Shota Arveladze appointed as Hull head coach

Hull have named former Rangers striker Shota Arveladze as their new boss on a two-and-a-half year deal.

The 48-year-old ex-Georgia international has previously managed in Turkey, Israel and Uzbekistan, with his most recent post at FC Pakhtakor Tashkent, where he won two Super League titles and reached the Asian Champions League semi-finals during a three-year stint.

Arveladze has also managed Kayserispor, Kasimpasa, Trabzonspor, and Maccabi Tel Aviv but will be best remembered on these shores as a player with Rangers, where he won two league titles, two Scottish Cups and the Scottish League Cup between 2001 and 2005.

Arveladze takes over two days after Hull sacked Grant McCann in the wake of their takeover by Turkish businessman Acun Ilicali.

Arveladze said: “I want to say thank you to everyone who has given me this opportunity. I believe everyone who is in this sector in football wants to be in England and I am just really happy and my family is proud.

“I am so motivated and have the hunger to show this club can do well with the boys, with the quality, with the young talents that we have.”

Arveladze inherits a side 19th in the Championship, nine points above the relegation zone after McCann signed off with back-to-back victories over promotion-chasing Blackburn and Bournemouth.

He will not wait long for his first game in charge with Swansea due to visit the MKM Stadium on Saturday.

“It’s great to have this game (Swansea City) as soon as possible,” he added. “I’m really looking forward to being here to meet the supporters.

“We’re going to try our best to show really good football, attacking football. The main target is always going to be to win.”