Paul Wolfisberg

Paul Wolfisberg
Personal information
Date of birth 15 June 1933
Place of birth Horw, Switzerland
Date of death 24 August 2020(2020-08-24) (aged 87)
Place of death Horw, Switzerland
Position(s) Forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1950–1954 FC Luzern
1954–1955 FC Biel-Bienne
1955–1966 FC Luzern
Managerial career
1966–1973 SC Buochs
1975 FC Luzern
1975–1977 SC Kriens
1978–1981 FC Luzern
1981–1985 Switzerland
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Paul Wolfisberg (15 June 1933 – 24 August 2020) was a Swiss football player and coach.[1]

Biography

Born in 1933 in Horw, Wolfisberg first played for FC Horw before joining FC Luzern at the age of 17.[2] In 1954, he joined FC Biel-Bienne while studying at the Technicum in Biel/Bienne. He returned to Luzern in 1955 after being recruited by coach Rudi Gutendorf. In 1960, he won the Swiss Cup as captain of FC Luzern. He retired as a footballer in 1966.

In 1966, Wolfisberg became manager of SC Buochs, which led the Swiss Challenge League in 1972. After temporarily leaving his post, he returned in December 1972 for the second round.[3] He returned to FC Luzern in 1975 as co-manager alongside Josef Vogel, replacing Ilijas Pašić and was soon replaced by Otto Luttrop.[4] He returned to coaching in October 1975, leading SC Kriens, where he succeeded the late Egon Milder. He was relieved of his coaching duties in 1977 but was retained as a technical director of the club.[5] In 1978, he became technical director at FC Luzern, which led the Swiss Super League in 1979.[6]

In 1981, Wolfisberg was appointed head coach of the Switzerland national team, leading 52 matches until 1985, when he was axed following a failure to qualify for the 1986 FIFA World Cup.[7] In 1989, he supported Uli Stielike as head of the National Team.[8]

Wolfisberg died at his home in Horw on 24 August 2020 at the age of 87.[9]

References

  1. ^ "Paul Wolfisberg 87-jährig verstorben". SRF (in German). 24 August 2020.
  2. ^ ""Mit dem Alter muss man sich abfinden"" (PDF). Zeitlupe (in German). 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 September 2018.
  3. ^ "Wolfisberg, sauveur de Buochs". Nouvelliste et Feuille d’Avis du Valais (in French). 5 December 1972.
  4. ^ "Luttrop, entraîneur-joueur à Lucerne". Nouvelliste et Feuille d’Avis du Valais (in French). 30 May 1975.
  5. ^ "Pedraita entraineur-joueur au SC Kriens". La Liberté (in French). 30 July 1977.
  6. ^ "Der frühere Schweizer Nationalcoach Paul Wolfisberg ist heute Vormittag 87-jährig in Horw verstorben". Luzerner Zeitung (in German). 24 August 2020.
  7. ^ "Ex-Nati-Trainer Paul Wolfisberg ist gestorben – der populärste "Wolf" ist nicht mehr". Watson (in German). 24 August 2020.
  8. ^ "Foot: Paul Wolfisberg s'est éteint à 87 ans". RTS Sport (in French). 24 August 2020.
  9. ^ "Paul Wolfisberg ist nicht mehr". Vaterland (in German). 24 August 2020.