Skibbe appointed Hertha coach

Hertha Berlin today confirmed the appointment of Michael Skibbe as their new coach. The 46-year-old has moved from Turkish side Eskirsehirspor and will replace Markus Babbel, who was sacked at the weekend after a fall-out with general manager Michael Preetz. Skibbe said: "Hertha belongs in the upper third of the Bundesliga. They have played a very strong season so far." Babbel's former assistant Rainer Widmayer, who was in charge for the DFB-Pokal victory over Kaiserslautern last night, has also left the club. Skibbe has signed a two-and-a-half-year deal at the Olympiastadion. It marks a return to the Bundesliga after spells as coach of Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen and Eintracht Frankfurt. He was also assistant to Rudi Voller when he was coach of the national team.