 Vogelsinger circa 1975 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 1938 | ||
| Place of birth | Vienna, Austria | ||
| Date of death | (aged 85) | ||
| Managerial career | |||
| Years | Team | ||
| 1966–1973 | Yale Bulldogs | ||
| 1974–1976 | Boston Minutemen | ||
| 1977 | Team Hawaii | ||
| 1978–1980 | San Diego Sockers | ||
Hubert Vogelsinger was an Austrian association football manager. He was known for his career coaching several teams in the North American Soccer League, as well as for hosting many soccer clinics and camps.
Vogelsinger was born in 1938 in Vienna, Austria. [1] He played professionally in the Austrian First Division for five years. [2]
He first came to the United States in 1961. In 1963, he played for the Boston Metros in the American Soccer League. [3]
He had an early soccer coaching job first with Middlesex School, then with Brandeis University in 1965. [4] [3]
In 1965, Vogelsinger established Vogelsinger Soccer Academy, one of the first soccer camps in the United States. [5] As of 2023, [update] the academy is still active. [6]
In 1966, Vogelsinger was named head coach of the Bulldogs men's soccer team at Yale University. He remained with the Bulldogs through the 1973 season, compiling a record of 38 wins, 45 losses, and 16 ties. [7]
On January 17, 1974, Vogelsinger was named as the first head coach of the Boston Minutemen of the North American Soccer League ahead of their inaugural 1974 season. [8] Under his leadership, the Minutemen won the Northern Division title in 1974 and 1975. In 1976, the club ran into significant financial difficulties, and sold the contracts of 8 starting players that summer. On July 8, Vogelsinger submitted his immediate resignation, citing disapproval with the state of the club and its leadership. [9] The Minutemen would ultimately fold after the 1976 season.
Vogelsinger was then signed as head coach of the newly founded Team Hawaii in 1977. Team Hawaii faced significant struggles with travel due to the remoteness of the island compared to the rest of their NASL opponents. [10] Vogelsinger was replaced midway through the season; Vogelsinger said he had reached a mutual understanding with the club and also mentioned an illness his wife had been suffering. He was named as a possible coach for a new NASL franchise in Indiana to begin play in 1978, but this never materialized. [1]
He returned to coaching in 1978 with the San Diego Sockers. [5] In his first season, the Sockers won the west division of NASL's American Conference in the regular season. They performed well in 1979 as well, finishing as the conference runner-up in the NASL playoffs. However, in 1980, San Diego got off to a weak start under Vogelsinger. [11] On July 2, the Sockers snapped a four-game losing streak with a 3–2 overtime win over the Chicago Sting. However, his players declined to partake in a vote of confidence for him, and he was fired by the club on July 4. [12] [13] He was replaced by Ron Newman, who later said that Vogelsinger had put together a great roster but declined to comment on his coaching skills. [14] Newman ultimately led the Sockers to the American Conference final in the 1980 NASL playoffs. [11]
Following his exit from the NASL, Vogelsinger turned his focus to running soccer clinics. [15]
Vogelsinger had a reputation as a tough coach with an intense personality, making him unpopular among some fans. [16] [17] He emphasized discipline with his players and said of his relationship with them, "I have no friends. [...] I want to make sure they feel they can't get away with anything. There have to be areas of uncertainty between the players and the coach." [3] His approach has been compared by media to that of American football coach Vince Lombardi; [2] he has compared himself to George Allen, Don Shula, and Tom Landry. [3]
He also had a tense relationship with the media, at times refusing to speak to them and barring them from his locker room. [18] When the Sockers signed leading draft pick Jim Stamatis in 1980, Vogelsinger did not allow Stamatis to attend the media press conference, saying he was at practice. [19]
In Vienna, Vogelsinger met Lois Ryan, an American student in Austria on a Fulbright scholarship. He first came to the United States when he accompanied Ryan to Massachusetts in 1961. [20] They were married roughly four weeks after arriving in the country. [5]
Vogelsinger was the author of five books about soccer: How to Star in Soccer (1968), Winning soccer skills and techniques (1970), The Challenge of Soccer: A Handbook of Skills, Techniques, and Strategy (1973), New Challenge of Soccer (1980), and Power Basics of Soccer (1983). [5]
Vogelsinger died on June 22, 2023. [5]
The North American Soccer League (NASL) was the top-level major professional soccer league in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984. It was the first soccer league to be successful on a national scale in the United States. The league final was called the Soccer Bowl from 1975 to 1983 and the Soccer Bowl Series in its final year, 1984. The league was headed by Commissioner Phil Woosnam from 1969 to 1983. The NASL laid the foundations for soccer in the United States that helped lead to the country hosting the 1994 FIFA World Cup and the set-up of Major League Soccer (MLS) in 1996.
The San Diego Sockers were a soccer and indoor soccer team based in San Diego, California. The team played in the indoor and outdoor editions of the North American Soccer League (NASL) until 1984 as well as the original Major Indoor Soccer League and CISL. The franchise folded in 1996 and was the last surviving NASL franchise.
The Baltimore Comets were a professional soccer team based in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1974, the Comets were an expansion team that played two seasons in the North American Soccer League. The team originally played its home matches at Memorial Stadium but moved to Burdick Field located at Towson University during the 1975 season. At the conclusion of the 1975 NASL season the team moved to San Diego, California rebranding as the Jaws.
Kevin Troy Crow is an American former soccer defender. He played two seasons in the North American Soccer League, eight in the Major Indoor Soccer League and four in the Continental Indoor Soccer League, all with the San Diego Sockers. He was a first team NASL All Star, a five-time MISL All Star and a five-time Defender of the Year. He earned thirteen caps with the U.S. national team from 1984 to 1988. His national team career included all three U.S. games at both the 1984 and 1988 Summer Olympics. He was the general manager of the San Diego Spirit and the chief operating officer of the Women's United Soccer Association. He has served on the United States Soccer Federation Board of Directors.
Alan Mayer is an American retired soccer goalkeeper. He played professionally in the North American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League and earned six caps with the United States men's national soccer team.
Jim Stamatis is a retired U.S.-Greek soccer forward and the Chief Executive Officer of The Louis Berger Group. He played professionally in the North American Soccer League, Major Indoor Soccer League and American Soccer League.
Jean Wilhelm Willrich is a German-American soccer player who played as a forward. He played in his native Germany, then two seasons in the Netherlands, eight in the North American Soccer League and twelve in the Major Indoor Soccer League.
Ade Coker is a former soccer player who played as a striker. Coker began with English club West Ham United then moved to the North American Soccer League and the Major Indoor Soccer League. Born in Nigeria, he earned five caps for the United States national team.
Njego Pesa is a former American soccer forward who played in the North American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League. He earned seven caps with the U.S. national team.
Juli Veee is a former professional soccer player who played as a forward. Announced as "Double-deuce, triple-E, the one and only Juli Veee", Veee experienced his greatest success as an indoor player with the San Diego Sockers. Born in Hungary, he earned four caps, scoring two goals, with the United States national team.
The Portland Timbers were an American soccer team that competed in the North American Soccer League (NASL) from 1975 to 1982. The team was based in Portland, Oregon and played their home games at Civic Stadium for outdoor matches and the Memorial Coliseum for indoor games. The nickname "Soccer City, USA" to refer to Portland was coined during the team's first season. The team folded at the conclusion of the 1982 North American Soccer League season.
The 1978 North American Soccer League season was the 66th season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer, the 11th with a national first-division league, in the United States and Canada.
Peter Thomas Anderson is an English former football midfielder and manager.
Guy Newman is a retired English-American soccer defender who played in the North American Soccer League, American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League. He is currently coaching at East County Surf Soccer Club.
The 1981–82 season was the North American Soccer League's third indoor soccer season.
Ronald Vernon Newman was an English professional association football player and coach. He was a member of the American National Soccer Hall of Fame.
North American Soccer League (NASL) was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984. Beginning in 1975, the league final was called the Soccer Bowl.
Peter Nover is a German former professional footballer who played as a defender in the 2. Bundesliga, North American Soccer League and Mexican Primera División.
Tommy Maurer is a former North American Soccer League midfielder.
Terry Fisher is an American soccer coach. He served as coach of the Los Angeles Aztecs and the San Jose Earthquakes of the North American Soccer League in the 1970s.