Finland have appointed Briton Stuart Baxter as head coach on a two-year contract, the Finnish Football Association said.
Baxter, who will start his new job on February 1, previously coached the South Africa national team.
“He has enough international experience and results from tight spots, so we think we have found the right person to take the national team to the World Cup,” FFA chairman Pekka Hamalainen said.
Baxter said: “It would be very nice to get back to South Africa.”
Finland have never qualified for the finals of a major tournament. Baxter’s predecessor Roy Hodgson, now manager of Premier League Fulham, narrowly missed out on qualifing for Euro 2008.
