Niko Kovac will be the new coach of Borussia Dortmund as last season's Champions League runner-up looks to rescue a troubled season.
The former Bayern Munich and Monaco coach will start work on Sunday.
Dortmund will discuss potential signings with Kovac before the transfer window closes on Monday, club managing director for sport Lars Ricken said.
“Niko’s teams have always been characterised by energy, determination and a sense of the importance of team spirit,” Ricken said in a club statement on Thursday.
“We want to feel and see all of this both on and off the pitch. We find ourselves in a challenging situation and are certain that in Niko we have found a coach who is capable of overcoming it.”
Youth team coach Mike Tullberg oversaw the 3-1 win over Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Wednesday — Dortmund's first win of the new year in all competitions — and will remain in his interim head coach role for Saturday's Bundesliga game at Heidenheim, Ricken said.
Dortmund confirmed on Thursday that Kovac joins on a contract through to the end of next season. His brother, former Dortmund player Robert Kovac, will be one of his assistants.
Kovac takes over a team which is 11th in the Bundesliga and is heading for a playoff in the Champions League after finishing 10th in the 36-team league phase. Nuri Sahin was fired last week following a 2-1 loss at Bologna.
“The most important thing for all of us now is to have absolute determination, a big heart and the willingness to work hard to represent Borussia Dortmund in the best possible way in the Bundesliga, the Champions League and at the Club World Cup in the summer,” Kovac said in a club statement. "We are taking on this challenge with determination and focus.”
It's the first job for Kovac since March when he was fired as the coach of Wolfsburg. Born in Berlin, Kovac played international soccer for Croatia and coached Croatia from 2013-15.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
James Ellingworth, The Associated Press
