Hanover, Germany - German Bundesliga side Hanover 96 announced on Monday that Andreas Bergmann had been appointed coach of the professional side.

The former amateur coach has been in charge of the side on an interim basis since Dieter Hecking resigned two weeks ago.

Bergmann took the side to a 2-0 victory in Nuremberg in his first match but crashed to a 1-0 home defeat against Hoffenheim on the weekend.

"This is a good solution. Bergmann knows a lot about football and I stand by our decision," Hanover sporting director Joerg Schmadtke said.

Bergmann said he was looking forward to the challenge. "I feel up to it. I think it is a huge challenge," he said.

Hanover's players had earlier urged the club to give Bergmann the job. "But that was not the deciding factor," Hanover chairman Martin Kind said. (dpa)