Karl-Heinz Weigang

Karl-Heinz Weigang (24 August 1935 – 12 June 2017) was a German professional football manager.[2] He had vast experience in coaching international football, having managed the likes of Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Mali, Ghana and Gabon over a career that spanned more than half a century. However, he is best remembered for his time with Malaysia in the early 1980s, when he led the national team to qualify for the 1980 Olympic Games.[3] He was also a popular figure in the Malaysian league, where he had some domestic success over his multiple stints with Perak,[4] the last being his role as coach and technical advisor in 2016.[5]

Karl-Heinz Weigang
Personal information
Full name Karl-Heinz Weigang
Date of birth (1935-08-24)24 August 1935
Place of birth Germany
Date of death 12 June 2017(2017-06-12) (aged 81)
Managerial career
Years Team
1964–1965 Sri Lanka
1966–1968 South Vietnam
1970–1973 Mali
1974–1975 Ghana
1979–1982 Malaysia
1982–1986 Cameroon (youth teams)
1987–1988 Canon Yaoundé
1989–1994 Gabon[1]
1995–1997 Vietnam
1997–2000 Perak FA
2005–2006 Johor FA
2016–2017 Perak TBG F.C.

Career

As national coach, Weigang guided Malaysia to qualify for the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games as group leaders, although the country eventually boycotted the Games that year in protest of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.[6]

He was conferred the FIFA Order of Merit and CAF Order of Merit in 1998 for his contribution towards Asian and African football.[7]

On club level, he guided Perak to win the Malaysia Cup in 1998 and 2000.[8]

Cultural reference

Weigang's role in the 1980 Olympic qualification became the inspiration of the character Harry Mountain (played by Mark Williams) in Ola Bola, a widely acclaimed Malaysian sports film in 2016.[6][9]

Death

Weigang had a contract with Perak until June 2017, but was "rested" since February as he left for Germany for an eye surgery and a football course.[6] He died of a heart attack there on 12 June 2017, at the age of 81.[9][10]

Honours

Manager
South Vietnam
Mali
Malaysia
Vietnam
Perak

Individual

See also

References
  1. "1989 Matches Africa". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 6 January 1989. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  2. Karl-Heinz Weigang dies of heart attack
  3. "Road To Moscow 1980: The True Story Of Malaysia's Football Team That Inspired 'Ola Bola'". Says. Archived from the original on 6 February 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  4. "Weigang's back but it may be too late". Goal.com. 9 May 2014. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  5. "Weigang returns as Perak coach". The Star (Malaysia). 30 May 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  6. "Ex-Malaysia and Perak boss Karl-Heinz Weigang dies in Germany, aged 81". ESPNFC.com. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  7. "12 New Honours". FIFA. 17 September 1998. Archived from the original on 14 March 2016. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  8. "5 best Weigang achievements in Malaysian football". Redbull. 2 October 2017. Archived from the original on 27 October 2022. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
  9. "Karl-Heinz Weigang dies of heart attack (Updated)". thesundaily.my. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  10. "Beloved former national football coach Karl-Heinz Weigang dies at 81". New Straits Times. 13 June 2016.
  11. "Founding father' of modern Vietnamese football dies aged 81". Tuoi tre news. 14 June 2017. Archived from the original on 26 September 2020. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  12. African Nations Cup 1972 - Final Tournament Details - Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  13. "Weigang remembered: A disciplinarian and perfect gentleman". New Straits Times. 13 June 2017. Archived from the original on 17 February 2020. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  14. "FIFA Order of Merit holders (in alphabetical order)". FIFA. 31 December 2012. Archived from the original on 27 October 2022. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
  15. "All Ghana Black Stars Coaches: An Historic List Till Date". Goal Ball Live. 23 March 2021. Archived from the original on 23 March 2021. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
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