Jurgen Klinsmann is returning to the sidelines.
The former US men’s national team coach was named the new manager of German side Hertha Berlin on Wednesday, almost exactly three years after his five-year USMNT tenure ended.
Klinsmann takes over a struggling team which find themselves at the wrong end of the Bundesliga table, sitting in 15th place – just one slot out of the relegation zone – with only three wins and 11 points from their first 12 league matches of the season.
“It's a wonderful feeling, an honor, to be allowed to offer my help to the club,” said Klinsmann at his introductory press conference. “It's a team with huge potential but one which has been moving in the wrong direction lately.”
Klinsmann and his family hold multiple ties to Hertha, who are currently captained by Bosnian-American striker Vedad Ibisevic. Jurgen’s late father Sigfried grew up nearby and supported the club, while his son Jonathan, a US youth international goalkeeper who grew up in California, began his pro career at Hertha before moving on to Swiss side FC St. Gallen earlier this year.
Jurgen also has a relationship with Hertha part-owner Lars Windhorst and was named to the club’s supervisory board earlier this month.
