A defender in his professional career, Bernard Dietz played in 495 Bundesliga matches for MSV Duisburg and FC Schalke 04, scoring 70 goals in his Duisburg years and seven in his days with Schalke 04 in the top tier of German football.

With the German Cup final participation in 1975 his biggest success in his club career, the defender made several other stir.

He is still both the top-scoring defender in the history of the Bundesliga across all clubs and second in the list of goal-scorers for MSV Duisburg in the top flight.

After his final game for his nation, on 19 May 1981, against Brazil in Stuttgart, he had been capped 53 times by Helmut Schön and Jupp Derwall.

[7] No intention to do the job permanently, Bochum won five league matches[6] along with a draw and a loss under Dietz' guidance.

[8] Dietz returned to coaching Bochum's youth when they found Ernst Middendorp's successor in Ralf Zumdick, but was straight back in charge of Bochum's first-team affairs after Zumdick failed to avoid the drop straight back to 2.

[13] On 15 May 2006, Dietz decided not to extend his deal as reserve-team coach with Duisburg and to take charge of LR Ahlen in the third division.