Nico Patschinski

Nico Patschinski
Personal information
Date of birth8 November 1976
Place of birthEast Berlin, East Germany
Height1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing positionStriker
Club information
Current team
Niendorfer TSV
Youth career
1984–1988Berliner FC Dynamo
1988–19941. FC Union Berlin
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1994–19971. FC Union Berlin57(16)
1998SV Babelsberg 0314(3)
1998–1999Dynamo Dresden32(12)
1999–2000SpVgg Greuther Fürth10(0)
2000–2003FC St. Pauli75(21)
2003–2005SV Eintracht Trier 0565(23)
2005–2006LR Ahlen31(8)
2006–20091. FC Union Berlin82(27)
2009–2010Berliner FC Dynamo29(14)
2010–2011SV Eintracht Trier 0515(2)
2011–2012Borussia Neunkirchen36(18)
2012Victoria Hamburg15(13)
2012–2013Berliner FC Dynamo18(6)
2013–Niendorfer TSV
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 25 August 2013.
† Appearances (Goals).

Nico Patschinski (born 8 November 1976 in Berlin) is a German footballer who currently plays for Niendorfer TSV.

Career

1980–1994: Youth and rise with Union

Patschinski began to play ice hockey in SC Dynamo Berlin's youth department. He was inspired by his father who himself had been a successful ice hockey player. Two years later, Patschinski switched sports and took up football, joining Berliner FC Dynamo. In 1988, Patschinski moved to 1. FC Union Berlin.[1]

1994–2000: Rambler

Patschinski made his debut in the senior team in 1994 and established himself as a regular in the following season. But in 1997, Union were hit hard by financial troubles and Patschinski took up the offer of Potsdam-based SV Babelsberg 03.

Patschinski did not have a good time in Potsdam, even though he played regularly. The fans had an inherent distrust of Berlin-born players and were quick to criticize them.[1] In the summer of 1998, Patschinski left the club and signed a contract with Dynamo Dresden. In a match with his new club in Babelsberg, Patschinski scored and subsequently showed the fans the bird.[2]

Patschinski spent one year in Dresden, scoring 11 goals in 31 matches[3] He then moved to SpVgg Greuther Fürth to finally play in a fully professional league. He gained some experience in the 2. Bundesliga with Fürth, but did neither score a goal nor become a regular starter. Therefore he sought a move away from Fürth after only one season. Additionally, Berlin-born Patschinski did not feel at home in rural Fürth.[1]

2000–2003: Success with St. Pauli

Patschinski's new club was FC St. Pauli where he would have his biggest success in the next three years. With Hamburg-based St. Pauli, Patschinski gained promotion to the Bundesliga and scored the second goal in St. Pauli's 2–1 victory over Intercontinental Cup holders FC Bayern Munich. FC St. Pauli created a t-shirt to commemorate the event, naming the club "Weltpokalsieger-Besieger" (German for Intercontintal Cup winner beaters).

However, St. Pauli's stay in the top flight was short when the team was relegated at the end of the 2001–02 season St. Pauli were also relegated from the 2. Bundesliga in the following season and Patschinski found himself on the bench after the winter break, as new manager Franz Gerber did not value him.[2][4]

2003–2006: Relegation and the national team

Following the relegation, Patschinski signed for SV Eintracht Trier 05 in the 2. Bundesliga. But relegation hit Patschinski's club again, and after two years he moved on to another 2. Bundesliga club, LR Ahlen. The club were relegated at the end of the season, and Patschinski had managed a rather curious feat: in five seasons his clubs had been relegated four times. Patschinski would describe his move to Ahlen as a mistake he "would never make again".[2]

During his spell at Ahlen the football magazine RUND discovered that Patschinskis grandparents were Polish and he would be eligible to play for Poland national football team. However, the interest cooled off as the Polish manager had already selected his team of the 2006 FIFA World Cup.[5] Even though the PZPN president had signaled interest for matches after the World Cup, Patschinski did not hear anything from them again.[6]

2006 bis 2009: Return to Berlin

At the start of the 2006–07 season, Patschinski returned to the club of his youth, Union Berlin. His team had a mixed season, alternating between promotion hope and relegation fight. In the end, Union Berlin saved themselves from relegation and Patschinski scored a Goal of the Week against his former club FC St. Pauli. Patschinski admitted that he had meant to cross the ball.[7] In the following season Patschinski and Union Berlin qualified for the newly created 3. Liga.

Citing a lack of trust, Union dissolved the player's contract on 4 March 2009.[8]

Return to BFC

On 28 July 2009, Patschinski joined BFC Dynamo.[9]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Bruder, zur Sonne, Große Freiheit..." (in German). Übersteiger. 13 May 2001. Retrieved 9 March 2009.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Fehler sind dazu da, um gemacht zu werden und Ahlen war einer" (in German). die-fans.de. 14 January 2008. Retrieved 9 March 2009.
  3. "Portrait – Nico Patschinski" (in German). SG Dynamo Dresden e.V. 9 March 2009. Retrieved 9 March 2009.
  4. "Publikumsliebling Patschinski und die Qual der Wahl" (in German). abendblatt.de. 12 June 2003. Retrieved 9 March 2009.
  5. "Vielleicht werde ich nach meiner Fußball-Karriere Pornostar" (in German). die-fans.de. 14 January 2008. Retrieved 9 March 2009.
  6. Matthias Wolf (12 August 2006). "Der Spaßsucher" (in German). Berliner Zeitung. Retrieved 9 March 2009.
  7. "25. Spieltag, Mann des Tages" (in German). kicker. 12 March 2007. Retrieved 9 March 2009.
  8. "Die "Eisernen" trennen sich von Nico Patschinski" (in German). kicker. 4 March 2009. Retrieved 4 March 2009.
  9. "Ex-Unioner Patschinski geht zurück zum BFC Dynamo" (in German). Berliner Morgenpost. 28 July 2009. Retrieved 4 November 2012.