The new coach of the Bulgarian national football team Lothar Matthaeus has promised he would try to convince Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov to play again for Bulgaria.

Berbatov, the most successful Bulgarian footballer at present, quit the national squad in the spring of 2010 citing personal reasons.

"Berbatov is always welcome to the national team. I am going to speak with him personally. He will be making his own decision. Yet, I will try to persuade him to come back. I myself had a similar experience in my career. However, no matter what the motives of a player might be, he should always be ready to play for his national team," explained the German specialist.

49-year-old legendary German player Lothar Matthaeus formally signed Thursday his contract with the Bulgarian Football Union, which resorted to hiring a foreign specialist after the national team failed miserably in the qualifications for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, and started the Euro 2012 qualifications with two dismal losses.

"I would to greet everybody now in my capacity as the new coach of Bulgaria. I know there is enormous public interest, and that Bulgaria is a football nation. I would like to thank the President of the Bulgarian Football Union Borislav Mihaylov for the trust. I hope to achieve great goals with this team," stated Matthaeus, whose monthly salary will be EUR 30 000.

Under his contract, he will be serving for one year, with an option to extend his term for two more years.

" I am glad I am taking over. I know that it won't be easy at all after Bulgaria's losses from England and Montenegro at the start of the Euro 2012 qualifications but this is the great challenge for me. I think positively and I believe that we will achieve our goals – to make it to Euro 2012, and in the longer term – to the next World Cup. I've known the Bulgarian football for a long time, and I think Bulgaria has the capacity to become at least second in the Euro 2012 qualification group," Matthaeus told the eager Bulgarian public at his news conference.

He explicitly stated he intended to introduce an offensive style of playing.

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