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Heiko Herrlich
Heiko Herrlich
Heiko Herrlich
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Heiko Herrlich (born 3 December 1971) is a German football manager and former player who played as a striker.

Key Information

Club career

[edit]

Herrlich played 258 matches (1989–2004) in the Bundesliga and scored 75 goals for Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Borussia Mönchengladbach and Borussia Dortmund.[2] With Borussia Dortmund he won the German championship in 1996 and 2002, the Champions League and the Intercontinental Cup in 1997. With Borussia Mönchengladbach he won the DFB-Pokal in 1995, which he had also won in 1993 with Bayer Leverkusen.

In autumn 2000, it was discovered that he had a malignant brain tumor. He was successfully treated with radiation therapy and returned to Bundesliga action 2001 but was not able to return to his former glory as a player. He ended his professional career in 2004 after several injuries.

International career

[edit]

In 1995, Herrlich played five matches for the Germany national team, all in qualifying matches for UEFA Euro 1996.[3] He scored once, against Wales, but missed the final tournament, which Germany won, due to injury.

Coaching career

[edit]

Herrlich received his coaching license in 2005 and began coaching the youth team of Borussia Dortmund. He also became the German spokesman for the 2006 INAS World Football Championships.

In July 2007, he was appointed as coach of the Germany U-17 team and won third place at the 2007 FIFA Under-17 World Cup in South Korea.[4] On 27 October 2009, he was released from the German Football Association.[5] He became later the head coach of VfL Bochum between 27 October 2009 and 29 April 2010.[6] He finished with a record of four wins, eight draws, and 10 losses.[6]

At the beginning of the 2011–12 season, he was named new manager of SpVgg Unterhaching.[7] He left the club on 25 May 2012 for personal reasons.[8] He finished with a record of 13 wins, eight draws, and 19 losses.[7]

On 21 June 2013, he became the manager for the Bayern Munich U-17 team.[9] In June 2015, Bayern Munich restructured their youth department and Herrlich left Munich.[10]

On 20 December 2015, he took over Jahn Regensburg.[11] His contract was scheduled to run up to the end of the 2015–16 season, with an extension for another year if the Jahn achieved promotion to the 3. Liga.[12] The Ratisbon based club achieved back to back promotions under Herrlich's reign, returning to 2.Liga at the end of the 2016–17 season.

On 9 June 2017, it was announced that Herrlich will return to Leverkusen as new head coach.[13]

On 23 December 2018, Bayer Leverkusen announced they would be parting ways with Herrlich, citing bad tactics and poor overall performance.[14]

He was appointed as the new head coach of FC Augsburg on 10 March 2020.[15] On 26 April 2021, he was sacked.[16]

In January 2025, he moved to SpVgg Unterhaching but was sacked just three months later.[17][18]

Career statistics

[edit]

Club

[edit]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[19]
Club Season League German Cup Europe[a] Other[b] Total
League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Bayer Leverkusen 1989–90 Bundesliga 16 0 1 0 — — 17 0
1990–91 18 3 1 0 3 1 — 22 4
1991–92 28 3 5 2 — — 33 5
1992–93 13 0 0 0 — — 13 0
Total 75 6 7 2 3 1 0 0 85 9
Borussia Mönchengladbach 1993–94 Bundesliga 23 8 2 0 — — 25 8
1994–95 32 20 6 6 — — 38 26
Total 55 28 8 6 0 0 0 0 63 34
Borussia Dortmund 1995–96 Bundesliga 16 7 4 1 6 1 — 26 9
1996–97 23 8 1 1 9 3 — 33 12
1997–98 21 7 3 2 7 2 3 1 34 12
1998–99 21 6 2 0 — — 23 6
1999–2000 22 6 1 0 9 1 1 0 33 7
2000–01 10 7 2 3 — — 12 10
2001–02 10 0 0 0 3 1 — 13 1
2002–03 5 0 2 0 2 0 — 9 0
Total 128 41 15 7 36 4 4 1 183 53
Career total 258 75 30 15 39 5 4 1 331 96
  1. ^ Appearances in UEFA Champions League and Europa League
  2. ^ Appearances in German League Cup and Intercontinental Cup

International

[edit]
Score and result list Germany's goal tally first, score column indicates score after Herrlich goal.
International goal scored by Heiko Herrlich
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 26 April 1995 Rheinstadion, Düsseldorf, Germany  Wales 1–1 1–1 UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying

Managerial

[edit]
As of match played 21 March 2025
Team From To Record Ref.
G W D L Win %
Bochum 27 October 2009 29 April 2010 22 4 8 10 018.18 [6]
Unterhaching 1 July 2011 25 May 2012 40 13 8 19 032.50 [7]
Jahn Regensburg 20 December 2015 30 June 2017 59 28 13 18 047.46 [11]
Bayer Leverkusen 1 July 2017 23 December 2018 64 32 14 18 050.00
FC Augsburg 10 March 2020 26 April 2021 42 12 9 21 028.57
SpVgg Unterhaching 3 January 2025 21 March 2025 9 1 2 6 011.11
Total 235 89 54 92 037.87 —

Honours

[edit]

As a player

[edit]

Bayer Leverkusen

Borussia Mönchengladbach

Borussia Dortmund[20]

Individual

As a coach

[edit]

Germany U17

Individual

  • Best Under 17 Coach: 2008

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Heiko Herrlich

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Heiko Herrlich (born 3 December 1971) is a German professional football manager and former player who primarily operated as a centre-forward during his playing career. Standing at 1.86 metres tall, he began his professional journey with in 1989, making 75 appearances and scoring 6 goals before moving to in 1993, where he netted 28 goals in 55 league games and shared the top scorer title with 20 goals alongside . His most successful playing stint came at from 1995 to 2004, where he featured in 128 matches, scoring 41 goals, and contributed to major triumphs including the titles in 1995–96 and 2001–02, the in 2002, the 1997 (appearing in the final against Juventus), and the Intercontinental Cup that same year. Internationally, Herrlich earned 5 caps for the national team in 1995, all during , and scored once against . Over his entire career spanning 258 appearances, he tallied 75 goals before retiring in 2004 after stints with reserve teams. Transitioning to coaching, Herrlich began with Borussia Dortmund's U19 side in 2005, guiding them for two seasons before managing various Germany national teams (U17, U18, and U19) from 2007 to 2009, where he achieved strong results including a runners-up finish at the 2008 . His first senior managerial role was at in 2009–10, followed by in 2011–12, but his breakthrough came at from 2015 to 2017, leading the club to consecutive promotions—first to the in 2015 and then to the in 2017—along with winning the Bavarian Cup. Appointed head coach in 2017, he secured a 6th-place finish in 2017–18 but was dismissed in December 2018 amid a poor run. Herrlich later managed from March 2020 to April 2021, stabilizing the team during the disruptions but departing after narrowly avoiding relegation, and briefly returned to as manager from January to March 2025. Known for his tactical preference for a 4-4-2 formation and emphasis on development, Herrlich remains a respected figure in German football circles.

Playing career

Club career

Heiko Herrlich began his professional football career with in the 1989–90 season, having progressed through the youth system at after earlier stints at FC Emmendingen and FC Kollnau. Debuting at age 17, he featured in 88 matches across all competitions for over four seasons, scoring 9 goals, including 75 appearances with 6 goals. During this period, he was part of the squad that won the 1992–93 , defeating Amateure 1–0 in the final to claim their first major trophy. In July 1993, Herrlich transferred to for a fee of €800,000, marking a significant step in his development as a forward. Over two seasons with Gladbach (1993–1995), he excelled, recording 63 appearances and 34 goals in all competitions, with 55 outings yielding 28 goals. His standout 1994–95 campaign saw him share the top-scorer title with 20 goals, helping the team secure the by defeating 3–0 in the final. Herrlich's clinical finishing and aerial prowess made him a key attacking threat, often capitalizing on crosses to deliver precise headers and tap-ins. Seeking greater success, Herrlich joined Borussia Dortmund in July 1995 for a club-record €5.5 million fee. At Dortmund (1995–2004), he amassed 183 appearances and 56 goals across all competitions, including 128 Bundesliga games with 41 goals. He played a pivotal role in the team's 1997 UEFA Champions League triumph, starting in the 3–1 final victory over Juventus and contributing to the defensive solidity that enabled the counter-attacking style under Ottmar Hitzfeld. Dortmund also won the Bundesliga titles in 1995–96 and 2001–02 with Herrlich's input, as his hold-up play and goal-scoring supported the squad's high-pressing approach. Herrlich's career at was interrupted in November 2000 when acute vision problems led to a of a malignant in the central region. He underwent successful in December 2000, followed by and , and remarkably returned to competitive action in September 2001, making 10 appearances without scoring in the that season. However, recurring injuries, including knee issues, hampered his consistency post-recovery, limiting him to sporadic appearances in his final years. Herrlich retired in July 2004 at age 32 after mutually terminating his contract with , citing persistent physical limitations from injuries. Over his club career, he made 258 appearances, scoring 75 goals, establishing himself as a reliable striker whose finishing prowess drove team successes across multiple clubs.

International career

Herrlich began his international journey with the Germany U-21 team, where he made 20 appearances and scored 17 goals between 1990 and 1993, showcasing his scoring prowess at the youth level. His first call-up to the senior national team came in under , who had taken charge the previous year. Herrlich debuted on 29 March in a match away to Georgia in , entering as a substitute in the 2–0 victory but not scoring. Over the course of that year, he earned four more caps, all in Euro 1996 qualifiers, accumulating a total of five international appearances, starting one. Herrlich's lone senior international goal arrived on 26 April 1995 during a 1–1 home draw against in , where he found the net to briefly put ahead. His subsequent outings included a start in the 3–2 away defeat to on 7 June 1995, followed by substitute appearances in the 6–1 home win over on 6 October 1995 and the 2–1 away victory against on 11 October 1995. These matches highlighted his role as a depth option in a squad featuring established forwards like . Despite his contributions to Germany's successful qualification campaign, Herrlich was not selected for the Euro 1996 squad, which the hosts won on home soil, nor did he feature in the due to a combination of inconsistent form at club level and recurring injuries that hampered his availability in subsequent years. His international career concluded after those five caps in 1995, with no further appearances before his overall retirement from playing in 2004.

Coaching career

Youth and early coaching roles

After retiring from professional football in July 2004 due to persistent injuries, Heiko Herrlich obtained his coaching license in 2005 and transitioned into youth development by taking charge of Borussia Dortmund's U19 team. In this role from 2005 to 2007, he focused on nurturing young talents through structured training programs emphasizing technical skills and tactical awareness, preparing players for senior-level transitions within the club's academy system. In July 2007, Herrlich was appointed head coach of the Germany U17 national team by the , succeeding Paul Schomann. Under his leadership, the team qualified for the in by topping their European group with a strong defensive record and efficient counter-attacks. At the tournament, Herrlich implemented a compact 4-4-2 formation that prioritized solid defending while exploiting transitions, guiding the squad to third place after defeating 2-1 in the playoff match. Key players developed during this tenure included midfielder , who earned the tournament's best player award for his visionary passing and set-piece expertise, alongside defenders like , who showcased leadership in the backline. Following the success, Herrlich continued his involvement with German youth internationals, also coaching the U18 team from September 2007 to June 2008 before serving as of the U19 team from July 2008 to October 2009, where he emphasized player integration into higher age groups through intensive and development camps. Herrlich's youth experience culminated in his first senior club opportunity as interim at in October 2009, a role that built directly on his preparatory work in talent nurturing and tactical discipline at the international junior level.

Senior club management

Herrlich's first senior managerial role came at in the , where he was appointed on 27 October 2009 following the dismissal of . Taking over a struggling side, he managed 22 matches, achieving a points-per-match average of 0.91, but could not prevent relegation to the at the end of the 2009–10 season, leading to his departure on 29 April 2010. After a period in youth coaching, Herrlich returned to senior management with in the on 1 July 2011. Over 40 matches, he secured a mid-table finish of 12th place with a points-per-match of 1.18, focusing on squad stabilization through tactical discipline. He left the club on 30 June 2012 for personal reasons, having laid foundations for defensive solidity. Following his departure from Unterhaching, Herrlich returned to youth coaching as manager of Bayern Munich's U17 team from 21 June 2013 to 30 June 2015. Herrlich's most notable early success occurred at , where he assumed control on 20 December 2015 in the . In his first half-season, he guided the team to the title and promotion as champions. The following 2016–17 season in the saw Regensburg consolidate with a 10th-place finish, employing an intensive, attacking style that emphasized quick transitions and youth integration from his prior Bayern Munich U17 experience. His tenure ended on 30 June 2017 after 60 matches and a points-per-match of 1.67, marking back-to-back advancements for the club under his leadership. Appointed head coach of in the on 1 July 2017, Herrlich built on Regensburg's momentum by implementing a possession-based attacking philosophy suited to the club's young talents. In his debut 2017–18 season, finished sixth, qualifying for the with 52 points from 34 matches. However, a poor start to 2018–19, including five losses in eight games, led to his sacking on 23 December 2018 after 64 matches and a points-per-match of 1.72 overall. Herrlich took charge of in the on 10 March 2020 amid a mid-table crisis, succeeding Martin Schmidt. Despite the suspension delaying his debut, he steered the team to 10th place in 2019–20 and narrowly avoided relegation in 2020–21 by winning key survival matches, such as a 2–1 victory over Werder Bremen on the final day. His emphasis on attacking football yielded 45 points from 42 matches with a points-per-match of 1.07, but a late-season slump prompted his dismissal on 26 April 2021. Following a period without a club, Herrlich returned to on 3 January 2025 as head coach in the , aiming to rescue their relegation battle. In nine matches, he recorded one win, two draws, and six losses for a points-per-match of 0.56, struggling with defensive frailties and limited squad depth amid the league's competitiveness. The poor results culminated in his sacking on 21 March 2025, three months into the tenure. Throughout his senior career, Herrlich has consistently advocated an attacking, youth-oriented philosophy, drawing from his time developing talents at Bayern Munich's academy to integrate promising players into first-team setups while prioritizing high-pressing and fluid offenses.

Career statistics

Club statistics

Heiko Herrlich's club career statistics highlight his contributions as a forward across four clubs from to 2004, totaling 351 appearances, 103 goals, and 25 assists in all competitions. In the , he recorded 258 appearances and 75 goals, primarily with and where he established himself as a key scorer. Additional statistics include 31 appearances and 15 goals in the , as well as 29 appearances and 6 goals in the , mostly during his Dortmund tenure. His overall club record also encompasses 8 UEFA Cup matches with 2 goals and 17 appearances with 4 goals for . A standout performance came in the season with , where Herrlich scored 20 goals in 32 appearances, sharing the league's top scorer honor that year. No hat-tricks are recorded in his career, but his consistent finishing, particularly in transition play, underscored his impact. Herrlich's statistics were affected by a diagnosis in November 2000, which caused him to miss significant time during the 2000–01 season at . Following surgery and treatment, he returned to competitive play in September 2001 after 310 days, scoring 7 goals in just 10 appearances that season, demonstrating resilience in limited minutes.

Bundesliga Statistics by Season

The following table details Herrlich's Bundesliga appearances and goals, broken down by season and club:
SeasonClubAppearancesGoals
1989–90Bayer Leverkusen160
1990–91Bayer Leverkusen183
1991–92Bayer Leverkusen283
1992–93Bayer Leverkusen130
1993–94Bor. Mönchengladbach238
1994–95Bor. Mönchengladbach3220
1995–96167
1996–97238
1997–98217
1998–99216
1999–00226
2000–01107
2001–02100
2002–0350
Total25875

Club Statistics by Club and Competition

Herrlich's broader club statistics, aggregated by club and major competition, are summarized below:
ClubPeriodBundesliga (Apps/Goals)DFB-Pokal (Apps/Goals)UEFA Champions League (Apps/Goals)Other European/Total (Apps/Goals)
Bayer Leverkusen1989–9375/65/20/08/1 (UEFA Cup)/88/9
Bor. Mönchengladbach1993–9555/288/60/00/0/63/34
Borussia Dortmund1995–03128/4118/729/68/2 (UEFA Cup, Intercontinental)/183/56
TSV 1860 Munich2003–040/00/00/017/4 (Regionalliga Nord)/17/4
Total258/7531/1529/633/7/351/103

International statistics

Heiko Herrlich earned five caps for the senior national team between 1995 and 1995, all during matches, during which he scored one goal. The following table summarizes his senior international appearances:
DateOpponentResultCompetitionGoals
29 March 1995Georgia (A)0–20
26 April 1995 (H)1–11
7 June 1995 (A)3–20
8 October 1995 (H)6–10
11 October 1995 (A)2–10
Herrlich's sole senior international goal came against on 26 April 1995 in a 1–1 draw at the in . At level, Herrlich represented the U21 team from 1990 to 1993, accumulating 20 appearances and 17 goals across qualifiers, the , and friendlies.

Managerial statistics

Heiko Herrlich's overall managerial record stands at 367 es, with 171 wins, 88 draws, and 108 losses, yielding an average of 1.63 points per as of his dismissal from on March 21, 2025. This encompasses both senior club roles and international assignments, reflecting a career spanning from 2005 to 2025. The following table summarizes his records across senior club management positions:
ClubTenureMatchesWinsDrawsLossesPoints per Match
2005–20075236881.88
2009–2010227690.91
2011–2012401510151.18
2016–2017603113161.67
2017–2018643313181.72
2020–2021421312171.07
202591350.56
During his time at , Herrlich oversaw back-to-back promotions from the to the , highlighted by a 60-match tenure that included strong home form in the 2016–17 promotion playoff. His second stint at in early 2025 ended with dismissal amid a poor run, contributing to the club's struggles in the . In youth coaching, Herrlich achieved notable success with German national teams and club academies, particularly at the where Germany played 7 matches under his guidance, securing 5 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss to finish third overall (group stage: 2 wins, 1 draw; knockout: 3 wins, 1 loss). His broader youth records include:
  • Germany U17 (2007): 9 matches, 7 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss (2.11 points per match).
  • Germany U19 (2008–2009): 17 matches, 11 wins, 4 draws, 2 losses (2.12 points per match).
  • Bayern Munich U17 (2013–2015): 52 matches, 33 wins, 10 draws, 9 losses (1.67 points per match).
Throughout his career, Herrlich predominantly employed a 4-4-2 formation with a double pivot in midfield, adapting it for defensive solidity in later senior roles such as at .

Honours

Club Honours

Heiko Herrlich won two titles with , in the 1995–96 and 2001–02 seasons. He secured three trophies: the 1992–93 edition with , where he was part of the squad that defeated 1–0 in the final, the 1994–95 cup with after a 3–0 victory over , in which he scored, and the 2001–02 cup with , defeating Schalke 04 4–2 in the final. Additionally, Herrlich contributed to 's triumph in 1996–97, appearing as a substitute in the 3–1 win over Juventus in the final at Olympiastadion in . The team followed this with victory in the , defeating Cruzeiro 2–0 in , with Herrlich starting the match and scoring the second goal.

International Honours

Herrlich earned no senior international honours with , where he made five appearances and scored one goal in 1995. At youth level, he represented the U21 team from 1990 to , accumulating 20 caps and 17 goals, including participation in the 1992 .

Individual Accolades

Herrlich shared the top scorer title in 1994–95 with 20 goals for , tying with Bayern Munich's . He also led the scoring in the 1994–95 with six goals.

As a manager

As head coach of the U-17 national team, Herrlich guided the squad to third place at the in , defeating teams including and the en route to the semi-finals, where they fell to . With the U19 team, he led them to runners-up at the 2008 . During his tenure at , Herrlich achieved back-to-back promotions, first securing ascent to the in the 2015–16 season by winning the title, followed by promotion to the the next year after finishing second in the , along with winning the 2015–16 Bavarian Cup. In , Herrlich has no major titles to his name but contributed to avoiding relegation on multiple occasions, notably stabilizing in the during the 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons, where the team finished 15th in 2019–20 and 13th in 2020–21, avoiding relegation despite early struggles, before his departure in April 2021.

References

  1. https://www.transfermarkt.us/heiko-herrlich/profil/spieler/114
  2. https://www.transfermarkt.us/heiko-herrlich/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/114
  3. https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=8269
  4. https://www.bayer04.de/en-us/news/bayer04/welcome-back-heiko
  5. https://www.transfermarkt.us/heiko-herrlich/profil/trainer/4044
  6. https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/news/heiko-herrlich-succeeds-martin-schmidt-as-augsburg-head-coach-10401
  7. https://www.transfermarkt.com/heiko-herrlich/profil/spieler/114
  8. https://www.transfermarkt.com/heiko-herrlich/leistungsdatenverein/spieler/114
  9. https://www.bayer04.de/en-us/page/history/dfb-pokal-stats
  10. https://www.transfermarkt.us/borussia-monchengladbach/alletransfers/verein/18
  11. http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football/germany/heiko-herrlich-16262/international-career_a41683/
  12. https://www.transfermarkt.com/heiko-herrlich/transfers/spieler/114
  13. https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/017d-0e6a31404558-00d8189596e5-1000--herrlich-returns-after-tumour-battle/
  14. https://www.dw.com/en/top-sports-stars-who-defied-cancer/g-51735147
  15. https://www.skysports.com/football/news/2295368/herrlich-to-retire
  16. https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/hherrlich-intl.html
  17. https://www.transfermarkt.us/heiko-herrlich/nationalmannschaft/spieler/114/verein_id/3262
  18. https://www.footballdatabase.eu/en/player/details/2748-heiko-herrlich
  19. https://www.besoccer.com/coach/heiko-herrlich-148
  20. https://www.transfermarkt.com/heiko-herrlich/profil/trainer/4044/sort/anzahl.desc
  21. https://www.uefa.com/under17/news/0252-0cddc918cf06-9ed69de14365-1000--herrlich-handed-germany-role/
  22. https://www.worldfootball.net/report/u17-h-wm-2007-suedkorea-3-platz-ghana-deutschland/
  23. https://www.uefa.com/under19/news/0257-0de99ccc1cc7-0ceaa74df8d8-1000--herrlich-leaves-germany-role-for-bochum/
  24. https://www.transfermarkt.com/heiko-herrlich/stationen/trainer/4044
  25. https://www.worldfootball.net/teams/spvgg-unterhaching/9/
  26. https://www.pnp.de/nachrichten/sport/manni-schwabl-ist-sehr-gluecklich-heiko-herrlich-wird-wieder-trainer-der-spvgg-unterhaching-17741204
  27. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/18/sports/soccer/bundesliga-young-coaches.html
  28. https://www.transfermarkt.com/heiko-herrlich/leistungsdaten/spieler/114
  29. https://fbref.com/en/players/c5c8e9ca/Heiko-Herrlich
  30. https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/news/all-top-scorers-bundesliga-muller-lewandowski-dzeko-nkunku-klinsmann-heynckes-fullkrug-24227
  31. https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/14298/Heiko_Herrlich.html
  32. https://www.11v11.com/matches/germany-v-wales-26-april-1995-245640/
  33. https://www.transfermarkt.com/heiko-herrlich/profil/trainer/4044
  34. https://www.transfermarkt.com/spvgg-unterhaching/startseite/verein/66/saison_id/2024
  35. https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/news/a-history-of-top-scorers-by-season-lewandowski-muller-aubameyang-19353
  36. https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/heiko-herrlich/erfolge/trainer/4044
  37. https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/37524282/bayer-leverkusen-appoint-heiko-herrlich-head-coach
  38. https://apnews.com/article/sports-europe-soccer-sports-9b58832f9846d52e2b999469bdc2d5c9
  39. https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/table/2019-2020
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