Peter Stoger has announced his departure from Borussia Dortmund.
The Austrian coach leaves the Westfalenstadion after only 19 games in charge. Speaking after Dortmund’s final match of the Bundesliga season, a 3-1 defeat at Hoffenheim, the 52-year-old said that he will leave the club once his contract expires at the end of June and a new coach would be appointed.
“This was my last competitive match for BVB today. We had already made that joint decision some time ago,” Stoger said. “In discussions with Michael Zorc and Hans-Joachim Watzke, which were always constructive talks, we decided after a short time that a new impulse is necessary and will help the club. And the easiest way to set a new impulse is with a new coach.
“I could have announced that decision many times, as I was frequently asked by everyone. But I’m an old-fashioned guy.”
Following the defeat at Hoffenheim (and Bayer Leverkusen’s 3-2 win over Hannover), Dortmund only just qualified for their third consecutive Champions League campaign by finishing fourth on goal difference, despite going into the season with hopes of breaking Bayern’s dominance.
Stoger added: “I’m happy that we achieved our most important goal. I’m glad that I was — surprisingly — handed the opportunity. I hope my successor will manage to bring more stability and serenity to this team. It’s my wish so they can make the most of the Champions League qualification which we had to work very hard for.”
Stoger took charge in December after BVB sacked Dutch coach Peter Bosz following a two-month winless streak in the Bundesliga, which saw Dortmund drop from first to eighth in the standings.
Arriving from Cologne, where he had been sacked the week before, Stoger signed a short-term contract until the end of the season. He won nine games, drew six and lost four as he fulfilled his main task to secure Champions League football at Dortmund.
However, despite steering Dortmund into calmer waters, he never fully made his mark at the club.
Following a crushing defeat at Bayern Munich and 2-0 loss to Schalke in the prestigious derby, as well as crashing out of Europa League against FC Salzburg, his future at the Westfalenstadion looked all but over.
Nice coach Lucien Favre is reported to be favourite to take the Dortmund job from July 1, but the club have yet to make an official announcement.
Stephan Uersfeld is the Germany correspondent for ESPN FC. Follow him on Twitter @uersfeld.
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