Bundesliga-bound Hearts star desperate to bow out with mother of all highs after emotional interview

The 34-year-old German goalkeeper is due to join Mainz 05 this weekend after an eventful eleven-month spell in Gorgie.

Although he came agonisingly close to winning the Scottish title in his only season Schwolow can still install himself in club folklore by being part of a side feted for overturning a four-goal European deficit. Hearts host Sturm Graz in the second leg of their Champions League second qualifying round tie and look long odds to reach the third qualifying round after losing the first leg 4-0 in Austria last week.

Schwolow has gone from never having heard of Hearts to being a firm favourite among fans. It makes leaving even more of a wrench after his family's struggles to settle in Scotland.

In an emotional final interview with reporters at Tynecastle Schwolow confirmed the reason for his departure and stressed the personal toll. He accepted that he would have to move back to his homeland for his family's benefit—he and his wife have two young daughters – as early as March. However, he put this issue to one side as he sought to make history with Hearts, who were leading the Premiership at the time.

The Tynecastle side eventually lost out to Celtic in the final minutes of the season. Schwolow, who has another year left on his contract, later contacted Sporting Director Graeme Jones to discuss the options.

“It was very emotional, I actually called him,” he said. “I didn't go to the office, but it was very emotional for me to be honest, because I thought about that decision to talk to him for a long time. It has been a process, with my family not being happy here. It was not an easy call to make to speak with Graeme, but it just needed to be done from my side, just to protect my family and the health of my family.”

Although understandably reluctant to go into too much detail, he explained that he would be staying if the decision were based on what he alone wanted. But now in his mid-thirties, he had to “be a husband and a father” and agree to head home.

“He (Jones) was very understanding,” said Schwolow. “I don't want to go into too much detail, because it's been a conversation between us. He said he will try to find a solution. Obviously they needed a new goalkeeper to bring in. That’s why we also made the agreement in the end with my new club for me to stay here as long as needed to give Hearts the chance to bring in a new number one.”

Hearts have since signed Dutch ‘keeper Beau Reus. He is set to make his debut in Saturday evening’s league opener away to Aberdeen. But first Schwolow will be the second popular Hearts goalkeeper in a matter of weeks to wave goodbye to the fans after the retiring Craig Gordon took the applause at half time of the recent friendly v Rayo Vallecano. The German is determined to leave on a high. He described last season as his most enjoyable, despite its finale, since his first full campaign in professional football with Arminia Bielefeld in the third tier of German football.

“I really do believe that Tynecastle can create magical nights and maybe tomorrow that's one of those nights, but we have to arrange it on the pitch,” he said.