Czech ski jumping has a new men's head coach after a poor season ©Getty Images

Vasja Bajc has been reappointed as head coach of the Czech men's ski jumping team - 15 years after he last held the role.

The 59-year-old Slovenian comes in to replace Frantisek Vaculik who resigned last season during a miserable campaign.

Bajc was previously in charge of the Czech squad between 2004 and 2006.

He guided Jakub Janda to the overall World Cup title in 2006 but the country's fortunes have declined alarmingly since then.

With the best Czech jumper Roman Koudelka missing through injury, Viktor Polášek was the team's best performer last term but he finished way down the standings in 69th position.

The Czech Republic finished with a combined total of just six points which left them 15th in the Nations Cup - a major disappointment as they are used to ending inside the top 10.

TVP Sport said that describing the team's display as a "collapse" would be an "understatement".

"I'm happy, honoured and proud that I get the chance to be the head coach of the Czech ski jumping team again after 15 years," said Bajc.

Former World Cup champion Jakub Janda was coached by Vasja Bajc during his previous spell ©Getty Images
Former World Cup champion Jakub Janda was coached by Vasja Bajc during his previous spell ©Getty Images

"The goal is to achieve better results than in recent years. 

"Ski jumping has a great tradition in the Czech Republic and I know that it will not be an easy task, this is a big challenge for me."

Janda, who won two medals at the World Championships, is now working with the Czech Ski Association.

"After a bad season, we have decided to hire a foreign coach," he said. 

"Vasja Bajc knows the environment of ski jumping in the Czech Republic and with him, as head coach, we could celebrate some of our biggest successes."

Bajc has previously coached in Hungary, Turkey, Japan and Spain.