Klaus Toppmoller has signed a two-year contract to lead Georgia in their EURO 2008 qualifying campaign.

Toppmoller will take charge from 1 February. Ralf Minge, who worked with Toppmoller at Bayer Leverkusen, will be his assistant.

“There is enough time before the qualifying process to build a team that can fight for a place at the UEFA European Championship,” said Toppmoller.

“It will take a lot of work. I know the capabilities of the team’s leading players and we can put on a good show in our EURO qualifiers.”

“The offer was very appealing,” he added. “I couldn’t refuse the chance to work with a national team with so many quality players. That is why I was glad to accept the job.”

Toppmollertook Leverkusen to the Champions League final in 2001, but has been out of work since leaving Hamburger SV in October 2004.