Russia to appoint new coach by early next week

RUSSIA’S new national team coach to succeed Valery Gazzayev will be appointed early next week, the country’s soccer chief said yesterday.

"We will have discussions among the board members on Monday and on Tuesday or Wednesday at the latest, and we'll announce the new coach," said Vyacheslav Koloskov, president of the Russian Football Union (RFU).

"We can't afford to wait longer because in two weeks we face Ireland in a decisive Euro 2004 qualifier and we have to have a coach," he said.