VfL Wolfsburg set to appoint Dieter Hecking as new head coach

In a surprise move, German Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg are set to appoint 48 year old Dieter Hecking as their new head coach. After days of speculation that former Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster was close to signing a contract to become the clubs new coach, in the end the two sides could not come to agreeing a contract.VfL Wolfsburg confirmed the news through a press release on their website. Dieter Hecking will be leaving 1.FC Nuremberg, though having a contract until summer 2014 after a successful spell at the south German club, while at Wolfsburg he will replace interim coach Lorenz-Günther Köstner.

Director of Sports Klaus Allofs confirmed the appointment Saturday by telling the tabloid Bild, “We have reached an agreement!”

While Hecking said, “He (Allofs) explained to me why he wanted me and showed me the club’s perspective.”

“Of course family and economic reasons played a role,” added Hecking, whose family lives about 110 km away from Wolfsburg in Bad Nenndorf which was an added reason for him to move back to north Germany.

Interestingly, Director of Sports Klaus Allofs came into the club only in mid-November 2012 after the all powerful Felix Magath was fired on October 25 after high spending Wolfsburg dropped into last position in the Bundesliga. Magath was coach-cum-manager at the club and then Allofs took over the role of Director of Sports, while second team coach Lorenz-Günther Köstner was given the task of interim coach until a new one was appointed.

With Hecking joining the Wolves, one hopes that more quite times have arrived in Wolfsburg with the team management given time to build a suitable squad.