Magath takes over at Hertha Berlin after sacking of Korkut

Frankfurt (AFP) – Felix Magath has taken charge of Hertha Berlin for the rest of the season, it was confirmed Sunday, hours after Tayfun Korkut was sacked with the team winless in their last nine Bundesliga games.

Magath, 68, won the Bundesliga with Wolfsburg in 2008-09 having also steered Bayern Munich to back-to-back league titles between 2004-06.

However, he takes over with Hertha second from bottom, two points from safety and morale low in a squad which is winless in 2022.

“I had very clear and open talks with (Hertha managing director) Fredi Bobic — we are all aware of the current sporting situation,” Magath told the club’s website.

“I am happy to help Hertha Berlin achieve their goal of staying up in the league.

“What is important now is that everyone is fully focused on the remaining eight games.”

Magath is a notoriously hard taskmaster, who demands disciplined performances.

He starts with three tough games against Hoffenheim, Bayer Leverkusen and Hertha’s rivals Union Berlin, who are all in the top seven.

Magath lasted only a few months at Fulham in 2014, when they were relegated from the Premier League.

His last job in professional football was a season coaching Chinese side Shandong Taishan, whom he left in 2017.

Magath is Hertha’s third coach this season as former Turkey international Korkut had taken charge when Pal Dardai was fired in November.

Hertha have lost their last five league games and remain winless in 2022, having also bowed out of the German Cup with a home defeat by Union in January.

“We came to the conclusion that we needed another change of coach,” said Bobic in a statement early Sunday after Korkut was sacked.

Hertha have also been having a chaotic time off the pitch lately.

Main investor Lars Windhorst has become embroiled in a disagreement with the club’s executive committee and sporting director Arne Friedrich abruptly quit last Monday.