Gert Engels facts for kids
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | April 26, 1957 | ||
| Place of birth | Düren, West Germany | ||
| Height | 175 cm | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1974–1975 | SG Düren 99 | ||
| 1975–1978 | Borussia Mönchengladbach | ||
| 1978–1980 | SV Baesweiler 09 | ||
| 1980–1990 | SG Düren 99 | ||
| 1990–1991 | Prima Aseno FC (Japan) | ||
| National team | |||
| 1975 | Germany U19 | 5 | (0) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 1990–1991 | Prima Aseno FC (player-coach) | ||
| 1991–1993 | Takigawa Daini High School (sports teacher) | ||
| 1993–1998 | Yokohama Flügels (assistant coach) | ||
| 1998 | Yokohama Flügels | ||
| 1999 | JEF United Ichihara | ||
| 2000–2003 | Kyoto Purple Sanga | ||
| 2004–2008 | Urawa Reds (assistant coach) | ||
| 2008 | Urawa Reds | ||
| 2011–2013 | Mozambique | ||
| 2018 | Vissel Kobe (assistant coach) | ||
| 2019–2020 | Kyoto Sanga (assistant coach) | ||
| 2020–2021 | INAC Kobe Leonessa | ||
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Gert Engels is a famous German football coach. He used to be a player in Germany's top league, the Bundesliga. He has spent many years working in East Asia, especially Japan.
Contents
Who is Gert Engels?
Gert Engels comes from a family that loves football. He played for Borussia Mönchengladbach when they were very successful in the 1970s. Later, he studied sports science at the German Sport University Cologne. After that, he started his coaching career in Japan.
He was one of the first coaches in the J.League, Japan's professional football league. He helped shape modern Japanese football. He achieved his biggest successes there.
Engels has won the important Japanese Emperor's Cup five times. He also won a Japanese championship, a Japanese Super Cup, and the AFC Champions League in 2007. This is like winning a big European club competition.
In 2018, he was honored as a "German Football Ambassador." This award recognized his work in football, especially connecting Germany and Japan through sports. He speaks Japanese very well and feels like Japan is his second home. People sometimes call him "half-Japanese."
Gert Engels' Football Journey
Playing Career in Germany
Gert Engels started playing football at SG Düren 99. Then he joined Borussia Mönchengladbach. He was part of the team during their most successful time in the 1970s. Even though he didn't play in the Bundesliga, his team won the German championship in 1976 and 1977.
When he was 22, he decided to play football only part-time. He wanted to study sports science. He played for SV Baesweiler 09 and later went back to SG Düren 99.
Coaching Career in Japan and Beyond
At 32, Engels stopped playing and moved to Japan to become a coach. He had to learn Japanese, which was very helpful later on.
His first coaching job was as a player-coach for Prima Aseno FC. This team is now known as Mito Hollyhock. After that, he worked as a sports teacher at Takigawa Daini High School.
In 1993, Engels became an assistant coach for Yokohama Flugels. He worked under several coaches, including Carles Rexach from FC Barcelona. In 1998, he became the head coach. He led the Flugels to win the Emperor's Cup.
After the Flugels team joined with another team, Engels coached JEF United Ichihara. Then he coached Kyoto Sanga. Even though the team was relegated (moved down a league), he helped them get promoted right away. They also won another Emperor's Cup.
In 2004, Engels joined Urawa Red Diamonds as an assistant coach. He worked with Guido Buchwald. Together, they won the Emperor's Cup in 2005. In 2006, they won both the Emperor's Cup and the championship.
After Buchwald left, Engels continued with Holger Osieck. They won the AFC Champions League in 2007. This was the first time Urawa and Japan won this big international title. Engels then became the head coach for Urawa.
In 2011, Engels became the head coach of the Mozambique national football team. He coached them for two years. He won three out of twelve international matches. One notable win was 2-0 against Morocco in 2012.
For five years, Engels focused on his football school in Germany. In 2018, he returned to Japan. He was an assistant coach for Vissel Kobe. There, he coached famous players like Andrés Iniesta and Lukas Podolski.
Later, he was an assistant coach at Kyoto Sanga for one season. During the pandemic, he coached a women's team for the first time, INAC Kobe Leonessa. He led them to be the Japanese runner-up in 2020.
Achievements and Awards
International Success
- AFC Champions League: Winner 2007
- FIFA Club World Cup: 3rd place 2007
National Titles
- J.League: Champion 2006
- WE League: Runner-up 2020
- J2 League: Champion 2001
- Emperor's Cup: Winner 1993, 1998, 2002, 2005, 2006
- Japanese Super Cup: Winner 2006
Other Honors
- German Football Ambassador: 2018
More About Gert Engels
- Since 2009, Engels has run a football school called "SoccerLife." It's in his hometown of Düren, Germany. He trains Japanese players and teams there. He also helps players join professional clubs in Germany and Japan.
- During the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Engels worked as a TV analyst. He helped explain the games for Japanese television.
- Engels is married and has two children.
See also
In Spanish: Gert Engels para niños
