The 63-year-old former manager of the Czechoslovakia team before the country split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia at the start of 1993, has signed a contract taking him through until 2009.

Macala has years of experience in the Gulf having previously been in charge of Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Oman. He was sacked from the Oman job in February.

"This will be a great challenge for me," he said. "I intend to do all I can to bring success to Bahrain."