Personal information | |||
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Full name | Uwe Rösler | ||
Date of birth | 15 November 1968 | ||
Place of birth | Altenburg, East Germany | ||
Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
Playing position | Centre forward | ||
Youth career | |||
Traktor Starken | |||
1987–1988 | Chemie Leipzig | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
1987–1988 | 1. FC Lokomotive Leipzig | 3 | (0) |
1988–1991 | 1. FC Magdeburg | 62 | (22) |
1991–1992 | Dynamo Dresden | 33 | (4) |
1992–1994 | 1. FC Nuremberg | 28 | (0) |
1993–1994 | → Dynamo Dresden (loan) | 7 | (0) |
1994–1998 | Manchester City | 152 | (50) |
1998–1999 | 1. FC Kaiserslautern | 28 | (8) |
1999–2000 | Tennis Borussia Berlin | 28 | (6) |
2000–2002 | Southampton | 24 | (0) |
2001 | → West Bromwich Albion (loan) | 5 | (1) |
2002 | SpVgg Unterhaching | 14 | (5) |
2002–2003 | Lillestrøm SK | 11 | (10) |
Total | 395 | (106) | |
National team | |||
1988–1990 | East Germany | 6 | (0) |
Teams managed | |||
2005–2006 | Lillestrøm SK | ||
2006–2009 | Viking FK | ||
2010 | Molde FK | ||
2011– | Brentford | ||
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). |
Uwe Rösler (born 15 November 1968 in Altenburg) is a German football manager and former player. He is currently the manager of Brentford.
Rösler was previously a successful player who played for several clubs, most notably Manchester City (1994–1998), where he was the leading goalscorer for three consecutive seasons from 1995–96 to 1997–98, and 1. FC Kaiserslautern, where he played in the UEFA Champions League. In addition, Rösler played six times for East Germany.
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Rösler started his career in his native country, joining 1. FC Lokomotive Leipzig in 1987, where he spent one season, before moving on to 1. FC Magdeburg in 1988, where he spent three seasons. Rösler then moved to Dynamo Dresden in August 1991, before spending the 1992–93 season on loan to 1. FC Nuremberg, where he failed to score once in 28 games. Having grown up in the East, where players were officially regarded as amateurs, Rösler found it difficult to adapt when he moved to the West after reunification: "I suddenly saw more individualistic thinking, cliques, a powerful press and personal politics around team selection. The Wall was still there in some people's heads and in many ways I was naive."[1]
In March 1994, Rösler joined Manchester City on trial. Given an opportunity in a reserve match against Burnley, he scored two goals, which resulted in a three month loan.[2] He made his first team debut the following Saturday, against Queens Park Rangers. A return of five goals in twelve games saw the move made permanent in the close season,[3] reports of the transfer fee varying between £375,000 and £500,000.[4][5]
After an ignominious start to the 1994–95 campaign, when he was sent off in a 3–0 opening day defeat at Arsenal,[3] Rösler formed a productive partnership with Paul Walsh, and scored 22 league and cup goals despite missing several games through injury. In a FA cup match against Notts County he scored four goals, becoming the first Manchester City player to score four in an FA Cup tie since Johnny Hart in 1953.[3] His performances that season meant he was the club's leading goalscorer, and he won the club's Player of the Year award.[4]
At the start of the 1995–96 season, Alan Ball became manager and immediately changed the nature of the side. Despite City's obvious strengths down the flanks, the team was adapted to play through the middle of the park. With no supply line from the wings (City's other winger Nicky Summerbee often playing at right-back), and with the loss through injury of Beagrie and the shocking sale of Walsh, Rösler struggled in this season. Many felt that he and fellow striker Niall Quinn were too similar to play in a system that didn't feed strikers effectively and Rösler clearly became unhappy. Much publicised disagreements with the manager culminated in Rösler being dropped from the side, only to be brought on as a sub in the Manchester derby and immediately score a phenomenal goal. Rösler's goal celebrations saw him running to the bench, shouting at Ball and pointing to his name and squad number on the back of his shirt. City were relegated at the end of the campaign, but Rösler opted to stay with the Blues. Despite another difficult campaign, Rösler again finished top scorer and clearly benefited from the return to a 4–4–1–1 formation. After another spell out with injury, Rösler would eventually leave the Blues in May 1998 on a free transfer following relegation to Division 2. In his four years at City he played 181 games, scoring 65 goals. He was admitted to City's "Hall of Fame" in December 2009.[6]
In the summer of 1998, Rösler returned to Germany joining 1. FC Kaiserslautern, then reigning German champions, for one season. His most remarkable game there was on 9 December 1998 when he came on as a substitute against HJK Helsinki and scored a second half hat-trick as Kaiserslautern won 5–2, helping them to win their group in the 1998–99 UEFA Champions League,[7] before going out in the quarter-finals to FC Bayern Munich. He then moved on to Tennis Borussia Berlin for the 1999–2000 seaon.
When Tennis Borussia went bankrupt in the summer of 2000, Glenn Hoddle snapped Rösler up on a free transfer, but he was unable to become a regular in Saints' first team as James Beattie started to find his form (scoring 10 goals in 10 games in November and December). Rösler also suffered a groin injury which required surgery, keeping him out for several weeks. Although he was a whole-hearted and committed player, he only managed to score once for the Saints, in a Worthington Cup game at Mansfield.[8]
Rösler scored the last ever goal at The Dell on 26 May 2001 in a friendly against Brighton and Hove Albion – who were selected as Southampton's opponents as they had been the stadium's first visitors when it opened in 1898 – as Saints won 1–0.[9] However, the distinction of the last competitive goal at The Dell went to Rösler's team mate Matthew Le Tissier, who had scored a late winner in the 3–2 Premier League win over Arsenal seven days earlier.[10]
In the following season, he only made a handful of appearances before spending November on loan at West Bromwich Albion and then moving back to Germany, joining SpVgg Unterhaching on a free transfer in January 2002.
Rösler joined West Bromwich Albion on loan from Southampton in October 2001, as cover for the injured Scott Dobie.[11] He made his debut away at Crystal Palace on 31 October 2001, and his only goal for Albion came in a 1–0 home win over Nottingham Forest four days later.[12] Rösler played just five games for West Bromwich Albion, who went on to win promotion as First Division runners-up at the end of 2001–02.
In July 2002, Rösler signed for Norwegian club Lillestrøm SK. He played 11 matches and scored 10 goals for the Canaries in the latter part of the 2002 season.
After the first match of the season in 2003, in which he was the match winner in a 1–0 win over FK Bodø/Glimt, Rösler was diagnosed with cancer when x-rays discovered a tumour in his chest, and had to put an end to his playing career.[13] After chemotherapy, he made a full recovery. While in remission he obtained his coaching badges, to enable him to continue working in football.[13]
Rösler made his debut for East Germany on 13 April 1988 in a 1–1 draw against Bulgaria.[14] He was capped six times, scoring no goals.
After making a full recovery from lung cancer, he returned to Lillestrøm SK, and took the managers seat in 2005. He led Lillestrøm to two successive fourth place finishes in the league, and also took them to the final of the Norwegian Cup in 2005 and the Royal League final in 2006, subsequently losing both. These results failed to satisfy the Lillestrøm board, and on 13 November 2006 he was sacked from his position along with assistant coach Gunnar Halle.[15]
Rösler was appointed manager of Viking FK, another Norwegian team, on 22 November 2006,[16] replacing Tom Nordlie, who took over Rösler's old job at Lillestrøm SK in an ironic turn of events. In the 2007 season he lead Viking FK to a third place in the Norwegian Premier League.[17] On 18 November 2009 it was announced that Uwe Rösler was leaving Viking FK.[18]
On 31 August 2010, he was hired by Molde FK on a short-term contract. During Molde's last eight games of the season, he doubled the team's total number of points, didn't lose once, and saved them from relegation. Despite this, he was replaced by Ole Gunnar Solskjær in November 2010 ready for the start of the 2011 season.[19][20]
Rösler has expressed his desire return to the Premiership as a manager.[21] In June 2011 he was appointed manager of Brentford on an initial two-year contract.[22]
Rösler's first game in charge was a practice match against Strømmen IF, which was played while Brentford were training in Norway. The Bees dominated the first period but were unable to edge ahead. Clayton Donaldson fired a penalty over the crossbar in the dying seconds of the half. The match ended 0–0.[23]
Rösler's first game open to fans was a 10–0 victory over Tonbridge Angels[24] and his first competitive match in charge ended in a 2–0 win over Yeovil Town.
Club performance | League | Cup | Continental | Total | ||||||
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Season | Club | League | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
East Germany | League | FDGB-Pokal | Europe | Total | ||||||
1987–88 | Lokomotive Leipzig | DDR-Oberliga | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||||
1988–89 | 1. FC Magdeburg | 12 | 3 | 12 | 3 | |||||
1989–90 | 24 | 10 | 24 | 10 | ||||||
1990–91 | NOFV-Oberliga | 26 | 9 | 26 | 9 | |||||
Germany | League | DFB-Pokal | Europe | Total | ||||||
1991–92 | Dynamo Dresden | Fußball-Bundesliga | 33 | 4 | 33 | 4 | ||||
1992–93 | 1. FC Nuremberg | 28 | 0 | 28 | 0 | |||||
1993–94 | Dynamo Dresden | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | |||||
England | League | FA Cup | Europe | Total | ||||||
1993–94 | Manchester City | FA Premier League | 12 | 5 | 12 | 5 | ||||
1994–95 | 31 | 15 | 31 | 15 | ||||||
1995–96 | 36 | 9 | 36 | 9 | ||||||
1996–97 | 44 | 15 | 44 | 15 | ||||||
1997–98 | 29 | 6 | 29 | 6 | ||||||
Germany | League | DFB-Pokal | Europe | Total | ||||||
1998–99 | 1. FC Kaiserslautern | Fußball-Bundesliga | 27 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 33 | 11 | ||
1999–2000 | Tennis Borussia Berlin | 2. Fußball-Bundesliga | 28 | 6 | 28 | 6 | ||||
England | League | FA Cup | Europe | Total | ||||||
2000–01 | Southampton | FA Premier League | 20 | 0 | 20 | 0 | ||||
2001–02 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||||||
Germany | League | DFB-Pokal | Europe | Total | ||||||
2001–02 | SpVgg Unterhaching | 2. Fußball-Bundesliga | 14 | 5 | 14 | 5 | ||||
England | League | FA Cup | Europe | Total | ||||||
2001–02 | West Bromwich Albion | Football League First Division | 5 | 1 | 5 | 1 | ||||
Norway | League | Norwegian Football Cup | Europe | Total | ||||||
2002 | Lillestrøm SK | Tippeligaen | 10 | 9 | 10 | 9 | ||||
2003 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||
Total | East Germany | 65 | 22 | 65 | 22 | |||||
Germany | 137 | 14 | 6 | 3 | 143 | 17 | ||||
England | 181 | 51 | 181 | 51 | ||||||
Norway | 11 | 10 | 11 | 10 | ||||||
Career total | 394 | 106 | 400 | 109 |
East Germany national team | ||
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Year | Apps | Goals |
1988 | 1 | 0 |
1989 | 0 | 0 |
1990 | 5 | 0 |
Total | 6 | 0 |
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