Dieter Hecking

Dieter-Klaus Hecking (pronounced [ˈdiːtɐ ˈhɛkɪŋ]; born 12 September 1964) is a German football manager and former professional player who last managed VfL Bochum. He played for Hannover 96 and Eintracht Braunschweig as a midfielder. He returned to manage Hannover despite the long-standing and bitter rivalry between the two clubs.

On 1 July 2000, Hecking moved into management as he took over as manager at Regionalliga Nord outfit SC Verl. His first match was a 2–0 loss to Eintracht Braunschweig on 1 August 2000. However, Hecking's proclamations that he was seeking a new position irked the club to such an extent they fired him after just 20 games in charge. He was sacked on 31 January 2001. His final match was a 2–1 win to Tennis Borussia Berlin. Verl were in seventh place when Hecking was sacked.

Hecking wasn't free for long as another Regionalliga Nord side, VfB Lübeck, came calling on 27 March 2001. His first match was a 1–0 loss to Fortuna Düsseldorf on 30 March 2001. Hecking achieved a solid job in the remaining games, leaving the club in third place, just one short of promotion. This set the basis for the following season as the team claimed the title and moved up into the 2. Bundesliga. Hecking then managed to secure Lübeck an 11th place in the 2002–03 season.

The following season proved to have mixed results. Hecking led the club to the semi-finals of the DFB-Pokal, where they were eliminated by eventual double winners SV Werder Bremen after extra-time. After this, the team collapsed and was relegated with a 2–0 loss to SpVgg Greuther Fürth on the final day. Hecking rejected the club's offer to stay and he left the club on 25 May 2004.

A week after leaving Lübeck, Alemannia Aachen sporting director Jörg Schmadtke announced that Hecking would replace departing coach Jörg Berger.

Hecking's first match was a 1–1 draw against Eintracht Frankfurt on 9 August 2004. During the 2004–05 season, Alemannia Aachen participated in the UEFA Cup, becoming the first ever 2. Bundesliga team to reach the third round, where they were eliminated by AZ Alkmaar. In the German Cup, Alemannia Aachen were eliminated in the second round by Bayern Munich. In the league, Alemannia Aachen finished in sixth place. The following season, Aachen finished second in the 2. Bundesliga and was promoted to the Bundesliga for the first time in 36 years.

Hecking's time guiding Alemannia Aachen in the top flight was short. Just three games in, he requested to be able to leave the club for his former club and fellow Bundesliga side Hannover 96 on 7 September 2006, to fill the vacancy left by their sacking of Peter Neururer. Ironically, the final straw for Neururer was a 0–3 home defeat to Hecking's Alemannia Aachen. Alemannia Aachen were in 14th place when Hecking left the club.

Hecking became manager on 7 September 2006, officially taking the manager's job with immediate effect on 7 September 2006. However, caretaker manager Michael Schjönberg managed the DFB-Pokal match against Dynamo Dresden on 9 September 2006. Hannover paid compensation of nearly a million euros to get Hecking.