Thomas Flögel
Encyclopedia
Thomas Flögel is an Austria
n former international football
player, who is currently the sporting director of Austrian Regionalliga
side Vienna FC
.
player Rudi Flögel
, Thomas began his career with their local rivals Austria Vienna
. He made his first-team break-through in 1990 and spent the next seven seasons at the Franz Horr Stadium. During this time, the Violets won 3 consecutive League titles
(1991-93) and the Austrian Cup
in 1992 and 1994. However, after a lean spell in the mid-1990s, during which FK Austria were over-shadowed by SV Salzburg, Flögel decided to try playing abroad, eventually signing for Scottish
side Heart of Midlothian
in 1997, after a trial with Dundee United
.
club, helping them end a 36 year trophy drought by winning the Scottish Cup
in 1998
. Although initially considered a midfielder
, Flögel displayed great versatility during his time with Hearts, and played in every outfield position during a five season-spell at Tynecastle
.
, and won the Double
in his first season back in Vienna. FK Austria's new financial clout ensured fierce competition for first-team places though, and after struggling to maintain his place in the team in 2004, Flögel moved to SV Pasching
.
Flögel wound down his career with season-long spells with Pasching (2004-05) and VfB Admira Wacker Mödling
(2005-06). He had intended to spend a final year playing for First Vienna, however a serious shoulder
injury in only his 3rd game for the side forced his retirement. On the 4 September 2006 he was announced as First Vienna's new sporting director.
debut in a 4-0 win over Lithuania
in 1992. After being left in the international wilderness for 6 years (from 1994-2000), his consistent form with Hearts earned him a recall to the Austria national side and he increased his cap tally to 37, in which time he scored 3 goals.
|1992||6||0
|-
|1993||1||0
|-
|1994||2||0
|-
|1995||0||0
|-
|1996||0||0
|-
|1997||0||0
|-
|1998||0||0
|-
|1999||0||0
|-
|2000||6||2
|-
|2001||9||1
|-
|2002||5||0
|-
|2003||8||0
|-
!Total||37||3
|}
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n former international football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player, who is currently the sporting director of Austrian Regionalliga
Regionalliga
Regionalliga is a designation in Germany for sports leagues, which are led by one or more regional federations. Regionalligen often fall below the Bundesliga and 2nd Bundesliga of a given sport...
side Vienna FC
First Vienna FC
First Vienna FC is an Austrian association football club based in the Döbling district of Vienna. Established on 22 August 1894, it is the country's oldest team and has played a notable role in the history of the game there...
.
Club career
The son of former Rapid ViennaSK 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...
player Rudi Flögel
Rudi Flögel
Rudolf 'Rudi' Flögel is a retired Austrian football player who played for Rapid Vienna.He is the father of Thomas Flögel.-Club career:...
, Thomas began his career with their local rivals Austria Vienna
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...
. He made his first-team break-through in 1990 and spent the next seven seasons at the Franz Horr Stadium. During this time, the Violets won 3 consecutive League titles
Austrian football champions
The Austrian football champions are the winners of the highest league of football in Austria. The championship has been contested through the Austrian Football Bundesliga since the 1974–1975 season.-History:...
(1991-93) and the Austrian Cup
Austrian Cup
The Austrian Cup, in German: ÖFB-Cup is an annual football competition held by the Austrian Football Association, the ÖFB.It has been held since 1919, with the exception of the time of the Anschluss between 1939 and 1945 and the period between 1950 and 1958 when the competition was deemed of...
in 1992 and 1994. However, after a lean spell in the mid-1990s, during which FK Austria were over-shadowed by SV Salzburg, Flögel decided to try playing abroad, eventually signing for Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
side Heart of Midlothian
Heart of Midlothian F.C.
Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian...
in 1997, after a trial with Dundee United
Dundee United F.C.
Dundee United Football Club is a Scottish professional football club located in the city of Dundee. Formed in 1909, originally as Dundee Hibernian, the club changed to the present name in 1923...
.
Heart of Midlothian
Flögel enjoyed instant success with the EdinburghEdinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
club, helping them end a 36 year trophy drought by winning the Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
in 1998
1997-98 in Scottish football
The 1997–98 season was the 101st season of competitive football in Scotland. Celtic halted Rangers in their bid for a record 10-in-a-row.-Scottish Premier Division:-Top scorers:-Table:-Top scorers:-Table:-Top scorers:-Table:...
. Although initially considered a 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...
, Flögel displayed great versatility during his time with Hearts, and played in every outfield position during a five season-spell at Tynecastle
Tynecastle Stadium
Tynecastle Stadium is a football stadium situated in the Gorgie area of Edinburgh, Scotland, which is the home ground of Scottish Premier League club Hearts. Tynecastle has a seating capacity of 17,420, which makes it the seventh largest football stadium in Scotland...
.
Back in Austria
In 2002 Flögel returned to former club FK Austria, who were buoyed by significant investment from billionaire Frank StronachFrank Stronach
Frank Stronach, CM is an Austrian-Canadian businessman. He is the founder of Magna International, an international automotive parts company based in Aurora, Ontario, Canada, and Magna Entertainment Corp., which specializes in horse-racing entertainment...
, and won the Double
The Double
The Double is a term in association football which refers to winning a country's top tier division and its primary cup competition in the same season...
in his first season back in Vienna. FK Austria's new financial clout ensured fierce competition for first-team places though, and after struggling to maintain his place in the team in 2004, Flögel moved to SV Pasching
SV Pasching
SK Austria Kärnten was an Austrian association football club, from Klagenfurt, Carinthia.- History :The club was formed on 1 June 2007 and took over the license of ASKÖ Pasching to play in the Austrian Football Bundesliga...
.
Flögel wound down his career with season-long spells with Pasching (2004-05) and VfB Admira Wacker Mödling
VfB Admira Wacker Mödling
FC Admira Wacker Mödling is an Austrian football club from Mödling. The club was originally formed in 1905 as SK Admira Vienna in the Austrian capital...
(2005-06). He had intended to spend a final year playing for First Vienna, however a serious shoulder
Shoulder
The human shoulder is made up of three bones: the clavicle , the scapula , and the humerus as well as associated muscles, ligaments and tendons. The articulations between the bones of the shoulder make up the shoulder joints. The major joint of the shoulder is the glenohumeral joint, which...
injury in only his 3rd game for the side forced his retirement. On the 4 September 2006 he was announced as First Vienna's new sporting director.
International career
Flögel achieved international recognition while playing for Austria, making his AustriaAustria national football team
The Austria national football team is the association football team that represents the country of Austria in international competition and is controlled by the Austrian Football Association ....
debut in a 4-0 win over Lithuania
Lithuania national football team
The national football team of Lithuania is under the auspices of the Lithuanian Football Federation. It played its first match in 1923. In 1940, Lithuania was occupied by the Soviet Union; the country regained its independence in 1990 and played their first match as a new nation against Georgia on...
in 1992. After being left in the international wilderness for 6 years (from 1994-2000), his consistent form with Hearts earned him a recall to the Austria national side and he increased his cap tally to 37, in which time he scored 3 goals.
National team statistics
|-|1992||6||0
|-
|1993||1||0
|-
|1994||2||0
|-
|1995||0||0
|-
|1996||0||0
|-
|1997||0||0
|-
|1998||0||0
|-
|1999||0||0
|-
|2000||6||2
|-
|2001||9||1
|-
|2002||5||0
|-
|2003||8||0
|-
!Total||37||3
|}
Honours
-
Austrian LeagueAustrian football championsThe Austrian football champions are the winners of the highest league of football in Austria. The championship has been contested through the Austrian Football Bundesliga since the 1974–1975 season.-History:...
: 4
-
- 1990-91, 1991-92, 19992-1993, 2002-03
- Austrian CupAustrian CupThe Austrian Cup, in German: ÖFB-Cup is an annual football competition held by the Austrian Football Association, the ÖFB.It has been held since 1919, with the exception of the time of the Anschluss between 1939 and 1945 and the period between 1950 and 1958 when the competition was deemed of...
: 4
-
- 1989-90, 1991-92, 1993-94, 2002-03
- Austrian SupercupAustrian SupercupThe Austrian Supercup was a football competition held annually from 1986 until 2004 between the winners of the Austrian Bundesliga and the Austrian Cup.-Winners of Austrian Supercup:*1986: SK Rapid Wien...
: 4
-
- 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993
-
Scottish CupScottish CupThe Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
: 1
-
- 1997-98
- 1990-91, 1991-92, 19992-1993, 2002-03
External links
- Appearances at londonhearts.com
- Profile at Austria-archiv.at