Veteran coach Otto Rehhagel is hoping to put his extensive experience to good use by helping to save Hertha Berlin's Bundesliga status.

Rehhagel: Short-term deal

The 73-year-old has been installed on a short-term contract as Hertha, who are currently just two points above the bottom three, seek to avoid an immediate return to the second division.

Rehhagel has built up a wealth of experience during four decades of coaching in Germany and with the Greece national team - who he famously led to a surprise triumph at Euro 2004 - and he is hoping that can benefit Hertha.

"The team is in grave danger and I want to help them with my vast experience," said Rehhagel, who is pleased to be back on the bench having left his last position as Greece coach following the 2010 World Cup.

"I feel fit and am looking forward to an exciting challenge," he told reporters in the German capital.

"I want to keep Hertha in the Bundesliga and that is what I will be concentrating on for the next three months."

Rehhagel's last job in the Bundesliga ended 12 years ago, not long after he had led Kaiserslautern to the title in their first year back in the top flight following promotion from the second division.

He then spent almost a decade in charge of Greece before last week being offered a chance to return to football with Hertha, where he started his playing career in the 60s.

"There was once an artist who I'd rather not name who said 'life is too short'. I thought about it for a night and then agreed," he said.

"For as long as I live, I want to have tension. I am delighted to have such an opportunity.

"I can tell the lads to attack, attack and go - I know my stuff in football.

"I haven't lost my touch, but I cannot score goals, I can tell you that straight away."

He added: "The lads do the work, I am just there to supervise and intervene."

The future of the general manager Michael Preetz also depends on whether his third choice of coach this season can finally bring the required results on the pitch.

"We needed somebody who the players can look up to," Preetz said. "You came up with every name under the sun, but you didn't guess it would be Rehhagel."