HEIDENHEIM, Germany (AP) — The longest serving coach in German professional soccer is calling it a day after nearly 20 years of unprecedented success with his hometown team Heidenheim.

Frank Schmidt led the modest club playing at fourth-tier level in the southwest of Germany all the way to Bundesliga promotion in 2023, having taken over as coach in September 2007. As a player, Schmidt previously helped Heidenheim clinch promotion from the fifth tier to the fourth in 2006.

Heidenheim, now playing in Germany’s second division, said Tuesday that Schmidt informed CEO Holger Sanwald the day before that he had decided not to extend his expiring contract at the end of the season, despite “significant efforts” made to convince him otherwise.

“I simply want to take a break this summer after nearly two decades as coach,” Schmidt said, according to the club’s website. “I’m not thinking at all about how long that break may be or what my life will look like from July 1. On the contrary — I’ve explicitly told myself not to dwell on it just yet. Instead, I’ll give everything I have until the final match to ensure we achieve the greatest possible success this season.”

Schmidt will hope to return Heidenheim to Germany’s top division after its relegation on the final day of the season in May.

“We now have at least 24 more matches to come together and give Frank the best possible send-off – one that he truly deserves, both as a coach and as an individual within our club,” Sanwald said.

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