German soccer club Bayer 04 Leverkusen has picked Jupp Heynckes to be its new trainer for the next season, which begins in the fall, giving former coach Bruno Labbadia the opportunity to head over to competitor Hamburger SV.

The news was officially announced on Friday evening, with 64-year-old Heynckes sealing the deal, which is good until 2011, with a handshake.

Labbadia is leaving his first top league post following a season which started strong, but ended poorly after a disastrous second round of matches left Leverkusen in ninth place.

The 43-year-old had asked the team to terminate his contract, which would have run until 2010, before he was given a new, three-year deal in Hamburg.

More changes

Leverkusen and Hamburg aren't the only teams getting new leadership this week. Eintracht Frankfurt announced that Michael Skibbe would be returning to the Bundesliga as coach.

Skibbe is replacing Friedhelm Funkel, who decided to leave the club after five years.

Frankfurt finished last season in 13th place, and Skibbe, who was the assistant to former German national team coach Rudi Voeller between 2000 and 2004, said he wanted to get the team playing "attractive, attacking football."

He will officially take over on June 29, the first day of training for next season.

mrm/dpa/Reuters
Editor: Toma Tasovac