Hecking leaves Nuremberg to take over Wolfsburg

Dieter Hecking takes over from Lorenz-Guenther Koestner who stepped down on Thursday.

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WOLFSBURG, Germany (AP) -- Dieter Hecking left Nuremberg to take over as coach of Bundesliga rival Wolfsburg on Saturday.

Hecking agreed to a deal until 2016, Wolfsburg said on its website, adding that a date for the 48-year-old coach's presentation will be announced in the coming days.

Hecking takes over from Lorenz-Guenther Koestner who stepped down on Thursday after his second stint as interim coach.

Koestner led Wolfsburg from bottom to 12th in the Bundesliga and into the German Cup quarterfinals after taking over following the departure of Felix Magath on Oct. 25.

Nuremberg is one point above Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga at the halfway stage of the season.

German media reports had suggested Thursday that Bernd Schuster was on the verge of signing a deal as Wolfsburg coach until 2015.

Kicker magazine reported that Wolfsburg took advantage of Hecking's buy-out clause to break his contract with Nuremberg, which ran until 2014.

Hecking led Alemannia Aachen to Bundesliga promotion and also coached Hannover before taking over Nuremberg during the 2009-10 winter break.