olomouc for the last four matches before the winter break. All six games ended in defeat.

'A great challenge'
Of the "great challenge" ahead, Kotrba, who will have the Czech Republic assistant coach Jaroslav Silhavý as his No2, said: "Everybody expects that Sparta will be champions. But if I fail I will ask the club to release me." However, Sparta chairman Vlastimil Kostál insisted Kotrba was the man for the job, saying: "Our views on Sparta are very similar."

European failure
Although Sparta lead the Czech 1. liga at the halfway stage, Jarabinský paid the price of the club's elimination from both the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Cup. Sparta lost a Champions League qualifier to Belgian side KRC Genk before falling to Turkey's Denizlispor in the latter competition. "The [winter] title cannot replace the loss of 200m [€6.5m] crowns," said Kostál of his club's Champions League exit.

Revolving door
Kotrba, whose previous clubs include Union Cheb, SK Ceské Budéjovice, FK Viktoria Zizkov and FK Jablonec 97, became Sparta's fourth coach this year after Jaroslav Hrebík, Vitezslav Lavicka and Jarabinský. Sparta had been linked with a move for former national coach Jozef Chovanec, currently managing Príbram. Meanwhile, Sigma could name the former SK Hradec Králové coach Petr Ulicný as Kotrba's replacement.