This is what happened to Breitenreiter’s German FCZ ancestors
At FC Zurich, coach André Breitenreiter is following in the footsteps of numerous German predecessors. But not all of them were successful.
the essentials in brief
- Today the FCZ competes as leader against YB.
- Successful coach André Breitenreiter has Corona and cannot be there.
- Whether player or coach: numerous Germans have shaped the FCZ over the past 60 years.
- Read the Nau ranking of the German FCZ staff since 1960.
Successful coach André Breitenreiter (48) has the potential to be included in the all-time top list of the German FCZ staff. Even if he cannot be there today after a positive corona test in the top game against YB.
Nau.ch took a closer look at the last 60 years of Zurich’s club history: seven FCZ Germans were top. The rest of them ranked under the flop or “further ran”, including four coaches.
Top 7
Klaus striker (1935-71, at FCZ 62-64 / 65-67): Uwe Seeler’s HSV twin was actually too good for National League A, as the Super League was hot at the time. Striker was true to his family name striker, but also a successful preparer and follower. It stands for the surprising championship in 1963 and the double in 1966. Under stood in the lost championship semi-finals in 1964 against Real Madrid. Klaus Stürmer died of testicular cancer at the age of 35, now near Winterthur. A death that shocked Swiss football.
Timo Konietzka (1938-2012, at FCZ 71-78, 87-88): Friedhelm “Timo” Konietzka was the first ever goalscorer in the newly founded Bundesliga in 1963. The wiry striker with the legendary brush cut came to the city club via Dortmund, 1860 Munich and Winterthur. At first Konietzka was a player-coach, then only a coach. During his tenure, the title hat-trick from 1974 to 1976 and three cup wins.
Jürgen Neumann (1941-2002, at FCZ 66-69): Like Konietzka, the Lauterer Koloss was a child of the Bundesliga, also a top scorer on the very first match day. Versatile, he was together with Köbi Kuhn, Fritz Künzli, Karl Grob and Rosario Martinelli as the master builder of the championship title in 1968. In the fair city cup 67/68 he was significantly involved in the fact that the FCZ kicked Barcelona, Nottingham and Sporting Lisbon. Inglorious end of career as Bielefeld money messenger in the Bundesliga scandal in 1971.
Hubert Münch (1941, at FCZ 1962-74): Eisenfuss came from Zuffenhausen and had no Bundesliga career to show. As a merciless man hit he was in a total of seven titles, including the double in 1966. He is also remembered as the one who struck Manchester world star George Best out of the game because of a bet.
Hanjo Weller (1946, at FCZ 76/77): The elegant midfield director who came from Stuttgart only danced for one season. But he led the FCZ together with captain Köbi Kuhn to the lost championship semi-finals against Liverpool. A classic number 10.
Herbert Waas (1963, at FCZ 92-94): The 11-time international was team-friendly and hard-working. Striker Waas made the most competitive games in the 93/94 season, namely 42. However, the goal count (22 in two seasons) remained below expectations. Today Waas earns his living with stock market transactions.
Erwin Waldner (1933-2015, at FCZ 1960-62): The Stuttgart striker, on the other hand, had an incredible goal rate: 30 goals in 32 competitive games. After less than two seasons, Waldner continued via Italy in the direction of the new Bundesliga. After 13 appearances, the world-class player didn’t want to have anything to do with the national team.
The four biggest flops
Rudi Brunnenmeier (1941-2003, at FCZ 72-73): Konietzka’s buddy from the glorious 1860s scored only 5 goals in 31 FCZ competitive games. As in almost all of his life, he was also accompanied by alcohol problems in Zurich. After a alcohol trip, the center forward received a month in prison plus expulsion from the country. Brunnenmeier’s time in Zurich was therefore over after one season, after all with the Cup victory in 1973. When he died, those around him had turned away from him so that in 1860 Munich had to pay for the grave.
Norbert Eder (1955-2019, at FCZ 88-89): The central defender of Bayern Munich came as runner-up world champion. But he only played briefly in the National League B against teams like Emmenbrücke, Glarus or Malley. After that he was no longer used.
Rainer Ernst (1961, with FCZ 93-94): After a successful career with BFC Dynamo (GDR), Kaiserslautern and Bordeaux, Ernst came confidently to Zurich: “Where I am, there is success.” The reality then looked different: after 20 competitive games it was over.
Georg Volkert (1945-2020, at FCZ 69-71): As a national player and German champion (with Nuremberg) he had a great reputation. The fast wing was first the big attraction of the National League A.
But the “beautiful Schorsch” with the equally beautiful bow legs owed a lot to his reputation. In the end, there were only 12 league goals in two seasons. With HSV, he still won the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1977 and scored a goal in the final against Anderlecht.
Further ran
With the players Gerhard Bold, Wolfgang Kraus, Jörn Andersen, Lasse Sobiech, the record is mixed. The same gold plated for the coaches Georg Wurzer, Georg Gawliczek (despite cup win 1970) and Albert Sing. Herbert Neumann (89-91), who once caused a game too late and caused a scandal, is one of them.
The current players Moritz Leitner and Marc Hornschuh are not yet in the rating. Both stripes have only been wearing the FCZ dress since last summer.
Statistics source: dbfcz.ch
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