Assistant coach Peter Hermann, 70, will leave Bundesliga football club Borussia Dortmund with immediate effect and end his long, distinguished career.

"Peter has requested that he be allowed to leave for health reasons. It goes without saying that we agreed to his wish," explained BVB sporting director Sebastian Kehl. Hermann's departure will hurt Borussia Dortmund. "We were unbelievably happy last summer that Peter had decided to stay in professional football for an extra year and join BVB – even though this was not part of his personal life plan at the time. In him we are losing not only an experienced, technically excellent coach but a great person too," emphasised Kehl.

Hermann knows the Bundesliga like almost no other. In more than three decades in the professional game – during which he has mostly worked as an assistant coach at his own request and won many titles – the 70-year-old has been on the sidelines for almost 1.000 games in the top two national divisions and the DFB-Pokal, and for 200 more in European club competitions. Hermann's biggest successes came alongside head coach Jupp Heynckes. "My time at BVB was short and yet very intense. I have really come to appreciate this club, the team and the surrounding environment over the past few months and have enjoyed working for a club that loves and lives football this way. Unfortunately, I won't be able to work for Borussia Dortmund any longer, because health naturally always comes first. From now on, I will be crossing my fingers for BVB in all three competitions from afar," said Peter Hermann.

"In both a professional and personal sense, Peter Hermann will leave a very big hole for all of us in the assistant coach position. In addition, I will miss having him by my side as a friend and companion. From the bottom of my heart: thank you, Peter," declared BVB head coach Edin Terzic.

Borussia Dortmund will make a decision on Peter Hermann's successor in the coming weeks.