Mykhaylychenko named Dynamo sporting director

Former FC Dynamo Kyiv player and coach Oleksiy Mykhaylychenko has rejoined the club as sporting director after a seven-year absence from the Valeriy Lobanovskiy Stadium.

The ex Ukraine national coach will resume his lifelong connection with the Bilo-Syni as Mykhaylychenko – a Dynamo academy graduate who spent nine years in the first team from 1981 to 1990 – embarks on his new upstairs role.

After spells playing in Italy and Scotland, Mykhaylychenko returned to Kyiv as assistant to the legendary Valeriy Lobanovskiy and later coached the side between 2002 and 2004 following the death of the great man. He won two Premier-Liha titles and the Ukrainian Cup as head coach.

"I am delighted to return and hope to share all my experience here," said the 48-year-old, who is a Friend of UEFA EURO 2012 in Ukraine. "I will do my best but my main job will be player selection. I will also work on training camps and organisation for tournaments, not only for the first team but for our reserves as well."

Originally a midfielder with Dynamo, Mykhaylychenko lifted the 1986 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup as well as four Soviet Top League titles and three USSR Cups. Capped at international level by the USSR, the CIS and, on two occasions, Ukraine, he later claimed an Italian championship with UC Sampdoria and was part of a Rangers FC squad crowned champions in each of his five Scottish seasons.

His coaching credits include leading Ukraine to the final of the 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Portugal and taking the reins of the full national team between January 2008 and December 2009.