Meyer quits as Moenchengladbach coach

MOENCHENGLADBACH, Germany (AP) -Borussia Moenchengladbach's veteran coach Hans Meyer is stepping down after saving the team from relegation.

"We had many talks with him over the last few days and at the end we had to accept his wish,'' the club's vice president Rainer Bonhof said Thursday.

Meyer, 66, says his experience helped the team escape demotion but that the club now needs a younger coach.

"You can't build up with a coach who is nearly 67,'' Meyer told two Aachen newspapers.

Meyer returned to Moenchengladbach in October, taking over from interim coach Christian Ziege following the firing of Jos Luhukay. Luhukay led the former five-time German champion to promotion from the second division, but Gladbach lost six of the first seven matches this season.

The club finished the first half of the season in last place but managed to climb to 15th by the end of the championship.

Meyer still had another season on his contract. He also coached Moenchengladbach from 1999 to 2003.

Meyer won the German Cup with Nuremberg in 2007.