Paul Scharner facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Paul Scharner

Scharner with Austria in 2012.
Personal information
Full name	Paul Josef Herbert Scharner
Date of birth	(1980-03-11) 11 March 1980 (age 45)
Place of birth	Scheibbs, Austria
Height	1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Playing position	Defender / Midfielder
Youth career
1987–1993	SVG Purgstall
1993–1996	VSE St. Pölten
1996–1998	Austria Wien
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1999–2003	Austria Wien	84	(3)
2001	→ SG Untersiebenbrunn (loan)	16	(5)
2004	SV Salzburg	18	(3)
2004–2006	SK Brann	32	(7)
2006–2010	Wigan Athletic	145	(14)
2010–2012	West Bromwich Albion	62	(7)
2012–2013	Hamburger SV	4	(0)
2012	Hamburger SV II	2	(1)
2013	→ Wigan Athletic (loan)	14	(0)
Total		377	(40)
National team
2000–2001	Austria U-21	12	(0)
2002–2012	Austria	40	(0)
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Paul Josef Herbert Scharner (born 11 March 1980) is a retired Austrian footballer. He mostly played as a defender. However, he could also play in almost any midfield position. He was known for being able to play many different roles and for his unique haircuts.

Scharner started his career in Austria with clubs like Austria Wien and SV Salzburg. In 2004, he moved to Norway to play for SK Brann. In January 2006, he joined the Premier League in England. He played for over six years there, first with Wigan Athletic and then West Bromwich Albion. After a short time without a club, he joined Bundesliga team Hamburger SV in Germany in 2012. He then returned to Wigan Athletic on loan in January 2013, where he helped them win the FA Cup. Paul Scharner retired from football in September 2013 when he was 33 years old.

Early Life and Youth Football

Paul Scharner was born in Scheibbs, Austria. He grew up in Purgstall an der Erlauf. He started playing football there at age seven with his local club, SVG Purgstall. He played for their Under-8 team.

He stayed with SVG Purgstall until 1993. Then, he moved to FCN St. Pölten. In 1996, he joined Austria Wien. This was the club where he would sign his first professional contract in 1999. While playing for their youth teams, he also studied electrical engineering.

Professional Football Career

Starting at Austria Wien

Paul Scharner moved up through the youth teams at Austria Wien. He played for the Under-17, Under-18, and amateur squads. He made his first team debut in a friendly match in March 1998. Austria Wien won that game 5:1. He signed his first professional contract in May 1999.

He played his first Austrian Bundesliga game on 24 April 1999. Austria Wien won that home game 3:0 against SV Ried. He played three more games that season. In the next season (1999/2000), he played 12 league games. He also made his debut in the ÖFB-Cup, which is Austria's main cup competition.

Developing Skills and Loan Spell

In the 2000/2001 season, Scharner played his first international matches. These were in the UEFA Intertoto Cup. To help him play more, he was loaned to SG Untersiebenbrunn in 2001. This club was in the Erste Liga. He scored five goals in 16 league games there.

He returned to Austria Wien in November 2001. He started playing more regularly by the end of that month. In the second half of the season, he became a regular starter. He scored his first goal for Austria Wien in a professional game on 30 March 2002. This was in a Bundesliga match against Sturm Graz. His good performances also led to his debut for the Austria national football team. This was a 0:0 draw against Cameroon in April 2002.

Winning Trophies with Austria Wien

In the 2002/2003 season, Paul Scharner became a key player for Austria Wien. He played 29 league games and scored one goal. He also played in every cup game from the last 16 onwards. Austria Wien also played in the UEFA Cup.

This was his most successful season with the club. Austria Wien won the Bundesliga, the Austrian Cup, and the Austrian Supercup.

In the 2003/2004 season, he played nine league games and scored one goal. He also played in the UEFA Champions League qualification. However, he had a disagreement with coach Joachim Löw in October. Scharner did not like playing as a right midfielder. This led to him being suspended from the team. He then had to look for a new club.

Moving to SV Salzburg

Since he could no longer play for Austria Wien, Scharner joined SV Austria Salzburg. This club was fighting against relegation at the time. He signed a contract until June 2006.

He played 13 league games for Salzburg that season. He scored two goals and helped the team avoid relegation. In the next season, he played five league matches. He scored one goal before surprisingly moving to Norway.

Time in Norway with SK Brann

Paul Scharner joined Norwegian club SK Brann on the last day of the summer transfer period in 2004. He signed a 2.5-year contract. He played a few games for Brann that season and scored one goal. Brann won the Norwegian Cup that year. This meant they qualified for the UEFA Cup.

In 2005, he became a regular starter for Brann. He played 29 games and scored five goals. When he left the club after the 2005 season, he had played 32 league matches and scored seven goals. Scharner was voted Brann's Player of the Year in 2005.

Joining Wigan Athletic

After the 2005 season, Scharner signed a 3.5-year deal with Wigan Athletic in England. This happened on 22 December 2005. Wigan paid a fee of £2.5 million for him, which was the biggest transfer in Brann's history.

Scharner joined Wigan for the second half of the 2005–06 season. In his first game for Wigan, he scored the winning goal against Arsenal in the League Cup. He played in the League Cup final that season, where Wigan lost to Manchester United. He scored his first Premier League goal against Everton. He quickly became a key player, starting in many games and scoring three goals.

In the next season, Wigan was fighting to avoid relegation. Scharner continued to be a leading player. He scored two goals against Everton. An injury kept him out for part of the second half of the season. He returned later and scored a crucial goal in the last game of the season against Sheffield United. This goal helped Wigan stay in the Premier League by just one goal difference.

The 2007–08 season also saw Wigan battling relegation. Paul Scharner was again a vital part of the team. He started almost every game, scoring four goals. He was voted Wigan's Player of the Year for that season.

In the 2008–09 season, Scharner played 27 league games. On 22 March 2009, he became the first Wigan player to play 100 Premier League games. Wigan finished in a good eleventh place that season.

In his final season for Wigan, he played in all 38 league games. He scored four goals. On 19 April 2010, he announced he would leave Wigan Athletic at the end of the season.

Playing for West Bromwich Albion

On 30 August 2010, Scharner joined newly promoted Premier League team West Bromwich Albion. He signed a two-year deal. He joined as a free agent after leaving Wigan. His teammate James Morrison praised his performances. Scharner wanted to play more as a midfielder at West Brom.

After his league debut, West Brom went on a five-game unbeaten run. This included a win against Arsenal and a draw against Manchester United. He scored his first goal for West Brom in a 4-1 win against Everton. This was Albion's first league win at Goodison Park since 1979. He scored four goals that season. His club finished the season in eleventh place.

In the next season, Scharner played 29 games for West Brom. He scored three goals. On 22 October 2011, he scored a winning goal against rivals Aston Villa. This was Albion's first league win at Villa Park since 1979. West Brom finished in tenth place. Scharner announced he would leave West Brom in the summer of 2012.

Short Time at Hamburger SV

After his contract with West Bromwich Albion ended, Scharner moved to German club Hamburger SV. He signed a two-year contract. He was known for being very prepared. When he first met the coach, Thorsten Fink, he had a list of ten questions to ask him. This impressed Fink.

Returning to Wigan and FA Cup Glory

After playing four games for Hamburg in the 2012–13 season, Scharner was loaned back to his former club Wigan Athletic. This happened on the last day of the transfer window.

He helped Wigan reach the FA Cup final. They beat Millwall 2–0 at Wembley. Scharner said this was his "best moment in football." On 11 May 2013, Scharner won the FA Cup with Wigan. They won 1–0 against Manchester City, which was a big surprise. Just three days later, Wigan was relegated from the Premier League after losing to Arsenal.

International Career

Paul Scharner started playing for Austria at the under-21 level. His first game was against Spain in 2000. He played 12 matches for the Under-21 team.

He made his debut for the Austria national football team in April 2002. This was a 0–0 draw with Cameroon. He played in the qualification games for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, but Austria did not qualify.

Scharner retired from international football in August 2006. He had some disagreements with the Austrian Football Association (ÖFB) and the coach at the time, Josef Hickersberger. Hickersberger said Scharner would not play for Austria while he was coach. Scharner tried to return in 2008, but Hickersberger did not pick him.

After Hickersberger left, the new coach, Karel Brückner, started picking Scharner again. He was even made team captain from 2009 to 2010. In August 2012, he was permanently banned from the team. This happened after he left the team hotel when coach Marcel Koller would not give him a main role in upcoming games. The ÖFB said he would never play for Austria again. He played a total of 40 matches for the national team.

Playing Style

Paul Scharner usually played as a central defender or a midfielder. He was known for being able to play in many different positions. For Wigan, he played almost every outfield position except left back. He preferred playing in a defensive role.

His former coach at West Brom, Roberto Di Matteo, described Scharner as a "powerful, competitive player." He said Scharner was good with the ball, strong in both penalty boxes, and could score goals.

Scharner was also very professional and focused. He planned his training and goals carefully. Since he was 12, he controlled his diet. Since he was 15, he trained with a personal mental coach. He believed that you could train your mind just like your body. His coach at HSV, Thorsten Fink, said Scharner was a leader who always stepped up for the team.

Public Image

Scharner often got media attention because of his disagreements with coaches. In Norway, fans lovingly called him fussballgott, which means "football-god." He was seen as a leader and an idol. In England, he was remembered for his professionalism, focus, and energetic performances. He also had a close relationship with the fans of his teams.

He was also known for his many different haircuts. He would cut and dye his hair in various styles and colors.

Personal Life

Paul Scharner is married to Marlene. They have three sons: Constantin, Benedict, and Paul Jr. He studied electrical engineering. His hobbies include skiing, reading, motorcycling, and billiards.

Career Statistics

Club

As of 19 May 2013.

International

Statistics as of 19 August 2012.

Honours

Austria Wien

• Austrian Bundesliga: 2002–03
• Austrian Cup: 2002–03
• Austrian Supercup: 2003

SK Brann

• Norwegian Cup: 2004

Wigan Athletic

• FA Cup: 2012–13
• Football League Cup runner-up: 2005–06

Individual

• SK Brann's Player of the Year: 2005
• Wigan Athletic's Player of the Year: 2008

See also

In Spanish: Paul Scharner para niños