Bundesliga strugglers Hamburger SV have confirmed the appointment of former Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk as manager on a two-year contract.

Van Marwijk replaces Thorsten Fink at the Imtech Arean, who was sacked last week after winning just one of the first five Bundesliga games this season.

Hamburg sporting director Oliver Kreuzer has insisted that Van Marwijk has the experience to halt his side's alarming slide down the table, which has seen the Red Shorts concede 17 goals in six games.

Kreuzer told the Bundesliga's official website: "We're glad to have appointed a very experienced coach in Bert van Marwijk. He's often demonstrated his ability in the past."

The 61-year-old has been out of work since ending his four-year spell in charge of the Dutch national side last summer, during which he guided a team featuring Hamburg captain Rafael van der Vaart to the World Cup final.

Written by
Liam Power