Thomas Tuchel (l.) thanked Mainz's Christian Heidel (r.) for giving him the chance to coach in the Bundesliga
Thomas Tuchel (l.) thanked Mainz's Christian Heidel (r.) for giving him the chance to coach in the Bundesliga

Mainz and Tuchel reach mutual agreement

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Mainz - 1. FSV Mainz 05 and Thomas Tuchel have come to an amicable agreement concerning the final year of the former head coach's contract after he stepped down at the end of the 2013/14 campaign.

'Mutual solution'

Tuchel will neither receive a salary from the club, who have already appointed ex-FC Nordsjælland tactician Kasper Hjulmand as his successor, nor be in a position to take on a new job elsewhere without the 05ers' explicit permission, until his existing deal expires on 30 June 2015. Any club looking to appoint the 40-year-old in the meantime would have to recompense Mainz for his services.

"I'm delighted that we've reached this agreement," said Tuchel. "This mutual solution is what we've been after. I would like to thank the club, the players and all my colleagues for six great years together and we can be proud of what we have achieved in that time. I would like to express particular gratitude to [sporting director] Christian Heidel, who gave me the opportunity to be the first-team coach here in the Bundesliga five years ago. I wish the club and their fans all the very best for the future."

"I'm really happy we've been able to come to an agreement regarding our terms of employment and thereby put an end to talk of Thomas Tuchel's resignation," added Heidel. "We're now free to focus on the future. Six great years together will live long in our memories. For that, we'd like to thank Thomas Tuchel from the bottom of our hearts. We wish him all the very best for his future."

Tuchel, who capped a memorable tenure by leading Mainz into the third qualifying round of the Europa League on the final day of the 2013/14 season, now intends to take a year's sabbatical.