BERLIN, April 2 (Xinhua) -- Borussia Monchengladbach head coach Dieter Hecking will leave the club at the end of the current Bundesliga season, the Foals announced in an official press conference on Tuesday.
"In the past few weeks, I have been thinking a lot about this club. We have to restructure in some areas. This affects the squad and, unfortunately, the coach," Monchengladbach's sporting director Max Eberl said. "It was one of the toughest decisions I've had to make in my job. Dieter Hecking is a great coach and a great person."
The 54-year-old head coach took over in December 2016 and twice led the club to successive ninth place finishes in the Bundesliga standings. A bright start to the current season saw Monchengladbach finish the first half of the campaign in second place, with Hecking signing a contract extension until summer 2020 last November.
However, the Foals weren't able to maintain their pace, slipping to fifth in the current standings and being defeated 3-0 by newly-promoted Fortuna Dusseldorf on Saturday.
"The news was a big disappointment for me yesterday and it continues today. But if Max Eberl, as a sporting director, chooses a new strategy you have to accept that as a coach," Hecking said. "I would be happy if I leave here as a UEFA Champions League participant."
Borussia Monchengladbach take on in-form Werder Bremen in their next Bundesliga match on Sunday.