Relegation-threatened Frankfurt appoints Kovac as head coach

Saturday's 1-1 draw with Ingolstadt left Frankfurt a point from safety in the Bundesliga table with just nine matches remaining, prompting CEO Heribert Bruchhagen to sack Veh in a bit to stave off relegation.

Niko Kovac watches on during a Croatia match

Eintracht Frankfurt has appointed Niko Kovac as head coach after dismissing Armin Veh at the weekend.

Saturday's 1-1 draw with Ingolstadt left Frankfurt a point from safety in the Bundesliga table with just nine matches remaining, prompting CEO Heribert Bruchhagen to sack Veh in a bit to stave off relegation.

Former Croatia boss Kovac has now agreed a deal which will last until the end of the 2016-17 season, though the agreement depends on Frankfurt's top-flight survival.

"It will have to be Niko Kovac's goal to stir the team into action, to release energy in order to avoid relegation," Bruchhagen told the club's official website. "We are convinced that he will achieve that."

Kovac, who won the Bundesliga withBayern Munich in 2003, was sacked by Croatia last September following a defeat to Norway. His brother Robert will join him on the coaching staff.

Frankfurt travels to Borussia Monchengladbach on Saturday.