Udo Klug (21 July 1928 – 3 October 2000) was a German football midfielder and later manager.[1]
Career
As a player
Udo Klug was initially active as a midfielder for FSV Frankfurt, among others. Between 1945 and 1947 he played at least 18 times for FSV in the Oberliga Süd. After his transfer to local rivals Rödelheimer FC in 1947, he played for them only once in the Oberliga. Later he was still active with SpVgg Bad Homburg, now as a goalkeeper. With this club he reached the final of the German Amateur Football Championship in 1955, which the Bad Homburg team lost 5-0 to Sportfreunde Siegen.[2] He was a goalkeeper for the club.[1]
On 1 May 1966, Klug became coach of Eintracht Frankfurt's amateurs, which he managed until 1971. He also coached Eintracht Frankfurt's U23s from 1969 to 1971 before taking his first job as head coach at SV Darmstadt 98 in the Regionalliga Süd in the 1971/72 season. He built a successful team there with players from Eintracht Frankfurt's second tier, which became Regionalliga Süd champions in 1973. In the 1976/77 season, he was given leave of absence on 9 November 1976. Just a few days later, he replaced Zlatko Čajkovski as coach at Kickers Offenbach. He remained there until the end of the 1977/78 season. In 1978-1981, he was employed as manager of Eintracht Frankfurt and stepped in as interim coach from 10 December 1978, to 7 January 1979, during the 1978/79 season. After his contract as manager at Eintracht Frankfurt expired, he accepted an offer from 1. FC Nürnberg in September 1981. There he became the fifth head coach to be hired by club president Michael A. Roth in 1981. Udo Klug lasted on the bench from 9 September 1981 until 25 October 1983, before he too was fired. Klug led the "Club" to the 1982 DFB Cup final against FC Bayern Munich, which was lost 4-2 after an initial 2-0 lead, however. In the 1985/1986 season, he once again coached SV Darmstadt 98 in the 2. Bundesliga. As manager of FC 08 Homburg, he stepped in during the 1986/1987 season in the Bundesliga as interim coach from 23 August 1986 to 11 May 1987. He then accepted an engagement in Switzerland with first-division club FC Wettingen, which he coached from March 1988 to 1 October 1990, leading it from League B to League A and the second round of the UEFA Cup, where it narrowly failed to beat SSC Napoli before being dismissed - with his team in last place. His involvement with Dynamo Dresden in the 1993/94 season was curious, as he asked for his managerial contract to be terminated after just six months. His last coaching stop was Eintracht Trier (Regionalliga West/Südwest) in 1994/95. He last worked for MSV Duisburg as a player observer until 1998 and died after a long serious illness on 3 October 2000.[3]
Stages as a trainer
Year
League
Team
Note
1971/1972
Regionalliga Süd
SV Darmstadt 98
1972/1973
Regionalliga Süd
SV Darmstadt 98
1973/1974
Regionalliga Süd
SV Darmstadt 98
1974/1975
2. Bundesliga Süd
SV Darmstadt 98
1975/1976
2. Bundesliga Süd
SV Darmstadt 98
1976/1977
2. Bundesliga Süd
SV Darmstadt 98
until 9 November 1976
1976/1977
2. Bundesliga Süd
Kickers Offenbach
(Coach / Manager Personalunion)
1977/1978
2. Bundesliga Süd
Kickers Offenbach
(Coach / Manager Personalunion)
1978/1979
Bundesliga
Eintracht Frankfurt
10 December 1978 until 7 January 1979 (interim)
1981/1982
Bundesliga
1. FC Nürnberg
from 9 September 1981
1982/1983
Bundesliga
1. FC Nürnberg
1983/1984
Bundesliga
1. FC Nürnberg
from 25 October 1983
1984/1986
2. Bundesliga
SV Darmstadt 98
from 29 September 1984 until 25 September 1986
1986/1987
Bundesliga
FC 08 Homburg
from 23 August 1986 until 11 May 1987
1988/1989
1st League Switzerland
FC Wettingen
1989/1990
1st League Switzerland
FC Wettingen
1990/1991
1st League Switzerland
FC Wettingen
until 1 October 1990
1991/1992
Oberliga Südwest
Eintracht Trier
from October 1991
1992/1993
Oberliga Südwest
Eintracht Trier
1993/1994
Regionalliga West/Südwest
Eintracht Trier
from February 1994
1994/1995
Regionalliga West/Südwest
Eintracht Trier
Achievements as coach
Champion of the Regionallige Süd 1973 with SV Darmstadt 98
Participation with 1. FC Nürnberg in the 1982 DFB Cup final (lost 4-2 to FC Bayern München at Frankfurt's Waldstadion on 1 May 1982)