Borussia Dortmund officially confirm Kovac as new head coach

Borussia Dortmund released a statement on Thursday confirming the appointment of Niko Kovac as their new head coach.

Niko Kovac has been officially introduced as Borussia Dortmund’s new head coach.

The former Bayern and Wolfsburg coach will take over from Nuri Sahin on a contract that runs until 2026.

He will begin work on Sunday, meaning that interim coach Mike Tullberg will get one last game in charge against Heidenheim on Saturday.

“We have had intensive discussions with Niko Kovac over the past few days, taking the time to get to know each other and our expectations. Energy, determination and a sense of team spirit have always been the hallmarks of Niko’s teams,” said BVB managing director for sport Lars Ricken. 

“This is what we want to see and feel on and off the pitch. We are in a challenging sporting situation and we are sure that in Niko we have found a coach who is capable of mastering it.”

Kovac, who has been out of work since he was fired by Wolfsburg in March last year, said:

“The talks with Lars Ricken were very constructive, with the necessary depth, clarity and familiarity for the situation. Everyone at BVB gave us a very good feeling during the talks and I am convinced that we can achieve a lot together in the future. 

“The most important thing for all of us now is to have the absolute will, 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. We will approach this challenge with determination and focus.”