Alain Geiger
Encyclopedia
Alain Geiger is a retired Swiss
international
football defender
and current manager
. He is currently the head coach manager of Al-Masry in the Egyptian Premier League
.
He is currently the head coach manager of ES Sétif
in the Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1.
He played mainly as a centre-back
despite being only 5'11" in a career that lasted 20 years, and made 112 appearances at international level, being Switzerland's second most capped player behind Heinz Hermann
. His son, Bastien
, is also a professional footballer.
. He played just two matches in his first season but by 1978, he was a first-team regular in the side that went on to win the Swiss Cup in 1980.
In 1981, he signed for Servette FC
, who were one of Switzerland's most successful teams at the time, and became an invaluable player for both club and country. He helped the club win the 1984 Swiss Cup, defeating Lausanne Sports 1-0 after extra time in the final, and the league title in 1985. An aspiring Neuchâtel Xamax
side acquired his services in 1986, and he helped it win the national championship during the only two seasons he played for them, 1986-87 and 1987-88.
A move to France
was on the cards next for Geiger, as he signed for AS Saint-Étienne
during the Summer of 1988. He was a big hit and a first-team regular at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard
, but opted for a return to Switzerland and Sion, in 1990. During his second spell, he saw the form of his life as he became captain for both club and the country
. He lifted the league trophy for the fourth time in his career as Sion were crowned champions in 1991-92.
In 1995, Geiger signed for Grasshopper-Club Zürich
, where he finishing his career after a further two seasons, having played 496 Swiss first division matches, with 38 goals.
2-1 defeat to England
at Wembley Stadium
, on 19 November 1980, and went on to be capped
112 times and score five goals, between 1980 and 1996, five appearances short of midfielder
Heinz Hermann
.
His last match was also against England, in a 1-1 draw at Euro 1996, on June 8. He captained his country at both this competition and the 1994 FIFA World Cup
in the United States
, usually being accompanied at centre-back by Dominique Herr
.
was spent with the reserves of Grasshopper, in 1997. He did so well there that he was given the reigns at another old side, Neuchâtel Xamax, in July 1998. At Xamax, he helped develop the talents of Timothée Atouba, Papa Bouba Diop
and Henri Camara
, and helped the club avoid relegation from the league in his last two seasons.
Geiger quit the club in July 2002 to take over at FC Aarau
, but the club were relegated into the second division at the end of 2002-03 and he was given the sack. In December 2003, he was surprisingly named the manager of Grasshopper, but the team fared poorly under him and he was once again fired.
Subsequently, Geiger had short spells managing Neuchâtel Xamax
, FC Aarau
and Lausanne Sports before being given the job at Moroccan side Olympique Safi
in 2006. He saved the club from relegation from GNF 1 during the 2006-07 season, but resigned at the end of the campaign.
In June 2009, he was replaced by Pierre-André Schürmann
as head coach of Neuchâtel Xamax
.
In January 2010, he was named JS Kabylie
manager. On 14 December 2010, Geiger resigned from his position. During his time with the club, his most notable achievement was leading the team to the semi-finals of the 2010 CAF Champions League
where they lost to eventual champions TP Mazembe
.
Servette
Neuchâtel Xamax
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
international
Switzerland national football team
The Swiss national football team is the national football team of Switzerland...
football defender
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
and current manager
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
. He is currently the head coach manager of Al-Masry in the Egyptian Premier League
Egyptian Premier League
The Egyptian Premier League is an Egyptian professional league for football clubs and represents the top flight of Egyptian football. The championship consists of nineteen competing teams in a home and away league system. It is currently known as the Etisalat Egyptian Premier League, after the...
.
He is currently the head coach manager of ES Sétif
ES Sétif
Entente Sportive Sétifienne , commonly referred to as ES Sétif or ESS for short, is an Algerian professional football club based in Sétif currently playing in the Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1...
in the Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1.
He played mainly as a centre-back
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
despite being only 5'11" in a career that lasted 20 years, and made 112 appearances at international level, being Switzerland's second most capped player behind Heinz Hermann
Heinz Hermann
Heinz Hermann is a former Swiss international footballer.On 1 July 1977 Heinz Hermann changed from FC Seefeld Zürich to Grasshopper-Club Zürich, where he became Swiss league champion four times and cup champion once. At the end of the season 1984/1985 he changed to Neuchâtel Xamax, and he later...
. His son, Bastien
Bastien Geiger
Bastien Geiger is a Swiss footballer who plays as a right defender for Swiss Super League club Neuchâtel Xamax.- Career :...
, is also a professional footballer.
Club
Geiger started playing professionally in 1977 with FC SionFC Sion
FC Sion is a Swiss football team from the city of Sion. The club was founded in 1909, and play their home games at the Stade Tourbillon. They have won the Swiss Super League twice, and the Swiss Cup in each of their twelve appearances in the final, the most recent being in 2011.The first team also...
. He played just two matches in his first season but by 1978, he was a first-team regular in the side that went on to win the Swiss Cup in 1980.
In 1981, he signed for Servette FC
Servette FC
Servette FC is a Swiss football club, based in Geneva currently playing in the Swiss Super League. They were playing in the Swiss Challenge League, the second highest tier of Swiss football having been relegated from the Swiss Super League at the end of 2004/05 season...
, who were one of Switzerland's most successful teams at the time, and became an invaluable player for both club and country. He helped the club win the 1984 Swiss Cup, defeating Lausanne Sports 1-0 after extra time in the final, and the league title in 1985. An aspiring Neuchâtel Xamax
Neuchâtel Xamax
Neuchâtel Xamax Football Club is a Swiss football club, based in Neuchâtel. It was created in 1970 through a merger between FC Cantonal and FC Xamax . The club plays in red shirts, black shorts and red socks and are currently in the Axpo Super League, the highest Swiss football league. They play...
side acquired his services in 1986, and he helped it win the national championship during the only two seasons he played for them, 1986-87 and 1987-88.
A move to France
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
was on the cards next for Geiger, as he signed for AS Saint-Étienne
AS Saint-Étienne
Association Sportive de Saint-Étienne Loire is a French association football club based in Saint-Étienne. The club was founded in 1919 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top division of French football. Saint-Étienne plays its home matches at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard located within the city...
during the Summer of 1988. He was a big hit and a first-team regular at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard
Stade Geoffroy-Guichard
Stade Geoffroy-Guichard is a multi-purpose stadium in Saint-Étienne, France. It is used primarily for football matches, and tournaments such as the 1984 European Football Championship, the Football World Cup 1998 and the Confederations Cup 2003. It is also used for rugby union, and was a venue at...
, but opted for a return to Switzerland and Sion, in 1990. During his second spell, he saw the form of his life as he became captain for both club and the country
Switzerland national football team
The Swiss national football team is the national football team of Switzerland...
. He lifted the league trophy for the fourth time in his career as Sion were crowned champions in 1991-92.
In 1995, Geiger signed for Grasshopper-Club Zürich
Grasshopper-Club Zürich
Grasshopper Club Zürich commonly referred to as simply GC, GCZ, or Grasshopper is a Swiss multisports club based in Zürich. The oldest and best known section of Grasshopper Club Zürich is its football team...
, where he finishing his career after a further two seasons, having played 496 Swiss first division matches, with 38 goals.
International
Geiger made his international debut in Switzerland'sSwitzerland national football team
The Swiss national football team is the national football team of Switzerland...
2-1 defeat to England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, on 19 November 1980, and went on to be capped
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
112 times and score five goals, between 1980 and 1996, five appearances short of midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
Heinz Hermann
Heinz Hermann
Heinz Hermann is a former Swiss international footballer.On 1 July 1977 Heinz Hermann changed from FC Seefeld Zürich to Grasshopper-Club Zürich, where he became Swiss league champion four times and cup champion once. At the end of the season 1984/1985 he changed to Neuchâtel Xamax, and he later...
.
His last match was also against England, in a 1-1 draw at Euro 1996, on June 8. He captained his country at both this competition and the 1994 FIFA World Cup
1994 FIFA World Cup
The 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in nine cities across the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. The United States was chosen as the host by FIFA on July 4, 1988...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, usually being accompanied at centre-back by Dominique Herr
Dominique Herr
Dominique Herr is a Swiss former football defender who played throughout the 1980s and 1990s.-Career:Herr started his career at local club FC Basel in 1984 where he was a squad player and played mainly for the FC Basel Under-21's for the first couple of seasons...
.
Coaching career
Geiger's first managerial roleHead coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
was spent with the reserves of Grasshopper, in 1997. He did so well there that he was given the reigns at another old side, Neuchâtel Xamax, in July 1998. At Xamax, he helped develop the talents of Timothée Atouba, Papa Bouba Diop
Papa Bouba Diop
Pape "Papa" Bouba Diop is a Senegalese footballer who plays for West Ham United in the Football League Championship and the Senegal national team. His preferred position is defensive midfield but can also play as a centre back, where he previously played at Lens...
and Henri Camara
Henri Camara
Henri Camara is a Senegalese footballer who plays as a striker for Greek Superleague side Panetolikos.-Early career:Camara was born in Dakar to a Guinean father and a Senegalese mother...
, and helped the club avoid relegation from the league in his last two seasons.
Geiger quit the club in July 2002 to take over at FC Aarau
FC Aarau
FC Aarau is a Swiss football club, based in Aarau. They play in the Swiss Challenge League.-History:FC Aarau was formed on 26 May 1902 by workers from a local brewery. The early days of the club were a success and they won the Swiss championship in 1911/12 and then again in 1913/14...
, but the club were relegated into the second division at the end of 2002-03 and he was given the sack. In December 2003, he was surprisingly named the manager of Grasshopper, but the team fared poorly under him and he was once again fired.
Subsequently, Geiger had short spells managing Neuchâtel Xamax
Neuchâtel Xamax
Neuchâtel Xamax Football Club is a Swiss football club, based in Neuchâtel. It was created in 1970 through a merger between FC Cantonal and FC Xamax . The club plays in red shirts, black shorts and red socks and are currently in the Axpo Super League, the highest Swiss football league. They play...
, FC Aarau
FC Aarau
FC Aarau is a Swiss football club, based in Aarau. They play in the Swiss Challenge League.-History:FC Aarau was formed on 26 May 1902 by workers from a local brewery. The early days of the club were a success and they won the Swiss championship in 1911/12 and then again in 1913/14...
and Lausanne Sports before being given the job at Moroccan side Olympique Safi
Olympique Safi
Olympic Club de Safi is a Moroccan football club based in Safi.-Current squad:-External links:* *...
in 2006. He saved the club from relegation from GNF 1 during the 2006-07 season, but resigned at the end of the campaign.
In June 2009, he was replaced by Pierre-André Schürmann
Pierre-André Schürmann
Pierre-André Schürmann is a Swiss former footballer and last manager of the Neuchâtel Xamax.-Playing:...
as head coach of Neuchâtel Xamax
Neuchâtel Xamax
Neuchâtel Xamax Football Club is a Swiss football club, based in Neuchâtel. It was created in 1970 through a merger between FC Cantonal and FC Xamax . The club plays in red shirts, black shorts and red socks and are currently in the Axpo Super League, the highest Swiss football league. They play...
.
In January 2010, he was named JS Kabylie
JS Kabylie
Jeunesse Sportive de Kabylie , known as JS Kabylie or JSK , is an Algerian professional association football club based in Tizi Ouzou. It draws its support from Kabyle football fans even outside the city of Tizi Ouzou...
manager. On 14 December 2010, Geiger resigned from his position. During his time with the club, his most notable achievement was leading the team to the semi-finals of the 2010 CAF Champions League
2010 CAF Champions League
The 2010 CAF Champions League was the 46th edition of Africa's premier club football tournament organized by the Confederation of African Football , and the 14th edition under the current CAF Champions League format...
where they lost to eventual champions TP Mazembe
TP Mazembe
Tout Puissant Mazembe, formerly known as Englebert, are a Congolese football club based in Lubumbashi. Their home games are played at Stade Municipal de Lubumbashi. Its nickname is Les corbeaux despite having a crocodile with a ball in its mouth on the team crest...
.
Player
Sion- Swiss LeagueSwiss Super LeagueThe Swiss Super League or Axpo Super League is the top tier of the Swiss Football League. The Swiss Super League is currently ranked 16th according to UEFA's ranking of league coefficients, which is based upon Swiss team performances in European competitions.-Names:-Participating clubs:The teams...
: 1991-92 - Swiss Cup: 1979-80, 1990-91
Servette
- Swiss LeagueSwiss Super LeagueThe Swiss Super League or Axpo Super League is the top tier of the Swiss Football League. The Swiss Super League is currently ranked 16th according to UEFA's ranking of league coefficients, which is based upon Swiss team performances in European competitions.-Names:-Participating clubs:The teams...
: 1984-85 - Swiss Cup: 1983-84
Neuchâtel Xamax
- Swiss LeagueSwiss Super LeagueThe Swiss Super League or Axpo Super League is the top tier of the Swiss Football League. The Swiss Super League is currently ranked 16th according to UEFA's ranking of league coefficients, which is based upon Swiss team performances in European competitions.-Names:-Participating clubs:The teams...
: 1986-87, 1987-88