Alain Geiger

Infobox Football biography
playername = Alain Geiger


fullname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1960|11|5|df=yes
cityofbirth = Uvrier
countryofbirth = Switzerland
dateofdeath =
cityofdeath =
countryofdeath =
height = height|meters=1.80
position = Defender
currentclub =
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1977-1981
1981-1986
1986-1988
1988-1990
1990-1995
1995-1997
clubs = FC Sion
Servette FC
Neuchâtel Xamax
AS Saint-Étienne
FC Sion
Grasshopper
Total
caps(goals) = 88 (7)
139 (18)
63 (8)
70 (2)
173 (4)
33 (1)
566 (40)
nationalyears = 1980-1996
nationalteam = Switzerland
nationalcaps(goals) = 112 (5)
manageryears = 1997-1998
1998-2002
2002-2003
2003-2004
2005
2005-2006
2006
2006-2007
managerclubs = Grasshopper U-21
Neuchâtel Xamax
FC Aarau
Grasshopper
Neuchâtel Xamax
FC Aarau
Lausanne Sports
Olympique Safi

Alain Geiger (born 5 November 1960 in Uvrier) is a retired Swiss international football defender and current manager. He played mainly as a centre-back despite being only 5'11", and played for FC Sion, Servette FC, Neuchâtel Xamax, AS Saint-Étienne and Grasshopper-Club Zürich as well as the Swiss national team in a career that lated 20 years, from 1977 until 1997. He made 112 appearances at international level and is Switzerland's second most capped footballer, behind Heinz Hermann. His son, Bastien is also a professional football player.

Playing career

Club

Geiger started playing professionally in 1977 with FC Sion. He played just 2 matches in his first season but by 1978, he was a first-team regular in the side that went on to win the Swiss Cup in 1980. In 1981, he signed for Servette FC, who were one of Switzerland's most successful teams at the time, and became an invaluable player for both club and country. He helped the club win the 1984 Swiss Cup, when they defeated Lausanne Sports 1-0 after extra time in the final, and the League title in 1985. An aspiring Neuchâtel Xamax side aquired his services in 1986, and he won the League during the only two seasons he played for them, 1987 and 1988. A move to France was on the cards next for Geiger, as he signed for AS Saint-Étienne during the Summer of 1988. He was a big hit and a first-team regular at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard but he opted for a return to Switzerland with FC Sion, in 1990. During his second spell at Sion, he saw the form of his life as he became team captain of the club and the national team. He lifted the League trophy for the fourth time in his career as Sion were crowned champions in 1992. In 1995, he signed for Grasshopper-Club Zürich where he finished his career in 1997.

International

Alain Geiger made his international debut in Switzerland's 2-1 defeat to England at Wembley Stadium on November 19 1980 and went on to be capped 112 times and score five goals for the national team between 1980 and 1996. [ [http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/geiger-intl.html Century of International Appearances] ] His last match was also against England, in a 1-1 at Euro '96 on June 8 1996. He captained his country at the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States and UEFA Euro 1996 in England and usually played at centre-back alongside Dominique Herr. [ [http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=49849/index.html Alain Geiger's World Cup Stats] ] Geiger is Switzerland's second most capped footballer, behind Heinz Hermann who has 117 caps.

Coaching career

Alain Geiger's first managerial role was at he Reserve Team of Grasshopper-Club Zürich in 1997. He did so well there that he was given the reigns at Neuchâtel Xamax in July 1998. At Xamax, he helped develop the talents of Timothée Atouba, Papa Bouba Diop and Henri Camara, and helped the club avoid relegation from the Swiss Super League. He quit the club in July 2002 to take over at FC Aarau, but the club were relegated into the Swiss Challenge League at the end of the 2002/03 season and he was given the sack. In December 2003, he was surprisingly named the manager of Grasshopper-Club Zürich but the team fared poorly under him and he was once again sacked. He then had short spells managing Neuchâtel Xamax, FC Aarau and Lausanne Sports before being given the job at Moroccan side Olympique Safi in 2006. He saved the club from relegation from GNF 1 during the 2006/07 season but resigned at the end of the campaign.

Honours

As a Player

;Sion
*

*

;Servette
*

*

;Neuchâtel Xamax
*

As a Manager

;Grasshopper

*

External links

* [http://www.national-football-teams.com/v2/player.php?id=17696 Career at National Football Teams]

References