BELGRADE (AFP) - Crisis-hit Partizan Belgrade has named Miroslav Djukic as its new manager in the hope that the Serbian under-21 coach can revive the club´s flagging season.

Djukic, 40, was appointed Partizan´s head coach after the club sacked Miodrag Jesic earlier this month following a string of poor results in Serbia´s Superliga and European cup competitions.

"I´m aware that I´ve come to a champion club with championship ambitions, at which only titles are sought," Djukic said at a press conference to announce his appointment on Tuesday.

"I´m not afraid of that challenge, I believe in myself and my coaching team," he was quoted as saying in a report by the Beta news agency.

Partizan chairman Nenad Popovic, quoted by the Tanjug agency, told journalists that Djukic had been selected because of his familiarity with many of the club´s young players, whom he coached at the under-21 level.

As well as trailing league leaders Red Star Belgrade by 15 points in the Serbian league, Partizan have failed to qualify for the European Champions League and languished at the bottom of their UEFA Cup group with just one point.

The club has also had a troubled season off the pitch amid claims of corruption by its directors.

Last month, thousands of its supporters, known as "the Gravediggers", boycotted matches and staged a protest in central Belgrade, demanding government action.

During his career as a player, Djukic was a defender for Spanish teams Deportivo la Coruna, Valencia and Tenerife. He represented the former Yugoslav national team in 49 matches, scoring two goals.

Djukic began his coaching career last summer with Serbia´s under-21s, helping the team to qualify for Euro 2007.