Hristo Stoichkov has been named as the new coach of Primera
Liga strugglers Celta Vigo after relinquishing control of the
Bulgarian national team. The former Barcelona striker replaces
Fernando Vazquez, who parted company with the club on Monday after
Celta slumped into the relegation zone following a run of just one
win in their last 18 league matches.
Stoichkov had been in charge of Bulgaria since after Euro 2004, but
stepped down earlier on Tuesday. A statement on the Celta website
read: "Hristo Stoichkov is the new coach of Celta. "The club have
finalised an agreement with the Bulgarian, who until now has been
the coach of his country's national team.
Stoichkov is probably best known for his time as a player at
Barcelona, where he spent seven seasons in two spells during the
1990s. During his time at the Nou Camp, the left-footed Bulgarian
scored 162 goals in 336 games and picked up a host of winners
medals, including five league titles and the 1992 European
Cup.
He also won the Balon d'Or as the European Footballer of the Year
in 1995 and finished as joint-top scorer at the 1994 World Cup in
the USA. Aside from playing for Barca, the much-travelled forward
also represented the likes of CSKA Sofia in his homeland, Parma,
Al-Nasar in Saudi Arabia, Japanese side Kashiwa Reysol and MLS
outfit Chicago Fire.
He also had an impressive record as coach of Bulgaria, and he
leaves them well placed in Euro 2008 qualifying Group G to claim
one of the two automatic berths for a place in Austria and
Switzerland next summer.
Stoichkov takes over a Celta side in deep trouble near the foot of
the Primera Liga. Vazquez's final game in charge was Sunday's 4-2
defeat at Recreativo Huelva, a result that left the Galician club
in 18th spot, two points adrift of safety with only nine games
remaining.
Vazquez became the sixth managerial casualty of the Primera Liga
season, following Jose Mari Bakero (Real Sociedad), Luis Cesar
(Gimnastic Tarragona), Felix Sarriugarte (Athletic Bilbao), Javier
Irureta (Real Betis) and Juan Ramon Lopez Caro (Levante).
Those six clubs are the ones currently occupying the bottom six
places in La Liga.
