Srecko Juricic, the former coach at Al Ahli Club has signed a two-year contract with the Bahrain Football Association to take over their senior national and Olympic teams until June 2005.

Srecko will reportedly receive $260,000 over the two-year period, his monthly salary alone amounting to $10,000, while harbouring a signing fee of $20,000.

As per the contract, the Croatian coach will get two months' salary as a reward, if Bahrain win either the Gulf Cup or the Asian Cup.

Srecko began work in the Gulf region in 1995 when he arrived as an assistant to his compatriot Tomislav Ivic, who trained the UAE national team during the 1996 Asian Cup held here.

Srecko took over the UAE under-20 team and helped them to reach the World Youth Championships held in Malaysia in 1997.

After that, Srecko trained Al Riffa Club of Bahrain in 1997 and won with them the league title and the King's Cup. In 1998, he began training Al Ittihad of Kalba in the UAE and he stayed with them over four seasons.

He also trained the UAE national team for a short period during the Asian Cup qualifiers held in Al Ain in 1999.

In 2002, Srecko trained Al Ahli and won the President's Cup. But his team's performances dipped as they ended third in the league and lost in the semi-finals of the President's Cup and Super Cup. Srecko takes over from German coach Wolfgang Sidka.