Rüdiger Abramczik
Encyclopedia
Rüdiger Abramczik is a former German football player and coach, best known for his ability to cross the ball ("Flankengott").
Abramczik, whose younger brother Volker
later became also a professional footballer for Schalke 04, joined the ranks of the city's biggest club, FC Schalke 04
, from native SV Erle 08 at the age of ten after former German international Bernhard Klodt
spotted him. Schalke's former Bundesliga player Friedel Rausch
was partly coaching him in the youth of Schalke then, getting impressed by his unique mobility and pace. It was Rausch who warmly recommended young Abi to Schalke's manager Ivica Horvath, feeling the schoolboy international (23 caps) could already do a job on the highest level.
For the kick-off of the 1973–74 Bundesliga season, FC Schalke 04
travelled to VfB Stuttgart
to see Horvath handing him a starting role. Schalke lost, with Stuttgart's Hermann Ohlicher
's hat-trick the only goals in the game, but Abramczik's appearance on that 11 August made him the youngest ever player used on Bundesliga level at that time. Making fourteen appearances in his Bundesliga debut season, he went on to become a key player for his club in less than three years, netting ten goals for Schalke in 1976–77, when they finished runner-up behind Borussia Mönchengladbach
. The yield of ten goals scored by the then 20-year-old Abramczik remained the best effort of a young Bundesliga player until Lukas Podolski
hit ten for 1. FC Köln
as an eighteen year old in 2003–04.
Köln's Müngersdorfer Stadion witnessed Rüdiger Abramczik's Germany debut when the side of Helmut Schön
beat Northern Ireland
(5–0) on 27 April 1977. Abramczik, who was forming a formidable striker duo with Klaus Fischer
for Schalke at that time, was called up further by Schön and with the 1978 FIFA World Cup
at stage, Abramczik enjoyed his taking part in it for the defending champion. Tipped to be a delight for Germany, failing to produce greater consistency in his game appeared to be the bar to his further proceedings in Die Nationalmannschaft. His life as a German international lasted for only nineteen caps in between 1977 and 1979, with a 3–1 win against Malta at Gzira
his last international cap, an abrupt end furthered by a voiced conflict with then DFB president Hermann Neuberger
.
Joining FC Schalke 04
's bitter arch-rival Borussia Dortmund
at the end of the 1979–80 season, Abramczik's days in Dortmund lasted until he joined 1. FC Nuremberg in 1983. That worked out to be a disastrous career move for the Gelsenkirchen-born, his new club was relegated from Bundesliga with him getting suspended by the club for committing misconduct. He then showed up for Galatasaray Istanbul
under Jupp Derwall and had a spell with Rot-Weiß Oberhausen
in the 2nd Bundesliga
before heading back to hometown club FC Schalke 04
in October 1987. Coming to action in four further Bundesliga matches in the space of five weeks for them, a campaign in which Schalke was chanceless to avoid the drop to 2nd Bundesliga
, Abramczik decided to retire from the professional game to go on playing on amateur level for Wormatia Worms
and FC Gütersloh
.
Rüdiger Abramczik's career in coaching was caused by his decision to work as assistant-manager of Peter Neururer
at 1. FC Saarbrücken
when he run a dyeworks shop in Gelsenkirchen
. A year later, Saarbrücken appointed him Neururer's successor in 1992. He managed Antalyaspor
from 1999 to 2000.
Abramczik, whose younger brother Volker
Volker Abramczik
Volker Abramczik is a former German football player. The younger brother of German international Rüdiger Abramczik played during his career exclusively for sides based in the Ruhr Area....
later became also a professional footballer for Schalke 04, joined the ranks of the city's biggest club, FC Schalke 04
FC Schalke 04
Fußball-Club Gelsenkirchen-Schalke 04, commonly known as simply FC Schalke 04 or Schalke , is a German, association-football club originally from the Schalke district of Gelsenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia. Schalke has long been one of the most popular football teams in Germany, even though major...
, from native SV Erle 08 at the age of ten after former German international Bernhard Klodt
Bernhard Klodt
Bernhard "Berni" Klodt was a German football player. He was born in Gelsenkirchen-Bismarck; the goalkeeper Hans Klodt was his brother....
spotted him. Schalke's former Bundesliga player Friedel Rausch
Friedel Rausch
Friedel Rausch is a German football manager and former player.He moved from Meidericher SV to Schalke where he stayed until 1971 playing as a defender. After his retirement he became manager starting at his former club Schalke...
was partly coaching him in the youth of Schalke then, getting impressed by his unique mobility and pace. It was Rausch who warmly recommended young Abi to Schalke's manager Ivica Horvath, feeling the schoolboy international (23 caps) could already do a job on the highest level.
For the kick-off of the 1973–74 Bundesliga season, FC Schalke 04
FC Schalke 04
Fußball-Club Gelsenkirchen-Schalke 04, commonly known as simply FC Schalke 04 or Schalke , is a German, association-football club originally from the Schalke district of Gelsenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia. Schalke has long been one of the most popular football teams in Germany, even though major...
travelled to VfB Stuttgart
VfB Stuttgart
Verein für Bewegungsspiele Stuttgart 1893 e. V., commonly known as VfB Stuttgart, is a German sports club based in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg. The club is best known for its football team, which has participated in all but two Bundesliga seasons...
to see Horvath handing him a starting role. Schalke lost, with Stuttgart's Hermann Ohlicher
Hermann Ohlicher
Hermann Ohlicher is a retired German football player. He spent ten seasons in the Bundesliga with VfB Stuttgart.-External links:...
's hat-trick the only goals in the game, but Abramczik's appearance on that 11 August made him the youngest ever player used on Bundesliga level at that time. Making fourteen appearances in his Bundesliga debut season, he went on to become a key player for his club in less than three years, netting ten goals for Schalke in 1976–77, when they finished runner-up behind Borussia Mönchengladbach
Borussia Mönchengladbach
Borussia Mönchengladbach is a German association football club based in Mönchengladbach, North Rhine-Westphalia. The team plays in the Bundesliga and is one of the country's most well-known, well-supported, and successful teams. Borussia Mönchengladbach has over 40,000 members and is the sixth...
. The yield of ten goals scored by the then 20-year-old Abramczik remained the best effort of a young Bundesliga player until Lukas Podolski
Lukas Podolski
Lukas Josef Podolski ; born Łukasz Podolski ) on 4 June 1985 in Gliwice, Poland) is a German footballer who plays as a striker/winger for 1. FC Köln and for the German national team. He joined 1. FC Köln in 1995 where he broke into the first team in 2003 and made 81 appearances for the club before...
hit ten for 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....
as an eighteen year old in 2003–04.
Köln's Müngersdorfer Stadion witnessed Rüdiger Abramczik's Germany debut when the side of Helmut Schön
Helmut Schön
Helmut Schön was a German football player and manager. He is best remembered for his exceptional career as manager of West Germany....
beat Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
(5–0) on 27 April 1977. Abramczik, who was forming a formidable striker duo with Klaus Fischer
Klaus Fischer
Klaus Fischer is a German former football player and coach.-Career:Fischer was born in Kreuzstraßl, near Lindberg in the district of Regen....
for Schalke at that time, was called up further by Schön and with the 1978 FIFA World Cup
1978 FIFA World Cup
The 1978 FIFA World Cup, the 11th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in Argentina between 1 June and 25 June. The 1978 World Cup was won by Argentina who beat the Netherlands 3–1 after extra time in the final. This win was the first World Cup title for Argentina, who became the fifth...
at stage, Abramczik enjoyed his taking part in it for the defending champion. Tipped to be a delight for Germany, failing to produce greater consistency in his game appeared to be the bar to his further proceedings in Die Nationalmannschaft. His life as a German international lasted for only nineteen caps in between 1977 and 1979, with a 3–1 win against Malta at Gzira
Gzira
Gżira is a town in the north-eastern coast of Malta between Msida & Sliema, and bordering on Ta' Xbiex, with its famed yacht marina and Embassy Row. The population is approximately 7,100 . The word Gżira means "island" in Maltese, and the town is named after Manoel Island which lies just adjacent...
his last international cap, an abrupt end furthered by a voiced conflict with then DFB president Hermann Neuberger
Hermann Neuberger
Hermann Neuberger was a German football official, and from 1975 to 1992 the seventh president of the Deutscher Fußball-Bund DFB.- External links :*...
.
Joining FC Schalke 04
FC Schalke 04
Fußball-Club Gelsenkirchen-Schalke 04, commonly known as simply FC Schalke 04 or Schalke , is a German, association-football club originally from the Schalke district of Gelsenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia. Schalke has long been one of the most popular football teams in Germany, even though major...
's bitter arch-rival 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 the end of the 1979–80 season, Abramczik's days in Dortmund lasted until he joined 1. FC Nuremberg in 1983. That worked out to be a disastrous career move for the Gelsenkirchen-born, his new club was relegated from Bundesliga with him getting suspended by the club for committing misconduct. He then showed up for Galatasaray Istanbul
Galatasaray
Galatasaray Spor Kulübü is a Turkish sports club based in Istanbul, most notable for its football section, also known as Galatasaray S.K.. It also fields teams in Athletics, Basketball, Wheelchair basketball, Volleyball, Water polo, Swimming, Rowing, Sailing, Judo, Bridge, Equestrian, Handball,...
under Jupp Derwall and had a spell with Rot-Weiß Oberhausen
Rot-Weiß Oberhausen
Rot-Weiß Oberhausen is a German association football club in Oberhausen, North Rhine-Westphalia. The club was formed as Oberhausener SV in December 1904 out of the merger of Emschertaler SV and the football enthusiasts of Oberhausener TV 1873...
in the 2nd Bundesliga
2. Fußball-Bundesliga
- Changes in division set-up :* Number of clubs: currently 18. From 1974 to 1981 there were two conferences, each of 20 teams. In 1981–91 it had 20...
before heading back to hometown club FC Schalke 04
FC Schalke 04
Fußball-Club Gelsenkirchen-Schalke 04, commonly known as simply FC Schalke 04 or Schalke , is a German, association-football club originally from the Schalke district of Gelsenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia. Schalke has long been one of the most popular football teams in Germany, even though major...
in October 1987. Coming to action in four further Bundesliga matches in the space of five weeks for them, a campaign in which Schalke was chanceless to avoid the drop to 2nd Bundesliga
2. Fußball-Bundesliga
- Changes in division set-up :* Number of clubs: currently 18. From 1974 to 1981 there were two conferences, each of 20 teams. In 1981–91 it had 20...
, Abramczik decided to retire from the professional game to go on playing on amateur level for Wormatia Worms
Wormatia Worms
VfR Wormatia 08 Worms is a German association football club that plays in Worms, Rhineland-Palatinate. The club and its historical predecessors were regular participants in regional first division football competition right up until the formation of the national top-flight Bundesliga in 1963...
and FC Gütersloh
FC Gütersloh
FC Gütersloh 2000 is a German association football club based in Gütersloh, North Rhine-Westphalia.- History :The club was formed in 1978 out of the merger of the football sides of Sport Verein Arminia and Deutsche Jugendkraft Gütersloh in the hopes that the new club would be more successful than...
.
Rüdiger Abramczik's career in coaching was caused by his decision to work as assistant-manager of Peter Neururer
Peter Neururer
Peter Neururer is a German football manager.-Career:Neururer had a minor playing career in the lower leagues before moving into coaching at TuS Haltern and SG Weitmar...
at 1. FC Saarbrücken
1. FC Saarbrücken
1. FC Saarbrücken is a German association football club based in the city of Saarbrücken, Saarland. The club began its existence as the football department of Turnverein Malstatt formed in 1903...
when he run a dyeworks shop in Gelsenkirchen
Gelsenkirchen
Gelsenkirchen is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the Ruhr area. Its population in 2006 was c. 267,000....
. A year later, Saarbrücken appointed him Neururer's successor in 1992. He managed Antalyaspor
Antalyaspor
Antalyaspor, known as Medical Park Antalyaspor for sponsorship reasons, is a professional Turkish football club located in the city of Antalya. The club colours are red and white and they play their home matches at Mardan Sports Complex...
from 1999 to 2000.