Hertha BSC has announced the appointment of new head coach, Markus Riedel, and promised to avoid relegation. The club's board of directors approved the appointment on Tuesday morning, following discussions with Riedel.
Riedel, who is currently in charge of German club Wolfsburg, will take over from current head coach Peter Koch, who was sacked after the club's loss in the Champions League last season. Riedel will have a year left on his contract at Hertha, but he has already expressed interest in leaving the club to pursue other opportunities.
The appointment comes as Hertha BSC prepares for the 2019/20 Bundesliga season, which begins on August 24th. The club is hoping to secure a top-six finish and gain promotion to the Bundesliga next season, although they will need to win their remaining six matches to qualify for that position.
Despite the challenges facing the club, Riedel is confident that Hertha can bounce back and make a strong start to the campaign. He said: "We are a young team coming off a disappointing season, but I am looking forward to working closely with the coaching staff to help us achieve our goals."
He also stressed that the club must focus on improving its performances and building a strong squad, rather than worrying about relegation. "We need to be realistic about what we can do," he said. "We are not going to get away with complacency, and we will have to work hard to improve our results."