ICHIHARA, Chiba Pref. (Kyodo) JEF United Ichihara has finalized a deal with former Czechoslovakia national coach Jozef Venglos, who takes over from Slovenian Zdenko Verdenik as manager of the J. League First Division side, club officials said Wednesday.
Venglos, 65, joins the Chiba club on a deal which runs from Feb. 1 through Jan. 1 next year after Verdenik resigned at the end of the 2001 season to take charge at J-1 side Nagoya Grampus Eight.
Venglos led Czechoslovakia to the quarterfinals of the 1990 World Cup finals in Italy. He has also been in charge of such European clubs as Aston Villa of England and Scotland's Celtic.