Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Manager won four titles, but was sacked three times.
Hermann Stessl became Austria Vienna coach in 1977-78, but because he was so young - 37 - he only got a half-year contract.
However, he was successful: Austria Vienna won the title and reached the Cup Winners' Cup final before losing to a great Anderlecht side. The next year he won the league and his side lost to Malmö in the semi-finals of the European Cup - the furthest an Austrian side have ever gone in the competition - but was sacked halfway through the following season.
It doesn't end there. He returned to Austria Vienna in 1985-86: the team did the double and were only knocked out of the European Cup by Bayern Munich after two amazing matches. Not good enough: he was sacked again.
It still doesn't end there. He went back for a third stint in 1992-93, won the title ... and was sacked again. So in four-and-a-half seasons he won four titles, one Austrian Cup, reached a European final and semi-final ... and was sacked three times.
However, he was successful: Austria Vienna won the title and reached the Cup Winners' Cup final before losing to a great Anderlecht side. The next year he won the league and his side lost to Malmö in the semi-finals of the European Cup - the furthest an Austrian side have ever gone in the competition - but was sacked halfway through the following season.
It doesn't end there. He returned to Austria Vienna in 1985-86: the team did the double and were only knocked out of the European Cup by Bayern Munich after two amazing matches. Not good enough: he was sacked again.
It still doesn't end there. He went back for a third stint in 1992-93, won the title ... and was sacked again. So in four-and-a-half seasons he won four titles, one Austrian Cup, reached a European final and semi-final ... and was sacked three times.
