Herrlich guided Jahn Regensburg to back-to-back promotions in just 18 months at the helm. - © © DFL DEUTSCHE FUSSBALL LIGA
Herrlich guided Jahn Regensburg to back-to-back promotions in just 18 months at the helm. - © © DFL DEUTSCHE FUSSBALL LIGA

Heiko Herrlich named new Bayer Leverkusen coach

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Heiko Herrlich has been appointed as the new coach of Bayer Leverkusen, after Tayfun Korkut was relieved of his duties at the end of the season.

Herrlich, who led Jahn Regensburg from the German fourth division into Bundesliga 2 in the space of 18 months, returns to the club where he started his Bundesliga playing career back in 1989. He went on to play for Borussia Mönchengladbach and Borussia Dortmund before hanging up his boots in 2004.

"This was a fantastic opportunity for me to return to the Bundesliga as a coach, and to do it at the place where my professional career started," said Herrlich. "Bayer have been one of the most successful German clubs over the past 20 years and they have an excellent reputation in Europe."

Watch: Herrlich's spectacular goal for Leverkusen against Wattenscheid in 1990/91:

After spells as coach of Dortmund's under-19s, Germany's under-17s and under-19s, he was appointed coach of Bochum in 2009, although he lasted just six months before spending a year at Unterhaching.

A UEFA Champions League winner with Dortmund in 1997, Herrlich was also the Bundesliga's top goalscorer in 1995, when he lifted the DFB Cup with the Westphalians. He won the Bundesliga twice during his Dortmund days and will now look to boost Die Werkself's fortunes after they could only finish 12th this season, missing out on a place in Europe.

"It's a great feeling to be here and to carry the responsibility for a team who are extremely talented and ambitious," he added. "We want to get the best we possibly can from the coming season and get ourselves back in among the leading pack."

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