Ex-Germany coach Klinsmann takes charge at Hertha Berlin

Former Hertha boss Ante Covic, who only took charge in July after six years coaching the reserves, has been dismissed after Sunday's 4-0 thrashing at mid-table Augsburg, the club's fourth straight league defeat.

The 55-year-old Klinsmann, a former European and world champion with Germany, was appointed to Hertha's supervisory board at the start of November and takes over with the club just above the relegation zone.

Klinsmann, a former Tottenham, Bayern Munich and Inter Milan striker, won the 1990 World Cup and 1996 European championships with Germany, making 108 appearances and scoring 47 goals for die Mannschaft.

He was head coach of Germany from 2004 until the 2006 World Cup, when the hosts reached the semi-finals under his stewardship.

He briefly coached Bayern from 2008 until 2009, but was then made head coach of the United States team from 2011 until 2016, guiding them to the last 16 of the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil.

Klinsmann's first game in charge of Hertha will be Saturday's home game against Borussia Dortmund at Berlin's Olympic Stadium.