John Toshack yesterday rejoined European Cup holders, Real Madrid, as coach, nine years after the Spanish club fired him.

The 49-year-old Welshman leaves Turkish Premier League side Besiktas and replaces Dutchman Guus Hiddink, who was sacked on Tuesday night.

The former Liverpool star agreed a deal in Istanbul with Real until the end of next season and will be presented at a news conference tonight.

Toshack coached Real Madrid from 1989-91, and guided them to the Spanish championship in 1990. Real Madrid must pay £370,000 compensation to the Turkish side.

Real, who are also the world club champions, have slumped to sixth in the Spanish league, although they do have the compensation of a Champions' League quarter-final against Dynamo Kiev to look forward to on March 3rd.

Hiddink was dismissed after just over six months at the Bernabeu Stadium, paying the price for a run of poor form highlighted by a recent 30 defeat at the hands of bitter rivals Barcelona.

Despite insisting recently he was happy to see out the remaining 18 months of his contract with Besiktas, Toshack contacted the club on Tuesday night.

"Toshack is leaving us and is going to Real Madrid," said Cenk Koray, spokesman for Besiktas. "He called the head of the club last night and said he wanted to leave."

Toshack becomes Real's ninth manager since Lorenzo Sanz became chairman in 1995. He has also managed Swansea, Sporting Lisbon and Real Sociedad.

Real Madrid said that Toshack will take charge immediately and be in charge for Saturday's league match in Seville against Real Betis.

Steve McManaman should not be worried by the changeover at his new club Real Madrid, according to former Liverpool team-mate Jan Molby.

McManaman will join the Spanish giants on a free transfer under the Bosman ruling in the summer, and the England international could be forgiven for wondering what he is letting himself in for.

Molby, though, feels McManaman has the temperament to deal with this uncertainty.

Another Liverpool favourite Ian Rush had an unhappy season in Italy in the 1980s when he moved from Anfield to join Juventus, who like Real were a club in transition.

There are parallels, but Molby does not see McManaman having the same problems Rush did.

"Macca is a different kind of player to Ian Rush," he said.

"Macca is capable of making things happen, whereas Rush relied on service from other people."