Bochum, Germany – In a bid to salvage their challenging season, Bundesliga team Bochum has appointed seasoned coach Dieter Hecking, as announced on Monday. With relegation looming large, the club finds itself in dire straits, having accumulated merely one point from their initial nine matches. A demoralizing 7-2 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt over the weekend further exacerbated their struggles.

Hecking, who is 60 years old, has signed a contract that will keep him with the club until the conclusion of the season. His first significant challenge will be against reigning champions Bayer Leverkusen this coming Saturday, promising a daunting task ahead. Hecking previously achieved notable success in 2015, winning the German Cup with Wolfsburg, but has not coached in the Bundesliga since he departed from Borussia Moenchengladbach in 2019. Although he had coaching roles with two teams in the second division, his return to the top league comes at a critical moment for Bochum.

The team’s troubles began under Peter Zeidler, who was at the helm at the start of the season. Following his dismissal last month, interim management by Markus Feldhoff and Murat Ural struggled to change the course, resulting in consecutive losses to powerhouse teams like Bayern Munich and Eintracht Frankfurt. Bochum is now hopeful that Hecking’s appointment may reverse their fortunes as they navigate the challenges ahead in the Bundesliga.