Bochum officially announced on Friday that Dieter Hecking's term of office will be extended from June this year to 2027. Regardless of whether Bochum can avoid relegation, Hecking's stay is a foregone conclusion.

The 60-year-old Hecking has coached Ver, Lübeck, Aachen, Hannover 96, Nuremberg, Wolfsburg, Monchengladbach and Hamburg since 2000, and has led Wolfsburg to win the German Cup and the German Super Cup. He took over Bochum in November 2024 and has led the team to a record of 5 wins, 6 draws and 12 losses so far.

Bochum is still at the bottom of the table after a 0-0 draw with Heidenheim today, and is 4 points behind the relegation play-off zone with only two rounds left in the league. However, Hecking made it clear after the game that he will continue to stay: "I have always emphasized that I feel very comfortable in Bochum. I am indeed willing to continue coaching this excellent club if conditions permit, even if relegation is no exception. In recent days, we have had in-depth discussions on this. I hope to settle this issue as soon as possible - our current priority is to go all out to fight for relegation after the game with Heidenheim. I still firmly believe that we can do this."

Bochum general manager Ilya Kenziger added: "This is a positive signal in difficult times and a great boost for us to continue with our plans, regardless of the league results. Despite this, we remain optimistic and believe that after this crucial game we will still be playing in the Bundesliga next year."