German coach Christoph Daum, 62, has been selected to manage Romania’s national football team, the Romanian Football Federation (FRF) announced on Thursday, July 7.

Daum will replace Romanian Anghel Iordanescu, whose mandate hasn’t been renewed after Romania’s poor performance at the Euro 2016 in France. Romania finished last in Group A with only one point, after a draw with Switzerland (1-1) and two defeats with France (1-2), and Albania (0-1).

Christoph Daum has managed several important teams from Germany (FC Koln, VFB Stuttgart, Bayer Leverkusen), Turkey (Besiktas, Fenerbahce), Austria (Austria Viena), and Belgium (Club Bruges) in his career. He has won a champion title in Germany, one in Austria, and three in Turkey.

He was supposed to become the manager of Germany’s national football team in 2000 but he lost the job after a cocaine scandal. The press reported rumors that Daum used cocaine, and hair samples that he willingly gave to prove his innocence showed that he was a indeed a cocaine user.

Despite this controversial episode, he is widely regarded as one of the most experienced German football managers. During his career, he worked with many important German players and mentored young coaches such as Joachim Low, the current manager of Germany's national football team. Germany plays against France tonight for a place in the Euro 2016 final.

Christoph Daum will make his debut on the national team's bench on September 4 when Romania plays against Montenegro at Cluj-Napoca. This will be the team's first match after Euro 2016 as well as the first in the World Cup 2018 qualifying campaign.

Romania has been drawn in group E with Denmark, Poland, Montenegro, Armenia, and Kazakhstan. Only the group winner will automatically qualify to the World Cup while the runner-ups will face each other for the four remaining places.

Daum will have a two-year mandate with the objective to take the national team to the World Cup 2018 in Russia. He will get EUR 500,000 per year plus a EUR 1 million bonus if he reaches hos goal, according to local digisport.ro.

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editor@romania-insider.com