Michael Gspurning facts for kids
Gspurning as the goalkeeper coach of Union Berlin in 2022
|
|||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Michael Gspurning | ||
| Date of birth | 2 May 1981 | ||
| Place of birth | Graz, Austria | ||
| Height | 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| Team information | |||
|
Current team
|
Union Berlin and Austria (goalkeeping coach) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Austria Wien | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2000–2001 | Austria Wien | 0 | (0) |
| 2001–2004 | DSV Leoben | 62 | (0) |
| 2004–2006 | ASKÖ Pasching | 7 | (0) |
| 2007–2012 | Skoda Xanthi | 89 | (0) |
| 2012–2014 | Seattle Sounders FC | 49 | (0) |
| 2014 | PAOK | 1 | (0) |
| 2014–2015 | Platanias | 0 | (0) |
| 2015 | Schalke 04 II | 15 | (0) |
| 2015–2016 | Schalke 04 | 0 | (0) |
| 2016–2017 | Union Berlin | 0 | (0) |
| Total | 223 | (0) | |
| International career | |||
| 2008–2009 | Austria | 3 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Michael Gspurning (born 2 May 1981) is a retired Austrian footballer. He played as a goalkeeper. He was born in Graz, Austria.
Michael Gspurning played for several clubs during his career. These included Austria Wien, DSV Leoben, and ASKÖ Pasching in Austria. He also played for Skoda Xanthi in Greece. Later, he joined Seattle Sounders FC in the United States. He also played for PAOK and Platanias in Greece again. Towards the end of his playing career, he was with Schalke 04 and Union Berlin in Germany.
Gspurning also played for the Austrian national team three times. After retiring as a player, he became a goalkeeping coach.
Contents
Club Career Highlights
Early Years in Austria
Michael Gspurning started his football journey at Austria Wien in 2000. He was 19 years old at the time. He trained with the main team but did not play in any official matches.
In 2001, he moved to DSV Leoben. This team played in Austria's third division. Gspurning became a regular player there. He played in 62 league games over three seasons.
Playing for ASKÖ Pasching
In 2004, Gspurning joined ASKÖ Pasching. This club was in the top Austrian league. He was a backup goalkeeper for most of his time there. He played in 7 league games over three seasons.
He was also a substitute in UEFA Cup matches. These are big European club competitions. Pasching played against Zenit St. Petersburg twice. They lost both times because of the "away goals" rule.
Time in Greece with Skoda Xanthi
Gspurning moved to Greece in 2007. He signed with Skoda Xanthi. He made his first appearance for them in November 2007.
He played for Skoda Xanthi for five seasons. During this time, he played in 89 league matches. He left the club in 2011.
Journey to Seattle Sounders FC
In December 2011, Gspurning joined Seattle Sounders FC. This team plays in Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States. He became their main goalkeeper. He took over from the famous American player Kasey Keller.
He made his debut for Seattle in a CONCACAF Champions League game in March 2012. He then played his first MLS game on March 17, 2012. He helped the Sounders win 3-1 against Toronto. The next week, he got his first MLS "shutout." A shutout means the goalkeeper stops the other team from scoring any goals.
Later in May, Gspurning got a hip injury. He missed several games. He returned to play in July. He helped the team win against the Colorado Rapids. In August, he had another shutout against the Los Angeles Galaxy.
In 2012, Gspurning played 21 regular season games. He let in only 15 goals. This was one of the best records for a goalkeeper in MLS history. He also played in the MLS Cup Playoffs. The Sounders were eventually knocked out by the LA Galaxy.
In 2013, Gspurning continued as the main goalkeeper. He had three shutouts in a row at the start of the season. In July, he injured his arm in a game. He missed three weeks of play.
He returned in August but was later benched for two games. This happened after he let in nine goals in two matches. He played in the last game of the season. He also played in the MLS Cup Playoffs. He was suspended for one game. The Sounders were eliminated by the Portland Timbers.
After the 2013 season, Seattle Sounders decided not to keep Gspurning. This ended his time with the club.
Return to Greece and Germany
After leaving Seattle, Gspurning went back to Greece. He joined PAOK in 2014. He was a backup goalkeeper there. He played only one game before leaving the club.
In September 2014, he joined another Greek team, Platanias. He left Platanias after the first half of the season.
In February 2015, Gspurning moved to Germany. He signed with Schalke 04's U23 team. He was an older player who helped mentor the younger players. In July 2015, he signed a professional contract with the main Schalke 04 team. He played one game for them in the German Cup.
He then moved to Union Berlin in 2016. He did not play any league games for them before retiring.
International Career
Gspurning played for the Austria national football team three times. He made his first international appearance in November 2008. It was a friendly match against Turkey. Austria lost the game 4-2.
He played his first World Cup qualifying match in April 2009. Austria won 2-1 against Romania. His last game for Austria was in June 2009 against Serbia. Austria lost that game 1-0. He has not been called up to the national team since 2009.
Personal Life
Michael Gspurning is married and has a daughter and a son. He can speak three languages: German, English, and Greek. He learned Greek while playing in Greece. His teammates described him as easygoing and a "jokester." He was given the nickname "Cerberus" when he played for Skoda Xanthi.
Media Career
After his contract with PAOK ended in 2014, Gspurning returned to Austria. He started working as a football expert on TV. He was an analyst for Sky Austria and Servus TV. He talked about matches in the Austrian Bundesliga and other big tournaments.
Images for kids
-
Gspurning as the goalkeeper coach of Union Berlin in 2022
-
Gspurning at practice with Seattle in 2013.
See also
In Spanish: Michael Gspurning para niños
