Russia appoint Stanislav Cherchesov as new head coach

Former Legia Warsaw manager Stanislav Cherchesov has been appointed as the new head coach of Russia.

The Russian Football Union have been seeking to appoint a new head coach since CSKA Moscow manager Leonid Slutsky stepped down from his short-term role with the national side, following a disastrous campaign at Euro 2016.

After salvaging a late draw against England in their opening game of the tournament, Russia failed to take a point from their next two games against Slovakia and Wales - finishing bottom of Group B.

Cherchesov, who has also managed both Dynamo and Spartak Moscow, led Legia to the Polish league and cup double last season.

The 52-year-old has signed a two-year contract with his national side and is expected to build a team capable of challenging at the 2018 World Cup, which Russia will host.

However, Cherchesov says expectations must remain realistic.

"At the executive committee meeting I said that I had always played in teams where there were high expectations," he said.

"However, it would be frivolous to set ourselves the goal of winning the 2018 World Cup.

"The task at the moment is to create a competitive environment within the team and to give the players the opportunity to show their capabilities as well as trying to assess them and their opponents.

"There is no point in making any loud statements at the moment."

Russian Football Union president Vitaly Mutko believes Cherchesov was the best available candidate for the role.

"There were four candidates to choose from for the position of head coach: Cherchesov, Kurban Berdyev, Sergei Semak and Alexander Borodyuk," he said.

"We spoke with all of them. We came to the decision that Cherchesov fits the criteria best of all."

Cherchesov's first match in charge of Russia will be a friendly against Turkey on August 31.