Hecking pays the price for Hamburg's promotion failure
Hamburg's search for a sixth coach in a little over two years begins in earnest after Dieter Hecking's departure was confirmed on Saturday.
Dieter Hecking has left his post as Hamburg manager after failing to secure the club's return to the Bundesliga.
Hecking, 55, was hired by Hamburg in May 2019 after Hannes Wolf could only inspire a fourth-placed finish in HSV's first ever season in the second tier.
However, Hecking was unable to do any better as his side capitulated in the final weeks of the 2019-20 season.
Despite taking one point from their previous two games, Hamburg went into the final match of the campaign in the promotion play-off spot, but a 5-1 defeat at home to mid-table Sandhausen proved critical as Heidenheim leapt above them to secure a showdown with Werder Bremen.
Hecking accepts he failed to achieve the club's target, but HSV stressed his departure was a "joint decision".
