Robert Wulnikowski

Robert Wulnikowski
Personal information
Full name Robert Wulnikowski
Date of birth 11 July 1977 (1977-07-11) (age 34)
Place of birth Bydgoszcz, Poland
Height 1.92 m (6 ft 3 12 in)
Playing position Goalkeeper
Club information
Current club Kickers Offenbach
Number 28
Youth career
0000–1990 Zawisza Bydgoszcz
1990–1997 FC Schalke 04
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1997–1999 FC Schalke 04 II
1999–2004 1. FC Union Berlin 54 (0)
2004–2005 Rot-Weiss Essen 2 (0)
2005–2007 VfR Aalen 59 (0)
2007–2008 Sportfreunde Siegen 29 (0)
2008– Kickers Offenbach 125 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 22 October 2011.
† Appearances (Goals).

Robert Wulnikowski (born 11 July 1977 in Bydgoszcz) is Polish-German football goalkeeper currently playing for Kickers Offenbach in the 3rd Liga.[1]

Career

Wulnikowski began with football in his hometown at the Polish club Zawisza Bydgoszcz. In 1990, he entered the youth division of the FC Schalke 04. In 1997, he was promoted to the second team of the club and played in the Oberliga Westfalen. In 1999, he joined the third division team 1. FC Union Berlin. At Union Berlin, Wulnikowski was initially substitute goalkeeper behind Kay Wehner (Saison 1999–2000) and Sven Beuckert (2000–2002). In 2001, Union was promoted to the 2nd Bundesliga without Wulnikowski playing a single league match. In the 2000–01 DFB-Pokal quarter-final against VfL Bochum, Wulnikowski came on after 30 minutes for an injured Beuckert. Union Berlin won that match and succeeded in reaching the final (0–2 against Schalke 04). After the dismissal of longtime coach Georgi Vasilev in October 2002 and the commitment of coach Mirko Votava, Wulnikowski became first-choice goalkeeper For Union Berlin. By the end of the 2003–04 season, after the club was relegated as next to last in the table again, Wulnikowski had completed a total of 54 second-division games for the club.

Wulnikowski moved then to Rot-Weiss Essen for an unknown transfer fee. At the beginning of the season, Wulnikowski was in the starting squad, but made an error in the first match. From matchday three on, coach Jürgen Gelsdorf replaced him with René Renno. At the end of the season, Rot-Weiss Essen was relegated and the contract with the goalkeeper cancelled.

In 2005, Wulnikowski subsequently joined VfR Aalen in the Regionalliga Süd. He completed two seasons as first-choice goalkeeper there. In April 2007, Wulnikowski announce his move to league rivals Sportfreunde Siegen.[2] During the 2007–08 season, he was first-choice goalkeeper for Siegen.

At the beginning of the 2008–09 season, he moved to the third division club Kickers Offenbach. In the 2009–10 winter break, he extended his contract for another three years until the end of the 2012–13 season.

On 27 October 2010, he became nationwide famous for his fantastic match in the 2010–11 DFB-Pokal against Borussia Dortmund, in which he saved two penalties and single-handedly destroyed Dortmund's several other good goal chances. Offenbach won the match 4–2 after Penalty shootout and moved on to round three.

References

External links