Newcastle United hero Temuri Ketsbaia has been appointed head coach of the Georgia national team following the departure of Hector Cuper earlier this week.

Ketsbaia, 41, has previous managerial experience at Anorthosis Famagusta, who he twice led to the Cypriot league title in five years at the helm, and Greek giants Olympiacos.

Ketsbaia's brief will be to try to guide Georgia to the 2012 European Championships when his two-year agreement with the Georgian Football Federation commences on January 1.

"I am happy to be given a chance to help Georgian football," said Ketsbaia, who won 49 caps for Georgia and also represented the likes of Dinamo Tbilisi, Anorthosis, Wolves and AEK Athens in a 20-year playing career.

"We have decent resources and if we use them in a proper way we can play good football."