Struggling Hanover 96 on Sunday appointed Thomas Doll as their new head coach after sacking Andre Breitenreiter in the wake of their 5-1 mauling at Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund.

The defeat left Hanover eight games without a win in Germany's top flight and only goal difference keeps them off the bottom of the table.

Doll, 52, has been given a contract until June 2020 -- whether or not Hanover go down in May.

His first game in charge will be at home to high-flying RB Leipzig on Friday.

After more than a decade away from the Bundesliga, Doll takes over having won the Hungarian Cup three times and the league title once during five years in charge of Ferencvaros in Budapest.

"Thomas Doll has done a great job in all his previous appointments, proving he can achieve his goals -- both in the fight for survival, as well as winning titles," said Hanover team manager Horst Heldt on the club's website.

"He knows the Bundesliga inside out."

Having retired while at Hamburg in 2001, Doll worked his way up from coaching their Under-19s to taking over the senior team.

Under his stewardship, Hamburg finished third in the Bundesliga in 2005-06 to qualify for the Champions League, but was sacked in February 2007 with the team 17th in the table.

He saved Dortmund from relegation in May 2007, during his year in charge, before Jurgen Klopp's seven-year reign saw Borussia win the Bundesliga title twice and reach the 2013 Champions League final.

After spells with Turkish side Genclerbirligi and Saudi Arabian team Al-Hilal Riad, Doll joined Ferencvaros in 2013.

Horst said Doll's main task is clear.

"We want to play in the first division next year," said Horst.

Breitenreiter, who started his career at Hanover, took charge in March 2017 and guided them to promotion back to the Bundesliga last season.

He is the third coached sacked in the Bundesliga this season after Heiko Herrlich was shown the door at Bayer Leverkusen and Tayfun Korkut was given his marching orders at Stuttgart.