Czech Republic striker Jan Koller has snubbed Birmingham to join Russian Premier League outfit Krylia Sovetov Samara on an 18-month contract.Koller has made the switch from relegated German club Nurnberg to Krylia Sovetov, who currently lie sixth in the Russian top-flight, and will team up with fellow countryman and former Celtic midfielder Jiri Jarosik on the shores of the Volga.

The 35-year old featured in all three of the Czech Republic's Euro 2008 matches, netting a goal in the dramatic 3-2 defeat to Turkey that saw the Czechs eliminated.

Koller had announced prior to the finals that he would retire from international football after the tournament.

Russia is the latest leg in Koller's varied career, which has included spells in his native Czech Republic, Belgium, France and Germany, most famously with Borussia Dortmund, where he scored an impressive 59 goals in 138 appearances between 2001 and 2006.

Koller's move could spark the beginning of an exodus from Nurnberg, who were relegated to the German 2.Bundesliga last season, with Greek striker Angelos Charisteas, Russian Ivan Saenko and Slovak Robert Vittek all candidates to leave.

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