Former national soccer player Stefan Beinlich is retiring from his job as head of the youth academy for the second division soccer team Hansa Rostock. The club announced on Friday that the 51-year-old had asked for his contract, which ran until summer 2025, to be terminated on March 31 of this year "for personal reasons". His successor will be Michael Meier, who has been at the Academy since January 2020.

"This step was not easy for me," said Beinlich in the press release. The reasons for the decision have nothing to do with FC Hansa. The cooperation with colleagues in all areas of the club and with those responsible in the professional area was excellent at all times.

"I always enjoyed working with the young players and will miss it in the future," he said. There were purely private reasons that led to this decision. He declined to give any further details on these reasons. Beinlich took over the management of the young talent factory in December 2019. Even after his departure, he wants to be available to FC Hansa as a consultant.

In his professional career, Beinlich played 288 Bundesliga games for Hansa Rostock, Bayer Leverkusen, Hertha BSC and Hamburger SV. He ended his career in Rostock in 2008.

Game plan Hansa Rostock squad Hansa Rostock coaching and support staff Hansa Rostock table message Hansa Rostock