Schmidt hints at Heidenheim exit: “I've hardly had any breaks in the past 20 years" | OneFootball

Speaking to the Hamburger Abendblatt before their crucial relegation match with FC St. Pauli, Frank Schmidt announced that his time at the 1.FC Heidenheim will likely end next summer.

“I will soon be in my 20th consecutive season with FCH, which will presumably be my last year as coach in Heidenheim,” the 52-year-old explained.

Schmidt still intends to fulfill his contract with Heidenheim, which runs until 2027, but after that his focus will shift to other things in life

“I've hardly had any breaks in the past 20 years; the job is a hamster wheel that offers hardly any opportunities to break out. And that's something I plan to do again in my life,” he said.

In total, Schmidt stood on the sidelines as coach of Heidenheim for an incredible 741 games, spanning across their rise to Germany's topflight.

However, defeat in tomorrow's meeting with St. Pauli would officially delegate them to the second division – a 10-point gap to safety would be insurmountable with 3 games left.