YEREVAN (UEFA.com) — Artur Petrosyan has been named as the new coach of Armenia, replacing Varuzhan Sukiasyan, who resigned six days ago, his side having lost their first three European qualifiers by an aggregate score of 8-1.
Now 44, Petrosyan was one of Armenia’s top players in the late 1990s and early 2000s, amassing 69 caps and scoring 11 goals – a national record which Manchester United FC’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan has since broken. He worked as assistant to Bernard Challandes during the Swiss coach’s time as Armenia boss, and said of his new appointment: “I am happy to have been entrusted with leading the national side.”
Armenia’s Player of the Year in 1996 and 2000, Petrosyan played club football in Armenia, Israel, Russia and Switzerland. He hung up his boots in 2006 while at Zürich, and went on to coach in the club’s youth department. He will take charge of Armenia for the first time in their 10 November home game against Montenegro.