Tigana signs with ailing Besiktas

Former Fulham manager Jean Tigana arrives at Ataturk airport in Istanbul. Tigana signed a one-and-a-half-year contract with struggling Turkish first division side Besiktas.

Former Fulham manager Jean Tigana signed a one-and-a-half-year contract with struggling Turkish first division side Besiktas.

Financial details of the contract were not disclosed.

"I am very happy," Tigana, a former France international who before Fulham had coached Lyon and Monaco, told reporters at the signing ceremony.

He explained that he had come to Turkey with his two French assistants and that the club had also assigned him two Turkish assistants.

"I am used and happy to having a large team around me," Tigana said.

The 50-year-old Tigana has been out of a job since he was sacked by English Premiership side Fulham in 2003.

He won a long-running court battle with Fulham owner Mohamed Al Fayed in July when the London club was forced to pay him three million pounds in backpay.

He replaces Riza Calimbay who resigned as Besiktas' boss last week.

Besiktas sit fifth in the Turkish first division and last week signed former coach Gordon Milne as director of football as part of their bid to improve their performances.