Georg Koch
Encyclopedia
Georg Koch is a former German
footballer, who played as a goalkeeper.
, Koch started his career playing at amateur club SpVgg Erkenschwick
before becoming a professional in January 1992, when he moved to the Bundesliga
with Fortuna Düsseldorf
. He was only understudy to firmly established Jörg Schmadtke
in his first months, making no appearances.
After Fortuna was relegated with a 20th-place finish, Koch eventually became the club's first choice, helping it return to the top division in 1994–95, and continued in that position in the following years; he made his debut in the competition on 11 August 1995, at SV Werder Bremen
.
In June 1997, shortly after another top flight relegation, Koch agreed terms with Holland
's PSV Eindhoven, but spent only three months with the club and returned to Germany in October 1997, signing with Arminia Bielefeld
, where he played a further two 1/2 campaigns, with one relegation and one promotion.
During the 2000 winter break, Koch left for 1. FC Kaiserslautern
and became the club's first-choice goalkeeper in March 2000, after spending six matches as understudy to Uwe Gospodarek
. He went on to make nine league appearances throughout the final eleven matchdays of the season and became the club's first-choice in the following two seasons, but lost his position to the young Tim Wiese
in early 2003, and left the club upon the end of that season. In August 2003, Koch signed with FC Energie Cottbus, which competed in the second division at the time, and subsequently made 26 appearances for the club in the league before moving to another side in the category, MSV Duisburg
, in June 2004, on a five-year contract.
He made 67 out of possible 68 league appearances in his first two seasons with the Zebra
s, only missing one in 2004–05 as he was suspended after collecting five yellow cards, in a promotion-ending season - Duisburg would be however immediately relegated back.
Koch untimely cancelled his contract with Duisburg in late June 2007 and went to join Croatia
n first-division side NK Dinamo Zagreb on a free transfer in early July, signing a two-year contract. He made his competitive debut for Dinamo on 17 July, in the club's first UEFA Champions League
qualifier against Azerbaijan
's FK Khazar Lenkoran
on the road, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
Despite the fact that he only spent one season with Dinamo, Koch received large amounts of praise from the fans due to his incredible charisma after only a few months of playing for the club, with many of them seeing him as the future captain. However, Dinamo decided to re-sign their former player Tomislav Butina
for the 2008–09 season, and Koch was eventually sold to SK Rapid Wien
, in July 2008.
At Rapid, Koch started the season as first-choice, deputising for injured Helge Payer
. However, in the derby against FK Austria Wien
on 24 August 2008, he was severely injured after a firecracker
, thrown from the stand with the travelling Austria supporters behind his goal, exploded in his proximity. Koch had to be substituted and it was later reported that he had suffered hearing
trauma
and circulatory shock. In late September 2008, he was quoted saying in an Austrian newspaper that he still was experiencing problems with his equilibrioception
as a result of the incident.
Koch announced his retirement on 18 March 2009, stating that he recognized there was no point carry on playing as he was still suffering from the effects of the accident. On 7 September 2009, he came out of retirement, joining seventh-tier club SC Herford
, and playing his first match against SC Verl II
; in November, however, only two months after, he retired for the second and final time.
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...
footballer, who played as a goalkeeper.
Football career
Born in Bergisch GladbachBergisch Gladbach
' is a city in the Cologne/Bonn Region of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and capital of the Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis .-Geography:Bergisch Gladbach is located east of the river Rhine, approx...
, Koch started his career playing at amateur club SpVgg Erkenschwick
SpVgg Erkenschwick
SpVgg Erkenschwick is a German football club based in Oer-Erkenschwick in North Rhine-Westphalia.- History :Founded as Sportverein Erkenschwick in 1916, they joined Emscher-Lippe-Spielverband to form Sportfreunde Erkenschwick in 1918, which in then merged with Turn- und Leichtathletikverein TV...
before becoming a professional in January 1992, when he moved to the 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...
with Fortuna Düsseldorf
Fortuna Düsseldorf
' is a German association football club based in Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia, currently playing in the second tier of German league football, the 2. Fußball-Bundesliga...
. He was only understudy to firmly established Jörg Schmadtke
Jörg Schmadtke
Jörg Schmadtke is a German football coach and former player.-External links:...
in his first months, making no appearances.
After Fortuna was relegated with a 20th-place finish, Koch eventually became the club's first choice, helping it return to the top division in 1994–95, and continued in that position in the following years; he made his debut in the competition on 11 August 1995, at 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...
.
In June 1997, shortly after another top flight relegation, Koch agreed terms with Holland
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
's PSV Eindhoven, but spent only three months with the club and returned to Germany in October 1997, signing with Arminia Bielefeld
Arminia Bielefeld
DSC Arminia Bielefeld is a German sports club from Bielefeld, North Rhine-Westphalia. Arminia offers the sports of football, field hockey, figure skating and cue sports. The club has 11,394 members and the club colours are black, white and blue...
, where he played a further two 1/2 campaigns, with one relegation and one promotion.
During the 2000 winter break, Koch left for 1. FC Kaiserslautern
1. FC Kaiserslautern
1. Fußball-Club Kaiserslautern, also known as 1. FCK, FCK or simply Kaiserslautern, is a German association football club based in Kaiserslautern, Rhineland-Palatinate. On 2 June 1900, Germania 1896 and FG Kaiserslautern merged to create FC 1900...
and became the club's first-choice goalkeeper in March 2000, after spending six matches as understudy to Uwe Gospodarek
Uwe Gospodarek
Uwe Gospodarek is a retired German footballer who played as a goalkeeper.-Football career:Gospodarek started playing professionally with FC Bayern Munich, but would only manage seven first team appearances during four seasons, being barred by two internationals: first Raimond Aumann, then Oliver...
. He went on to make nine league appearances throughout the final eleven matchdays of the season and became the club's first-choice in the following two seasons, but lost his position to the young Tim Wiese
Tim Wiese
Tim Wiese is a German goalkeeper who currently plays for Werder Bremen and the German national team. He joined Werder Bremen in 2005 from Kaiserslautern in the Bundesliga.-Fortuna Köln:...
in early 2003, and left the club upon the end of that season. In August 2003, Koch signed with FC Energie Cottbus, which competed in the second division at the time, and subsequently made 26 appearances for the club in the league before moving to another side in the category, MSV Duisburg
MSV Duisburg
MSV Duisburg is a German association football club based in Duisburg, North Rhine-Westphalia. Nicknamed "the Zebras" for their traditional striped jerseys, the club was one of the original members of the Bundesliga when it was formed in 1963.-Early years:...
, in June 2004, on a five-year contract.
He made 67 out of possible 68 league appearances in his first two seasons with the Zebra
Zebra
Zebras are several species of African equids united by their distinctive black and white stripes. Their stripes come in different patterns unique to each individual. They are generally social animals that live in small harems to large herds...
s, only missing one in 2004–05 as he was suspended after collecting five yellow cards, in a promotion-ending season - Duisburg would be however immediately relegated back.
Koch untimely cancelled his contract with Duisburg in late June 2007 and went to join Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n first-division side NK Dinamo Zagreb on a free transfer in early July, signing a two-year contract. He made his competitive debut for Dinamo on 17 July, in the club's first UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
qualifier against Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
's FK Khazar Lenkoran
FK Khazar Lenkoran
FK Khazar Lankaran is an Azerbaijani football club based in Lankaran, who play in the Azerbaijan Premier League. Khazar Lankaran have won the League title only once, and the Azerbaijan Cup three times....
on the road, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
Despite the fact that he only spent one season with Dinamo, Koch received large amounts of praise from the fans due to his incredible charisma after only a few months of playing for the club, with many of them seeing him as the future captain. However, Dinamo decided to re-sign their former player Tomislav Butina
Tomislav Butina
Tomislav Butina is a former Croatian footballer who played as goalkeeper for top level clubs Dinamo Zagreb, Club Brugge and Olympiacos. He was also capped 28 times for the Croatia national football team in the period from 2001 to 2006 and was member of Croatian squads at the 2002 and 2006 FIFA...
for the 2008–09 season, and Koch was eventually sold to SK Rapid Wien
SK Rapid Wien
The Sportklub Rapid Wien is an Austrian football club playing in the country's capital city of Vienna. Rapid is the most popular club in Austria and also record title holder having won the Austrian national football title 32 times...
, in July 2008.
At Rapid, Koch started the season as first-choice, deputising for injured Helge Payer
Helge Payer
Helge Payer is an Austrian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Rapid Vienna and internationally for the Austrian national team.-Club career:...
. However, in the derby against FK Austria Wien
FK Austria Wien
Fußballklub Austria Wien is an Austrian association football club from the capital city of Vienna. They are considered the most successful club in Austria, having won the highest Austrian Bundesliga 23 times, the Austrian Cup 27 times and the Austrian Supercup 6 times. They also reached the UEFA...
on 24 August 2008, he was severely injured after a firecracker
Firecracker
A firecracker is a small explosive device primarily designed to produce a large amount of noise, especially in the form of a loud bang; any visual effect is incidental to this goal. They have fuses, and are wrapped in a heavy paper casing to contain the explosive compound...
, thrown from the stand with the travelling Austria supporters behind his goal, exploded in his proximity. Koch had to be substituted and it was later reported that he had suffered hearing
Hearing (sense)
Hearing is the ability to perceive sound by detecting vibrations through an organ such as the ear. It is one of the traditional five senses...
trauma
Psychological trauma
Psychological trauma is a type of damage to the psyche that occurs as a result of a traumatic event...
and circulatory shock. In late September 2008, he was quoted saying in an Austrian newspaper that he still was experiencing problems with his equilibrioception
Equilibrioception
Equilibrioception or sense of balance is one of the physiological senses. It helps prevent humans and animals from falling over when walking or standing still. Balance is the result of a number of body systems working together: the eyes , ears and the body's sense of where it is in space ideally...
as a result of the incident.
Koch announced his retirement on 18 March 2009, stating that he recognized there was no point carry on playing as he was still suffering from the effects of the accident. On 7 September 2009, he came out of retirement, joining seventh-tier club SC Herford
SC Herford
SC Herford is a German association football club based in Herford, North Rhine-Westphalia. The club was formed out of the merger of several local sides in the late 60s and early 70s and then went on to enjoy a short turn in second division football in the late 70s and early 80s...
, and playing his first match against SC Verl II
SC Verl
SC Verl is a German association football club based in Verl, North Rhine-Westphalia. The club was founded on 6 September 1924, and since 1970 has consistently played in the higher echelons of amateur football.-History:...
; in November, however, only two months after, he retired for the second and final time.