Berlin beckons for Zürich's Favre

Lucien Favre has left his job as coach of recently-crowned Swiss champions FC Zürich to take charge of German Bundesliga side Hertha BSC Berlin.

Title glory
Having won his second successive Swiss title with Zürich, the 49-year-old has agreed a three-year contract with Hertha, whose general manager Dieter Hoeness said: "We are very happy we could sign our favourite candidate. Lucian Favre is a coach whose career we have been following closely. He fits Hertha and Berlin very well both in sporting terms and in terms of personality."

Coaching reputation
Named as Switzerland's Coach of the Year on Tuesday, Favre was capped 24 times for Switzerland as a player and has a reputation for encouraging young talent and promoting attacking football. Hertha finished tenth in the Bundesliga this season after Falko Götz was replaced by reserve team coach Karsten Heine on 10 April. Following three home defeats during his short tenure with the senior team, Heine will return to the amateur ranks. Zürich, meanwhile, are on the lookout for a new coach as they prepare to start their 2007/08 UEFA Champions League campaign in the second qualifying round.