PRAGUE, Czech Republic - Former Czech Republic midfielder Vladimir Smicer has been named team manager of his country's national side a day after retiring from football.
The Czech football federation said Tuesday the 36-year-old Smicer will be travelling with the team to the United Arab Emirates this week for a four-team tournament. He will work closely with coach Michal Bilek.
Smicer scored 27 goals in 81 matches for the Czech Republic, helping the team reach the 1996 European Championship final and the semifinals at Euro 2004. With Liverpool, he won the Champions League in 2005 and the UEFA Cup in 2001. Smicer also won the French league title with Lens and three Czech titles with Slavia Prague.