Peter Stöger Explains Reasoning Behind His Departure Following Dortmund's Defeat to Hoffenheim

After just 19 games in charge, Borrussia Dortmund head coach Peter Stöger has announced that he will be leaving the Westfalenstadion when his contract expires at the end of June.

BVB managed to crawl over the line and into the top four of the Bundesliga, despite losing four of their last seven league matches.

Their poor form was epitomised by an abject performance away to Hoffenheim, deservedly losing the match 3-1. The 52-year-old manager announced his departure immediately after and revealed that discussions had been made prior to the match.

"The discussions with Hans-Joachim Watzke and Michael Zorc were always great. We already decided some time ago that some new impetus would possibly be good for the club, and that this would be most easily injected by way of a new manager," Stöger told official club website.

After taking charge of BVB when they were sitting just eighth in the table, Stöger managed to guide Dortmund up the table and into fourth spot, earning the club a Champions League spot.

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"Unfortunately not in second or third place, but fourth", said Stöger: "We really wanted to keep hold of third place. When we arrived here, we thought it would be easier, but we have still made it over the finishing line nonetheless."

The disappointment of not only the result but also the performance against Hoffenheim epitomised Dortmund's frustrations this season and Stöger was quick to point this out.

"[The match was] a reflection of that which has accompanied Borussia Dortmund these last weeks, months, and maybe even across the entire season: we were not certain in our play, even though we were not on the back foot. Instead, we made it easy for our opponent to get into the match."