SV Waldhof Mannheim
Encyclopedia
SV Waldhof Mannheim is a German association football club
, located in Mannheim
, Baden-Württemberg
. The club today has a membership of over 2,400.
just before the First World War. Waldhof became part of the Kreisliga Odenwald
in 1919 and won this league in 1920 and 1921. In each of those two seasons, the club failed to advance in the Southern German championship because it was grouped with all-powerful 1. FC Nuremberg at the time. The club took out a Bezirksliga Rhein
championship in 1924 before joining the Bezirksliga Rhein-Saar
in 1927, where it won five out of the next six division titles without ever performing particularly well in the Southern championship.
Its enjoyed its best performances in the Gauliga Baden
, one of sixteen top-flight divisions established through the 1933 re-organization of German football under the Third Reich. Waldhof dominated the division through the 30s and into the early 40s by capturing the title five times and consistently finishing well up the table. They were unable, however, to translate that into success at the national level. Their best result came in 1940 when they went out in a semi-final match against FC Schalke 04
, the dominant side of the era, before settling for fourth place after losing a consolation round match to Rapid Vienna
.
After World War II, Waldhof picked up play in the Oberliga Süd
where they earned mid-table results until being relegated to the 2nd Oberliga Süd
in 1954. They bounced up and down between first and second division play until the formation of the Bundesliga
, Germany's new professional football league, in 1963. The next season saw them in the tier II Regionalliga Süd
alongside local rivals VfR Mannheim
. A string of unimpressive results finally led to relegation in 1970 to the Amateurliga Nordbaden
(III).
Support from a new sponsor, snack chip maker Chio, revived the team and helped their return to the second division where they played as SV Chio Waldhof Mannheim from 1972 to 1978. They continued to play as a middling side there until an unexpected breakthrough to the Bundesliga in 1983. Waldhof spent seven seasons competing at the top flight until a 17th place finish saw the club relegated at the end of the 1989–90 season. They delivered another seven seasons as a decent 2.Bundeliga
club until slipping to the Regionalliga Süd for two seasons in 1997–99. A merger with VfR Mannheim
was considered in 1998 but the club walked away from a deal at the last minute. Their return to the 2.Bundesliga in 1999 after a season long struggle with Kickers Offenbach
was cut short in 2003 when financial irregularities saw the German Football Association
deny the team a license, dropping them to the Oberliga Baden-Württemberg
(IV). Another attempt at a merger with VfR failed that same year. The club played in the Oberliga Baden-Württemberg until 2007–08, when a third place finish allowed them qualification for the Regionalliga.
After coming fourth in the Regionalliga Süd in 2008–09, the club was moved across to the Regionalliga West
in 2009–10 in an effort to balance out the three Regionalligas.
After just two seasons in the Regionalliga, Waldhof again had their license withdrawn in 2010 and were demoted back to the Oberliga Baden-Württemberg, now the fifth level of German football, despite having finished clear of the relegation zone on the pitch with the league's smallest budget. Waldhof Mannheim spend only one year in the Oberliga Baden-Württemberg, winning this league in 2010-11 and advancing directly back to the Regionalliga. On 11 June 2011 they defeated FV Illertissen
6-0 in their final season match to clinch promotion and also set a new fifth-division attendance record, with 18,312 spectators seeing the match. It surpassed the previous record, the 2009 Leipzig derby, by more than 3,000 spectators.
in 1986 and remained there until gaining promotion to the Oberliga Baden-Württemberg in 2001. After two seasons in the Oberliga with good results, the team had to be withdrawn due to the forced relegation of the first team. In the 2007–08 season, the team narrowly missed out on Verbandsliga promotion when it finished second on equal points to the SV Sandhausen II.
, which holds 27,000 and opened in 1994.
Football in Germany
Association football is the most popular sport in Germany. The German Football Association is the sport's national governing body, with 6.6 million members organized in over 26,000 football clubs. There is a league system, with the 1. and 2. Bundesliga on top, and the winner of the first...
, located in Mannheim
Mannheim
Mannheim is a city in southwestern Germany. With about 315,000 inhabitants, Mannheim is the second-largest city in the Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, following the capital city of Stuttgart....
, Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants...
. The club today has a membership of over 2,400.
History
The club was founded 1907 and played in the second division of the Westkreis-LigaWestkreis-Liga
The Westkreis-Liga was the highest association football league in the Bavarian region of Palatinate, the northern parts of the Grand Duchy of Baden, the southern parts of the Prussian Rhine Province and parts of Lorraine from 1908 to 1918...
just before the First World War. Waldhof became part of the Kreisliga Odenwald
Kreisliga Odenwald
The Kreisliga Odenwald was the highest association football league in the northern part of the German state of Baden and the southern part of the state of Hesse from 1919 to 1923...
in 1919 and won this league in 1920 and 1921. In each of those two seasons, the club failed to advance in the Southern German championship because it was grouped with all-powerful 1. FC Nuremberg at the time. The club took out a Bezirksliga Rhein
Bezirksliga Rhein
The Bezirksliga Rhein was the highest association football league in the northern part of the German state of Baden and the Bavarian region of Palatinate from 1923 to 1927, when the league was replaced by the Bezirksliga Rhein-Saar.- Overview :...
championship in 1924 before joining the Bezirksliga Rhein-Saar
Bezirksliga Rhein-Saar
The Bezirksliga Rhein-Saar was the highest association football league in the German state of Saarland, the Bavarian region of Palatinate and the northern-most part of Baden from 1927 to 1933...
in 1927, where it won five out of the next six division titles without ever performing particularly well in the Southern championship.
Its enjoyed its best performances in the Gauliga Baden
Gauliga Baden
The Gauliga Baden was the highest football league in the German state of Baden from 1933 to 1945. Shortly after the formation of the league, the Nazis reorganised the administrative regions in Germany, and the Gau Baden replaced the state Baden....
, one of sixteen top-flight divisions established through the 1933 re-organization of German football under the Third Reich. Waldhof dominated the division through the 30s and into the early 40s by capturing the title five times and consistently finishing well up the table. They were unable, however, to translate that into success at the national level. Their best result came in 1940 when they went out in a semi-final match against 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...
, the dominant side of the era, before settling for fourth place after losing a consolation round match to Rapid Vienna
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...
.
After World War II, Waldhof picked up play in the Oberliga Süd
Oberliga Süd (1945-63)
The Oberliga Süd was the highest level of the German football league system in the south of Germany from 1945 until the formation of the Bundesliga in 1963.It covered the three states of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and Hessen.-Overview:...
where they earned mid-table results until being relegated to the 2nd Oberliga Süd
2nd Oberliga Süd
The 2nd Oberliga Süd was the second-highest level of the German football league system in the south of Germany from 1950 until the formation of the Bundesliga in 1963. It covered the three states of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and Hessen.-Overview:...
in 1954. They bounced up and down between first and second division play until the formation of 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...
, Germany's new professional football league, in 1963. The next season saw them in the tier II Regionalliga Süd
Regionalliga Süd (1963-74)
The Regionalliga Süd was the second-highest level of the German football league system. It existed in the south of Germany from 1963 until the formation of the 2nd Bundesliga in 1974. It covered the three states of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and Hessen....
alongside local rivals VfR Mannheim
VfR Mannheim
VfR Mannheim is a German association football club based in Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg formed in 1911 out of the fusion of Mannheimer FG 1896, Mannheimer FG 1897 Union, and FC Viktoria 1897 Mannheim...
. A string of unimpressive results finally led to relegation in 1970 to the Amateurliga Nordbaden
Amateurliga Nordbaden
The Amateurliga Nordbaden was the highest football league in the region of the Nordbaden FA and the third tier of the German football league system from its inception in 1945 to the formation of the Oberliga Baden-Württemberg and the Verbandsliga Nordbaden below it in 1978.- Overview :The...
(III).
Support from a new sponsor, snack chip maker Chio, revived the team and helped their return to the second division where they played as SV Chio Waldhof Mannheim from 1972 to 1978. They continued to play as a middling side there until an unexpected breakthrough to the Bundesliga in 1983. Waldhof spent seven seasons competing at the top flight until a 17th place finish saw the club relegated at the end of the 1989–90 season. They delivered another seven seasons as a decent 2.Bundeliga
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...
club until slipping to the Regionalliga Süd for two seasons in 1997–99. A merger with VfR Mannheim
VfR Mannheim
VfR Mannheim is a German association football club based in Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg formed in 1911 out of the fusion of Mannheimer FG 1896, Mannheimer FG 1897 Union, and FC Viktoria 1897 Mannheim...
was considered in 1998 but the club walked away from a deal at the last minute. Their return to the 2.Bundesliga in 1999 after a season long struggle with Kickers Offenbach
Kickers Offenbach
Kickers Offenbach is a German association football club in Offenbach am Main, Hesse. The club was founded on 27 May 1901 in the Rheinischer Hof restaurant by footballers who had left established local clubs including Melitia, Teutonia, Viktoria, Germania and Neptun...
was cut short in 2003 when financial irregularities saw the German Football Association
German Football Association
The German Football Association is the governing body of football in Germany. A founding member of both FIFA and UEFA, the DFB organises the German football leagues, including the national league, the Bundesliga, and the men's and women's national teams. The DFB is based in Frankfurt and is...
deny the team a license, dropping them to the Oberliga Baden-Württemberg
Oberliga Baden-Württemberg
The Oberliga Baden-Württemberg is the highest Football League in the state of Baden-Württemberg and the Baden-Württemberg football league system. It is one of eleven Oberligas in German Football, the 5th tier of the German football league system...
(IV). Another attempt at a merger with VfR failed that same year. The club played in the Oberliga Baden-Württemberg until 2007–08, when a third place finish allowed them qualification for the Regionalliga.
After coming fourth in the Regionalliga Süd in 2008–09, the club was moved across to the Regionalliga West
Regionalliga West
The Regionalliga West is the fourth tier of the German football league system since its introduction in 2008. It covers the states of Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland and North Rhine-Westphalia and is one of three leagues at this level, together with the Regionalliga Nord and the Regionalliga...
in 2009–10 in an effort to balance out the three Regionalligas.
After just two seasons in the Regionalliga, Waldhof again had their license withdrawn in 2010 and were demoted back to the Oberliga Baden-Württemberg, now the fifth level of German football, despite having finished clear of the relegation zone on the pitch with the league's smallest budget. Waldhof Mannheim spend only one year in the Oberliga Baden-Württemberg, winning this league in 2010-11 and advancing directly back to the Regionalliga. On 11 June 2011 they defeated FV Illertissen
FV Illertissen
FV Illertissen is a German association football club from the town of Illertissen, Bavaria and was established in 1921.-History:Although the town of Illertissen is in Bavaria, its proximity to other towns in the neighboring state of Baden-Württemberg has allowed it to participate in that state's...
6-0 in their final season match to clinch promotion and also set a new fifth-division attendance record, with 18,312 spectators seeing the match. It surpassed the previous record, the 2009 Leipzig derby, by more than 3,000 spectators.
Current squad
As of 7 November, 2011.Reserve team
The SV Waldhof II, historically also referred to as SV Waldhof Amateure, rose to the tier-IV league Verbandsliga NordbadenVerbandsliga Nordbaden
The Verbandsliga Baden is currently the 6th tier of the German football league system. Until the introduction of the 3rd Liga it was the 5th tier of the league system.- Overview :...
in 1986 and remained there until gaining promotion to the Oberliga Baden-Württemberg in 2001. After two seasons in the Oberliga with good results, the team had to be withdrawn due to the forced relegation of the first team. In the 2007–08 season, the team narrowly missed out on Verbandsliga promotion when it finished second on equal points to the SV Sandhausen II.
League
- Kreisliga OdenwaldKreisliga OdenwaldThe Kreisliga Odenwald was the highest association football league in the northern part of the German state of Baden and the southern part of the state of Hesse from 1919 to 1923...
(I)- Champions: (2) 1920, 1921
- Runners-up: (2) 1922, 1923
- Bezirksliga RheinBezirksliga RheinThe Bezirksliga Rhein was the highest association football league in the northern part of the German state of Baden and the Bavarian region of Palatinate from 1923 to 1927, when the league was replaced by the Bezirksliga Rhein-Saar.- Overview :...
(I)- Champions: 1924
- Bezirksliga Rhein-SaarBezirksliga Rhein-SaarThe Bezirksliga Rhein-Saar was the highest association football league in the German state of Saarland, the Bavarian region of Palatinate and the northern-most part of Baden from 1927 to 1933...
(Rhein division) (I)- Champions: (5) 1928, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933
- Runners-up: 1929
- Gauliga BadenGauliga BadenThe Gauliga Baden was the highest football league in the German state of Baden from 1933 to 1945. Shortly after the formation of the league, the Nazis reorganised the administrative regions in Germany, and the Gau Baden replaced the state Baden....
(I)- Champions: (5) 1934, 1936, 1937, 1940, 1942
- Oberliga SüdOberliga Süd (1945-63)The Oberliga Süd was the highest level of the German football league system in the south of Germany from 1945 until the formation of the Bundesliga in 1963.It covered the three states of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and Hessen.-Overview:...
(I)- Runners-up: 1947
- 2nd Bundesliga2. 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...
(II)- Champions: 1983
- 2nd Oberliga Süd2nd Oberliga SüdThe 2nd Oberliga Süd was the second-highest level of the German football league system in the south of Germany from 1950 until the formation of the Bundesliga in 1963. It covered the three states of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and Hessen.-Overview:...
(II)- Champions: (2) 1958, 1960
- Amateurliga NordbadenAmateurliga NordbadenThe Amateurliga Nordbaden was the highest football league in the region of the Nordbaden FA and the third tier of the German football league system from its inception in 1945 to the formation of the Oberliga Baden-Württemberg and the Verbandsliga Nordbaden below it in 1978.- Overview :The...
(III)- Champions: (2) 1971, 1972
- Verbandsliga NordbadenVerbandsliga NordbadenThe Verbandsliga Baden is currently the 6th tier of the German football league system. Until the introduction of the 3rd Liga it was the 5th tier of the league system.- Overview :...
- Runners-up: 2000‡, 2001‡
- Landesliga Rhein/Neckar
- Runners-up: 2008‡, 2009‡
Youth
- German Under 19 championship
- Champions: 1980
- Runners-up: 1996
- ‡ Won by reserve team.
Recent managers
Recent managers of the club:| Manager | Start | Finish |
| Uwe Rapolder Uwe Rapolder -External links:... |
29 March 1997 | 12 November 2001 |
| Walter Pradt | 12 November 2001 | 3 December 2001 |
| Andy Egli | 6 December 2001 | 10 September 2002 |
| Walter Pradt | 11 September 2002 | 2 April 2003 |
| Stefan Kuntz Stefan Kuntz Stefan Kuntz is a former German professional footballer and since April 2008 chairman of the German football team 1. FC Kaiserslautern.... |
3 April 2003 | 26 May 2003 |
| Viktor Olscha | 27 May 2003 | 30 June 2004 |
| Eugen Hach | 1 July 2004 | 3 November 2004 |
| Maurizio Gaudino Maurizio Gaudino Maurizio Gaudino is a retired German football midfielder.He was capped five times for Germany in 1993 and 1994, and was in their squad for the 1994 World Cup.... |
4 November 2004 | 6 January 2005 |
| Slavko Petrović Slavko Petrović Slavko Petrović is a Serbian football manager, and former goalkeeper. He was most recently the manager of Serbian SuperLiga club FK Rad.-Playing career:... |
7 January 2005 | 22 December 2005 |
| Massimo Morales Massimo Morales Massimo Morales is an Italian football manager.- Coaching career :He managed 1. FK Příbram from March 2008, and led the Czech team to 2nd place in Czech 2. Liga, thus ensuring promotion back to the national top flight. On 5 May 2009 1. FK Příbram owner Jaroslav Starka and the Italian coach... |
23 December 2005 | 30 June 2006 |
| Steffen Menze Steffen Menze Steffen Menze is a German football coach and a former player who is now sporting director of SG Dynamo Dresden.-External links:... |
1 July 2006 | 20 September 2007 |
| Alexander Conrad | 21 September 2007 | 30 June 2009 |
| Walter Pradt | 1 July 2009 | 30 June 2010 |
| Reiner Hollich | 1 July 2010 | Present |
SV Waldhof Mannheim
| Season | Division | Tier | Position |
| 1999–2000 | 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... |
II | 12th |
| 2000–01 | 2nd Bundesliga | 4th | |
| 2001–02 | 2nd Bundesliga | 9th | |
| 2002–03 | 2nd Bundesliga | 18th ↓ | |
| 2003–04 | Oberliga Baden-Württemberg Oberliga Baden-Württemberg The Oberliga Baden-Württemberg is the highest Football League in the state of Baden-Württemberg and the Baden-Württemberg football league system. It is one of eleven Oberligas in German Football, the 5th tier of the German football league system... |
IV | 3rd |
| 2004–05 | Oberliga Baden-Württemberg | 11th | |
| 2005–06 | Oberliga Baden-Württemberg | 8th | |
| 2006–07 | Oberliga Baden-Württemberg | 10th | |
| 2007–08 | Oberliga Baden-Württemberg | 3rd ↑ | |
| 2008–09 | Regionalliga Süd Regionalliga Süd The Regionalliga Süd is currently the fourth tier of the German football league system. Until the introduction of the 3rd Liga in 2008, it was the third tier. It currently is the highest regional league for the southern part of Germany... |
4th | |
| 2009–10 | Regionalliga West Regionalliga West The Regionalliga West is the fourth tier of the German football league system since its introduction in 2008. It covers the states of Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland and North Rhine-Westphalia and is one of three leagues at this level, together with the Regionalliga Nord and the Regionalliga... |
14th | |
| 2010–11 | Oberliga Baden-Württemberg | V | 1st ↑ |
| 2011–12 | Regionalliga Süd | IV |
SV Waldhof Mannheim II
| Season | Division | Tier | Position |
| 1999–2000 | Verbandsliga Nordbaden Verbandsliga Nordbaden The Verbandsliga Baden is currently the 6th tier of the German football league system. Until the introduction of the 3rd Liga it was the 5th tier of the league system.- Overview :... |
V | 2nd |
| 2000–01 | Verbandsliga Nordbaden | 2nd ↑ | |
| 2001–02 | Oberliga Baden-Württemberg Oberliga Baden-Württemberg The Oberliga Baden-Württemberg is the highest Football League in the state of Baden-Württemberg and the Baden-Württemberg football league system. It is one of eleven Oberligas in German Football, the 5th tier of the German football league system... |
IV | 6th |
| 2002–03 | Oberliga Baden-Württemberg | 10th ↓ | |
| 2003–04 | |||
| 2004–05 | Landesliga Rhein/Neckar | VI | 9th |
| 2005–06 | Landesliga Rhein/Neckar | 11th | |
| 2006–07 | Landesliga Rhein/Neckar | 8th | |
| 2007–08 | Landesliga Rhein/Neckar | 2nd | |
| 2008–09 | Landesliga Rhein/Neckar | VII | 2nd ↑ |
| 2009–10 | Verbandsliga Nordbaden | VI | 5th |
| 2010–11 | Verbandsliga Nordbaden | 12th | |
| 2011–12 | Verbandsliga Nordbaden |
- With the introduction of the Regionalligas in 1994 and the 3rd Liga3rd LigaThe 3rd Liga is the third division of football in Germany. The league started with the beginning of the 2008–09 season, when it replaced the Regionalliga as the third tier football league in Germany. In the German football league system, it is positioned between the 2...
in 2008 as the new third tier, below the 2nd Bundesliga2. 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...
, all leagues below dropped one tier.
Stadium
SV Waldhof plays its home games at the Carl-Benz-StadionCarl-Benz-Stadion
Carl-Benz-Stadion is a multi-purpose stadium in Mannheim, Germany. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium of SV Waldhof Mannheim. In 2008, it also hosted TSG 1899 Hoffenheim for the first half of that club's first season in the Fußball-Bundesliga, until...
, which holds 27,000 and opened in 1994.
External links
- Official website
- Abseits Guide to German Soccer
- SV Waldhof Mannheim at Weltfussball.de
- Das deutsche Fußball-Archiv historical German domestic league tables