Werder Bremen coach Thomas Schaaf has left by mutual agreement after 14 years in charge, the club said in a written statement released on Wednesday (May 15).

Schaaf, who was the longest-serving active coach in the league, would not be in charge for the last game of the season against Nuremberg on Saturday, the club added.

His ties with Werder stretch back to 1972, when he joined as an 11-year-old before embarking on a 17-year playing career at the northern club.

Schaaf took over as head coach on May 9, 1999 after coaching the club’s youth teams for a decade.

The 52-year-old led Werder to the 2004 German league and Cup double and two more German Cup wins, but the club struggled this season and only secured Bundesliga safety last week.

“In the past few days we sat down and analysed our sporting situation and came to the conclusion that we needed to dare and make a new start,” Werder sports director Thomas Eichin said in the written statement.

“After securing our Bundesliga spot we jointly agreed that parting ways was the best thing for a new start.”

Schaff was quoted as saying: “I had an extraordinary time here, coupled with many positive events and great successes.

“I want to thank everyone who supported me and accompanied me on this path.”

Assistant coaches Wolfgang Rolff and Matthias Hoenerbach will replace Schaaf for the season finale.