Bulgaria's new coach Hristo Stoichkov said yesterday he would rely on discipline to try and turn the team round during their 2006 World Cup qualifiers.

"We will have hard matches and discipline is needed to achieve good results," Stoichkov said after signing a two-year contract with the Bulgarian FA. His first match in charge will be an away friendly against Ireland on August 18, with the team beginning their World Cup qualifying campaign in Iceland on September 4. They also face Croatia, Malta, Sweden and Hungary in Group Eight.

Stoichkov said he wanted the players to quickly forget Euro 2004 last month. He said he had not haggled over pay because of the financial problems facing the country's football association.

"I have not thought how much money the FA will pay me. On the contrary, I have come here to help the football union boost finances and thus contribute for the development of soccer among the children and juniors," he said.

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