Slovakia name Hipp as interim coach

Michal Hipp has been promoted from assistant manager to take temporary charge of the Slovakia national team after Vladimir Weiss stepped down, the Slovakian FA (SFZ) announced. "Michal Hipp will be on the bench for the national team for the friendly game in Turkey [on 29 February in Bursa]," said SFZ president Jan Kovacik on television station Digi Sport. A former Slovakia international, Hipp has notably coached Slovan Bratislava and MFK Petrzalka in the national championship. As assistant to Weiss, Hipp worked with the Slovakia squad that reached the FIFA World Cup™ finals for the first time in 2010. Slovakia reached the last 16 in South Africa before falling to future finalists the Netherlands. Slovakian coach Stanislav Griga and Czech managers Jozef Chovanec and Pavel Vrba have been cited in the local press as candidates to succeed Weiss on a long-term basis.