Friedhelm Konietzka
Encyclopedia
Friedhelm "Timo" Konietzka (born 2 August 1938 in Lünen
, Province of Westphalia
) is a former German
football striker and manager. He earned his nickname "Timo" due to a resemblance to the Soviet
commander Semyon Timoshenko
.
, coach of Borussia Dortmund
at that time, discovered his talent and included him in the Dortmund squad. Together with fellow striker Jürgen Schütz
, he formed the most dangerous attack of the Oberliga West
. Konietzka played a total of 100 Bundesliga
matches for Borussia Dortmund and TSV 1860 Munich and scored 72 goals, being the second best scorer of the league from 1964–66 in the process. He was also capped nine times (three goals) from 1962–1965.
He won the German championship with Dortmund against 1. FC Köln
in the last final before the introduction of the Bundesliga in 1963.
Konietzka earned his place in football history books when he scored the very first goal of the newly founded Bundesliga in the first minute of a match between SV Werder Bremen
and Borussia Dortmund on 24 August 1963. His biggest successes as a player were a DFB-Pokal
title with Dortmund in 1965 and championship titles with Dortmund in 1963 and TSV 1860 Munich in 1966.
His coaching career included stints with Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Uerdingen
, FC Zürich, BSC Young Boys
and Grasshopper-Club Zürich
. He won three Swiss championships with FC Zürich between 1974 and 1976 and reached the semifinal of the European Cup 1976–77, where his Zürich side was knocked out by Liverpool FC. As coach of BSC Young Boys he twice reached the final of the Swiss Cup between 1978 and 1980.
Konietzka is married to his wife Claudia. He took Swiss citizenship in 1988.
TSV 1860 Munich
FC Zürich
Lünen
Lünen or Luenen is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located north of Dortmund along the Lippe River. It is the largest town of the Unna district, and part of the green Münster area....
, Province of Westphalia
Province of Westphalia
The Province of Westphalia was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia from 1815 to 1946.-History:Napoleon Bonaparte founded the Kingdom of Westphalia, which was a client state of the First French Empire from 1807 to 1813...
) is a former German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
football striker and manager. He earned his nickname "Timo" due to a resemblance to the Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
commander Semyon Timoshenko
Semyon Timoshenko
Semyon Konstantinovich Timoshenko was a Soviet military commander and senior professional officer of the Red Army at the beginning of the German invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941.-Early life:...
.
Biography
Konietzka started his football career at his hometown club VfB 08 Lünen. Max MerkelMax Merkel
Maximilian Merkel was an Austrian football player and coach. The former Rapid player featured twice in a national team...
, coach of Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund
Ballspielverein Borussia Dortmund, commonly BVB, are a German sports club based in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia. Dortmund are one of the most successful clubs in German football history. Borussia Dortmund play in the Bundesliga, the top league of German football...
at that time, discovered his talent and included him in the Dortmund squad. Together with fellow striker Jürgen Schütz
Jürgen Schütz
Jürgen Schütz was a German football player from Dortmund, Germany; he died of laryngeal cancer. He spent 4 seasons in the Bundesliga with TSV 1860 München and Borussia Dortmund. Schütz also represented Germany in 6 friendlies....
, he formed the most dangerous attack of the Oberliga West
Oberliga West (1947-63)
The Oberliga West was the highest level of the German football league system in the west of Germany from 1947 until the formation of the Bundesliga in 1963...
. Konietzka played a total of 100 Bundesliga
Fußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
matches for Borussia Dortmund and TSV 1860 Munich and scored 72 goals, being the second best scorer of the league from 1964–66 in the process. He was also capped nine times (three goals) from 1962–1965.
He won the German championship with Dortmund against 1. FC Köln
1. FC Köln
1. FC Köln is a German association football club based in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia. It was formed in 1948 as a merger of the clubs Kölner Ballspiel-Club 1901 and SpVgg Sülz 07....
in the last final before the introduction of the Bundesliga in 1963.
Konietzka earned his place in football history books when he scored the very first goal of the newly founded Bundesliga in the first minute of a match between SV Werder Bremen
SV Werder Bremen
SV Werder Bremen is a German sports club best known for its association football team playing in Bremen, in the northwest German federal state of the same name. The club was founded on 4 February 1899 as Fußballverein Werder by a group of sixteen vocational high school students who had won a prize...
and Borussia Dortmund on 24 August 1963. His biggest successes as a player were a DFB-Pokal
DFB-Pokal
The DFB-Pokal or DFB Cup is a German knockout football cup competition held annually. 64 teams participate in the competition, including all clubs from the Bundesliga and the 2nd Bundesliga. It is considered the second most important national title in German football after the Bundesliga...
title with Dortmund in 1965 and championship titles with Dortmund in 1963 and TSV 1860 Munich in 1966.
His coaching career included stints with Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Uerdingen
KFC Uerdingen 05
KFC Uerdingen 05 is a German association football club in the Uerdingen district of the city of Krefeld, North Rhine-Westphalia. The one time Bundesliga side enjoyed its greatest successes in the 1980s, but most recently has been part of fifth and sixth tier competition.-History:The club was...
, FC Zürich, BSC Young Boys
BSC Young Boys
Berner Sport Club Young Boys 1898 is a Swiss sporting club based in the capital city of Bern. The name is often abbreviated to YB . Abroad, YB is often referred to as Young Boys Bern. The club's colors are yellow and black....
and 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...
. He won three Swiss championships with FC Zürich between 1974 and 1976 and reached the semifinal of the European Cup 1976–77, where his Zürich side was knocked out by Liverpool FC. As coach of BSC Young Boys he twice reached the final of the Swiss Cup between 1978 and 1980.
Konietzka is married to his wife Claudia. He took Swiss citizenship in 1988.
Individual
- second-best scorer in BundesligaFußball-BundesligaThe Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
1963–64, 1964–65 and 1965–66
Club
Borussia DortmundBorussia Dortmund
Ballspielverein Borussia Dortmund, commonly BVB, are a German sports club based in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia. Dortmund are one of the most successful clubs in German football history. Borussia Dortmund play in the Bundesliga, the top league of German football...
- West German championsGerman football championsThe German football champions are the annual winners of the highest association football competition in Germany. The history of the German football championship is complex and reflects the turbulent history of the country through the course of the 20th century.Brought to the country by English...
: 1963German football championship 1963The 59th German football championship was the culmination of the football season in the Federal Republic of Germany in 1962-63. Borussia Dortmund were crowned champions for the third time after a group stage and a final, having previously won the championship in 1956 and 1957.On the strength of... - DFB Cup winners: 1965
TSV 1860 Munich
- West German champions: 1966
FC Zürich
- Swiss champions: 1973–74Swiss Super League 1973-74Statistics of Swiss Super League in the 1973–74 season.-League standings:-References:...
, 1974–75Swiss Super League 1974-75Statistics of Swiss Super League in the 1974–75 season.-League standings:-References:...
, 1975–76Swiss Super League 1975-76Statistics of Swiss Super League in the 1975–76 season.-League standings:-References:...