The 55-year-old resigned after only seven months in charge having come under increasing pressure in recent weeks over the team's poor results.

The defending champions have failed to live up to expectations this season and a 2-2 draw with NAC Breda at the weekend left PSV fifth in the Eredivisie table, 15 points behind leaders AZ Alkmaar.

A statement from PSV today confirmed they had accepted Stevens' request to leave his post.

"The directors of PSV regret the sudden departure of Huub Stevens," it read on www.psv.nl.

"The 55-year-old coach today decided to resign from his contract with the reigning Dutch champions.

"PSV and Huub Stevens have determined, to their regret, that the relationship and trust between coach and players was not enough to achieve their potential.

"Stevens finds that there is no 'click' between himself and the players.

"PSV have tried everything possible in the past weeks and months to support Stevens and to prevent a situation like this."

The club now plan to take stock of the situation before deciding their next move, the statement concluded.

Stevens originally announced his intention to swap Hamburg for Eindhoven in November 2007 in order to return to his homeland and be closer to his family.

His appointment brought to an end a long-running saga about who would take the reins permanently following Ronald Koeman's decision to join Valencia a month earlier.

When Stevens arrived in Eindhoven in June 2008, he inherited a PSV side that had won four league titles in succession.

Hopes were high his wealth of experience - which included spells at Roda JC, Schalke and Hertha Berlin - would bring more silverware, but this season has been one of disappointment for the fans, with PSV some way off the pace in the Eredivisie.

Their European adventure also came to a premature end with the club finishing bottom of Champions League Group D with only one victory to their name, while they were knocked out of the KNVB Beker by AZ in the third round.