Sepp Herberger

Infobox Football biography
playername = Sepp Herberger


fullname = Joseph "Sepp" Herberger
dateofbirth = birth date|1897|03|28|df=y
cityofbirth = Mannheim
countryofbirth = Germany
dateofdeath = death date and age|1977|4|20|1897|3|28|df=y
cityofdeath = Weinheim Hohensachen
countryofdeath = Germany
currentclub =
position = Striker
years = 1914–1921 1921–1926 1926–1930
Total
clubs = Waldhof Mannheim
VfR Mannheim
Tennis Borussia Berlin
caps(goals) =
nationalyears = 1921–1930
nationalteam = Germany
nationalcaps(goals) = 03 (2)
manageryears = 1930–1932
1936–1964
managerclubs = Tennis Borussia Berlin
Germany

Josef "Sepp" Herberger (March 28, 1897 in Mannheim, Germany — April 20, 1977 in Weinheim-Hohensachsen, Germany) was a German football player and manager. He is most famous for being the manager of the West German national team which won the 1954 FIFA World Cup - "The Miracle of Bern".

Herberger played three times for the German football team between 1921 and 1925 before becoming assistant to Dr. Otto Nerz in 1932. Herberger succeeded him as national coach after Germany's uninspired loss to Norway at the 1936 Olympics. After the war he had a short club spell with Eintracht Frankfurt. He remained national coach until 1964, when he was succeeded by Helmut Schön. He died of pneumonia in Mannheim aged 80.

Herberger was noted for his ability to sum up the essence of the game in short phrases, many of which survive to this day, such as:
*"The ball is round" (which is the classic quotation of deceased news anchor Ng Fong-wing)
*"The game lasts for 90 minutes"
*"After the game is before the game"
*"The next game is always the toughest one" ("The next opponent is always the toughest one")
*"The ball has always the best condition"

Three of these sayings are quoted in the 1998 film "Run Lola Run".

References

* [http://www.eintracht-archiv.de/herbergers.html Sepp Herberger at eintracht-archiv.de]
* [http://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/coaches/coach=61547/bio.html Profile at FIFA website]