Stevens to leave

Huub Stevens will leave his post as head coach of VfB Stuttgart after leading them to safety for a second successive season.

Having rescued Stuttgart from relegation in the final ten games of the 2013-14 season, Stevens was brought back last November with the team in 15th place. Stuttgart struggled for much of the campaign but a 2-1 win over Paderborn on the final matchday kept Die Roten in the first division for another season.

"Huub is another club's [Schalke's] coach of the century, but for us he's the savior of the century," Stuttgart Sporting Director Robin Dutt said on the club's website on Sunday.

Dutt also revealed that an agreement was in place prior to the final game of the season for Stevens to step down - regardless of whether Stuttgart stayed up or were relegated.

"It wasn't just the great work he did - he was also great to work with," Dutt said. "For this reason, more than any, we're very grateful to him."

Stevens plans to spend the summer in Mallorca. He has yet to announce whether he will return to football for the start of the 2015-16 season. Alexander Zorninger, formerly coach of second-division RB Leipzig, has been widely tipped as Stevens' successor.