Former Germany assistant coach Hansi Flick has quit his post as sport director of the German federation DFB, the organization said Monday, and will be temporarily replaced by Horst Hrubesch. "I am grateful to the (DFB) board for their understanding," Flick said in a statement. "Behind me lie 10 great years at the DFB. It was an exciting, successful but also intense time." The 51-year-old Flick said there was "neither other sporting ambition" or "some such problem" which sparked his request to terminate the contract which was due to run to 2019, rather a desire to focus on his family. Flick first joined the DFB in 2006 as assistant coach to national boss Joachim Loew and moved into his most recent role as sport director after the triumphant 2014 World Cup. "Hansi Flick has given great service to German football in 10 years with the DFB," DFB president Reinhard Grindel said. "We let him leave with a heavy heart but respect his personal wishes." Flick's replacement in the interim will be Hrubesch, who stepped down as a youth coach after leading the German youngsters to Olympic silver at the 2016 Rio Games. The 65-year-old Hrubesch coached Germany teams at various age levels from 2000, notably winning the under-19 European championship in 2008 and the under-21 crown in 2009. As a player, Hrubesch won several titles with SV Hamburg in the 1980s along with the 1980 European championship with Germany. "Hansi Flick has done excellent work in the last years and has set things up very well," Hrubesch said. "An important task in the coming months for us all is to create good conditions for the upcoming under-21 Euros and the Confderations Cup. "Otherwise my focus will be on a successful participation at the under-19 Euros in Georgia and the under-20 World Cup in South Korea." The position of sport director at the DFB has existed only since 2006 when it was created on the initiative of then Germany coach Juergen Klinsmann. Matthias Sammer filed the role 2006-2012 and Robin Dutt held the office until Flick was appointed. "The role of sport director is of central importance with regard to the content and structural concept of the new DFB and the academy," DFB general secretary Friedrich Curtius said. "We will now create a profile in due course and, in close coordination with the German Football League, search for a replacement."
