Relegated as coach with VfL
©IMAGO
Dieter Hecking will stay with VfL Wolfsburg even after relegation – just in a different role. The 61-year-old will take over the position of managing director of sports next season and will be responsible for the rebuilding of Lower Saxony. Hecking’s contract is valid until 2028.
“The trust and appreciation of the club, the supervisory board and especially of Diego Benaglio and Pirmin Schwegler mean a lot to me. The first question for me was whether I would continue to work as a coach or see my future as an official. Having made this decision with full conviction, I am very much looking forward to the big task that lies ahead of us, although it will bring with it many challenges, even if relegation, I am quite honest, is still gnawing at me,” explained Hecking. “It will now be important to create a positive mood in the club as quickly as possible so that we can tackle the issue of the second division together with the necessary mixture of humility, courage and conviction.”
Hecking took over Wolfsburg from Daniel Bauer at the beginning of March and was relegated from the Bundesliga with the club for the first time after the relegation defeat. It was the football teacher’s second term at the Wolves, having held the position between 2013 and 2016, when he won the DFB Cup. Lower Saxony’s sporting fortunes were previously managed by Peter Christiansen, who was dismissed along with Bauer at the beginning of March.
Sebastian Rudolph, Chairman of the VfL Supervisory Board, said: “We are very pleased that Dieter Hecking will remain part of the VfL family. He stands for team spirit and identification in Wolfsburg. Dieter Hecking knows the second league and its requirements. He has the right skills for sports management. Together with Pirmin Schwegler and the team behind him, he will seamlessly continue the trusting and good cooperation. He also knows the structures and developments in women’s football well. In close contact with Vanessa Bernauer and Stephan Lerch will continue to drive the development of our she-wolves. The entire supervisory board has therefore decided to give this responsibility to Dieter Hecking.” Together with sports director Pirmin Schwegler, Hecking will now push forward the search for a coach.
