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The head coach Dick Advocaat decided to resign from his duties after the German Bundesliga club Borussia Mönchengladbach found themselves on the brink of relegation to the second division.
The former coach of the Dutch national team took over last November from Holger Fach and in 18 matches under his leadership, the team was able to earn only 18 points, currently sitting just one point above the relegation zone behind Bochum.
The 57-year-old strategist, whose assistant Pierre Verbeeck will also leave the club, hoped that his departure would relieve the pressure on the players: "At the moment, the well-being of the club is most important. I hope that with my resignation, the players will no longer feel pressure, and this will help the club avoid relegation to a lower league."
"Dick Advocaat made the decision. We accept it and respect him, and we would also like to thank him for the work he has done," said club president Rolf König, appointing Horst Köppel, who coached the reserves, to the vacant head coach position.
Meanwhile, the team, fighting for a spot in next year's Champions League, has already begun planning for the upcoming season and announced a three-year contract with Bremen player Ludovic Magnin.
The 26-year-old Magnin will replace Germany national team member Philipp Lahm in the team, who, after his loan contract expires, will return to Munich. By the way, Stuttgart has also reached an agreement with Thomas Hitzlsperger, who will be moving back to Germany from the English club Aston Villa.
