Heini Otto

Football player infobox
playername = Heini Otto


fullname = Hendrikus Heini Otto
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1954|8|24
cityofbirth = Amsterdam
countryofbirth = Netherlands
dateofdeath =
cityofdeath =
countryofdeath =
position = Attacking midfielder
years = 1974–1977
1977–1980
1981–1985
1985–1992
clubs = FC Amsterdam
FC Twente
Middlesbrough
ADO Den Haag
caps(goals) =
163 (24)
nationalyears =
1975
nationalteam = Netherlands U23
Netherlands
nationalcaps(goals) =
001 0(0)
manageryears = 1997–2000
2000–2002
managerclubs = Ajax Amsterdam (assistant manager)
HFC Haarlem
Ajax "(youth coach)"

Heini Otto (born August 24, 1954 in Amsterdam, Noord-Holland) is a retired football player from the Netherlands.

Playing career

Early career

Otto worked for his father-in-law in the gold business, and then in a whisky distillery before becoming a professional footballer.cite book|last=Glasper|first=Harry|authorlink=Harry Glasper|title=Middlesbrough A Complete Record 1876–1989|publisher=Breedon Books Sport|isbn=0-907969-53-4] He began his career playing for FC Amsterdam between 1974 and 1977, followed by a move to FC Twente until 1980, where he had replaced Arnold Mühren after he left for Ipswich Town.

International

Otto played several times for the Netherlands Under-23 side, earning only one cap for the full national side. His solitary cap came in a very unusual way. He gave his teammate Jan Jongbloed a ride to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, for a match against Yugoslavia on 30 May 1975. At the airport, manager George Knobel noticed that Willem van Hanegem hadn't showed up so he asked Otto to go home as fast as he could to get his football belongings and return to the airport. At 71 minutes into the match, Otto replaced Peter Arntz and played his first and only match for the national team.

Middlesbrough

In the summer of 1981, Otto played three friendly games for English side Middlesbrough, with a view to a permanent transfer. He impressed manager Bobby Murdoch and signed a two-year contract in August. He made a scoring debut in the Football League, against Tottenham Hotspur at Ayresome Park, but the team lost 3-1. Otto was joint top scorer with a meagre five goals when Middlesbrough dropped into the Second Division in 1982. He stayed at the club for the next few seasons.

Otto was ever-present for Middlesbrough between 1982 and 1985 earning 155 consecutive appearances (the fourth longest period in the club's history),cite web|url=http://www.theborofc.info/page13.html |title= CONSECUTIVE RUNS - All Time - Over 50 |accessdate=2007-09-18 |publisher=theBorofc] but eventually rejected a contract extension in May 1985 and returned to the Netherlands the following month to play for FC Den Haag. He is fondly remembered on Teesside for his skilful play during a difficult period.cite web|url=http://www.mfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/HeroesDetail/0,,1~179,00.html |title=Heroes: Heine Otto 1981–85 |publisher=mfc.co.uk]

Late career

Heine Otto spent seven seasons playing for Den Haag, being an ever present in the side from 1985 and 1991. He retired in 1992 and became a football coach.

Coaching career

For the first two years of his coaching career, Otto was a coach and executive at Den Haag, before moving to Ajax Amsterdam. He would coach there for the next three years before becoming assistant manager for a further three. On 1 November 2000 Otto was appointed manager of HFC Haarlem. He held the role until 5 December 2002. He returned to Ajax as a youth coach after leaving management.cite web|url=http://home.wanadoo.nl/ronald.zwiers/Spelers/O/Otto,%20Heini/Heini%20Otto.htm |title=Heini Otto |accessdate=2007-09-18 |language=Dutch]

References