Former Dark Blues defender Duffy has signed a three-year deal for a second stint in the Dundee dug-out.

Duffy revealed the return to the club had come out of the blue and hopes to maintain the club's entertaining brand of football.

"This has all come as a major surprise to me but I feel very proud to be appointed manager of Dundee Football Club," said Duffy.

"The club has built up a tradition of playing attractive and exciting football, particularly over the past couple of years under Ivano, and I hope I can continue playing in the same way.

"We have a really good squad here at the moment with a lot of exciting and talented young players and feel that if we can get the right blend of ability and hard work we can produce a very exciting and successful team.

"When I left the club I was a player-manager and since then I have gained a lot of experience and I am looking forward to working as just a manager."

Duffy was in charge of team matters at Dens Park from 1993 to 1996 - when he enjoyed moderate success.

The 43-year-old then moved on to Hibernian, where a disastrous 13-month spell saw the Edinburgh club win just eight games.

Duffy then moved south to work with the youth set-up at Chelsea, before a brief stint as coach with Portsmouth.

Dundee chief executive Peter Marr later dismissed suggestions the new boss will be forced to sell several of the current playing staff, including Scotland internationals Gavin Rae and Lee Wilkie.

Marr said: "We have never said that these players were up for transfer but we are the same as any other club in Scotland, including the big two - if you get the right offer you have to sell."

The contracts of Bonetti and his assistant, brother Dario, were terminated on Tuesday evening.

The Italian duo's two-year reign at Dens Park brought a glittering array of foreign names to Tayside and a brand of exciting, stylish football.

However, the flamboyance of the manager and his players was not matched by results and a hefty financial outlay was not rewarded with success on the park.