TEHRANTIMES - Ioannis Topalidis has been named as new head coach of Iranian Rah Ahan football club.

The 53-year-old Greek replaced Mehdi Tartar in the Tehran-based club.

Topalidis takes charge of Rah Ahan until the end of the Iran Professional League (IPL) season.

He became assistant coach of the Greek national football team in 2001.

Topalidis was brought in by German Otto Rehhagel and won with him the UEFA Euro 2004.

Topalidis spent most of his football career in Germany where he played for clubs such as SpVgg Ludwigsburg, VfR Burstadt and Starkenburgia Heppenheim in the German third Division.