Paul Linz (born 4 January 1956) is a German football manager and former player who played as a forward.

Paul Linz
Personal information
Date of birth (1956-01-04) 4 January 1956 (age 68)
Place of birth Trier, West Germany
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1978–1979 Werder Bremen 10 (1)
1980 OSC Bremerhaven 18 (11)
1980–1982 Freiburger FC 69 (36)
1982–1984 Waldhof Mannheim 60 (20)
1985–1988 VfL Osnabrück 108 (52)
Total 265 (120)
Managerial career
1988–1989 Eintracht Trier (player-manager)
1989–1996 FSV Salmrohr (player-manager until 1994)
1996–1997 SV Meppen
1998–1999 Stuttgarter Kickers
2002–2005 Eintracht Trier
2005–2006 LR Ahlen
2007–2009 1. FC Magdeburg
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

edit

Linz was born in Trier, Germany.

As a professional player, Paul Linz played 33 Bundesliga matches for SV Werder Bremen (1978–80) and SV Waldhof Mannheim 07 (1983–84). In other divisions he played for a number of clubs, such as Freiburger FC, OSC Bremerhaven, VfL Osnabrück, FSV Salmrohr, Eintracht Trier and VfL Trier.

Among his biggest successes as player rank the promotion to Bundesliga with Waldhof Mannheim in 1983 and the promotion to 2. Bundesliga North with VfL Osnabrück in 1985.

Managerial career

edit

Linz has been working as a full-time manager since 1994. He had his biggest success managing Eintracht Trier. In 2002, the club was promoted to 2. Bundesliga. When the club was eventually relegated in 2005, Linz stepped down. Part of the reason was that a very emotional Linz had been involved in a melee right after the last match of that season.

From October 2005, Linz managed LR Ahlen, then still in 2. Bundesliga. But Linz couldn't do enough to keep the club up and Ahlen were relegated in 2006. Curiously enough, Ahlen had been the club that cost Trier the non-relegation spot in the year before. When it became clear that Ahlen would not be trying to win promotion immediately, the ambitious Linz left the club.

In December 2007, Linz signed a contract with Regionalliga Nord side 1. FC Magdeburg. His goal would be to qualify for the new 3. Liga, at the time of Linz's signature the club were six points behind achieving this. Before the last matchday, Linz had managed to reduce that to a mere point. In the following season, Linz was tasked with immediate re-promotion. While the team was second with only a one-point deficit before the winter break, the start in 2009 was terrible with but one win out of six matches. When the club had dropped to fourth place with a ten-point deficit, 1. FC Magdeburg's management decided to sack Linz on 31 March 2009.[1]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Steffen Baumgart neuer Trainer des 1. FC Magdeburg" (in German). 1. FC Magdeburg e.V. 31 March 2009. Retrieved 31 March 2009.
edit