Frenchman Luis Fernandez has been announced as Israel's new coach and will steer the team through the UEFA EURO 2012 qualifiers.

The agreement sees Fernandez move back to Israel where he spent a season as Beitar Jerusalem coach. Fernandez said: "I'm very happy to return to Israel and it is a great challenge for me to qualify Israel to the Euros.

"There are many talents here and I'm sure the team will succeed. I know Israeli football, the league and players. I see the improvement and progress here. I know it's not a simple task, but I am convinced that they will succeed."

Israel have been drawn in Group F along with Croatia, Greece, Latvia, Georgia and Malta. Fernandez, who won 60 caps for France and was part of the 1984 European Championship-winning squad, will start his new job on 1 May, and his first matches in charge will be against Chile and Uruguay at the end of that month.

The 60-year-old won a French cup double as Paris St Germain coach in 1995 and also steered the club to second place in the league - a feat he achieved in Spain as well with Athletic Bilbao.