Temuri Ketsbaia has been appointed head coach of the Georgia national team following the departure of Hector Cuper earlier this week.

Ketsbaia, 41, has previous managerial experience at Anorthosis Famagusta, who he twice led to the Cypriot league title in five years at the helm, and Greek giants Olympiacos.

The former Newcastle midfielder has been entrusted as the man to turn around the fortunes of Georgia following a dismal 2010 FIFA World Cup™ qualifying campaign under Cuper, which yielded only three points from ten games.

Ketsbaia's brief will be to try to guide Georgia to UEFA EURO 2012 when his two-year agreement with the Georgian FA commences on 1 January.

"I am happy to be given a chance to help Georgian football," said Ketsbaia, who won 49 caps for Georgia and also represented the likes of Dinamo Tbilisi, Anorthosis, Wolves and AEK Athens in a 20-year playing career.

"We have decent resources and if we use them in a proper way we can play good football."