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Otto Knefler
Otto Knefler (5 September 1923 – 30 October 1986) was a German association football player and manager.
As player he won the championship of the German Democratic Republic of 1952 with Turbine Halle, today known as Hallescher FC. Between 1963 until his retirement in December 1973 he coached in the German Bundesliga and second division. Major successes were the promotions to the Bundesliga attained with Eintracht Braunschweig and Borussia Dortmund, albeit with the latter he was dismissed before the end of the season. Notably, they were placed fourth in the Bundesliga with Braunschweig in 1971 and placed sixth with MSV Duisburg in 1978, which was the second-best placing ever for the club.
In 1963 he commenced his coaching career with SV Saar 05 Saarbrücken in the southwest division of the second division, the Regionalliga Südwest In his three seasons there he kept the club between ranks four and six.
His first Bundesliga engagement with 1. FC Kaiserslautern followed 1967–68. There he was successor of the Hungarian Gyula Lóránt. He was terminated prematurely in early March 1968 after 24 matchdays when the club was just one point above a relegation rank. The last win then dated back to matchday eight. He was succeeded by Egon Piechaczek who in turn was replaced by Dietrich Weise before the end of the following season. Weise was hired by Knefler as his assistant, coming from the amateur side Neckarsulmer Sport-Union. Amongst his players in Kaiserslautern were the later coaches Uwe Klimaschefski and Otto Rehhagel.
From 1968 to 1970 he coached in the second division Regionalliga West Fortuna Düsseldorf. There he was succeeded by Heinz Lucas, who took the side in 1971 into the Bundesliga.
In 1970, he succeeded at Eintracht Braunschweig the retiring Helmuth Johannsen, who led the provincial side to the German championship of 1967. In his first year, he took the Eintracht to a surprise fourth place in the Bundesliga. The year thereafter the club finished 12th.
During his time in Braunschweig he was targeted by a phone call of the president of the Bundesliga club Rot-Weiß Oberhausen, Peter Maaßen who offered a bribe for a win against Braunschweig. Knefler rejected: "If you want to win, you better play well." While Knefler refused, some of his teammates, such as Lothar Ulsaß, Horst Wolter, and Wolfgang Grzyb, accepted bribes and were later punished in the wake of the so-called Bundesliga scandal.
Weakened by the loss of their most important players Eintracht Braunschweig finished 1972–73 as 17th of 18 clubs and was relegated. Braunschweig retained Knefler all the same and he succeeded in immediately returning the club to the Bundesliga.
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Otto Knefler
Otto Knefler (5 September 1923 – 30 October 1986) was a German association football player and manager.
As player he won the championship of the German Democratic Republic of 1952 with Turbine Halle, today known as Hallescher FC. Between 1963 until his retirement in December 1973 he coached in the German Bundesliga and second division. Major successes were the promotions to the Bundesliga attained with Eintracht Braunschweig and Borussia Dortmund, albeit with the latter he was dismissed before the end of the season. Notably, they were placed fourth in the Bundesliga with Braunschweig in 1971 and placed sixth with MSV Duisburg in 1978, which was the second-best placing ever for the club.
In 1963 he commenced his coaching career with SV Saar 05 Saarbrücken in the southwest division of the second division, the Regionalliga Südwest In his three seasons there he kept the club between ranks four and six.
His first Bundesliga engagement with 1. FC Kaiserslautern followed 1967–68. There he was successor of the Hungarian Gyula Lóránt. He was terminated prematurely in early March 1968 after 24 matchdays when the club was just one point above a relegation rank. The last win then dated back to matchday eight. He was succeeded by Egon Piechaczek who in turn was replaced by Dietrich Weise before the end of the following season. Weise was hired by Knefler as his assistant, coming from the amateur side Neckarsulmer Sport-Union. Amongst his players in Kaiserslautern were the later coaches Uwe Klimaschefski and Otto Rehhagel.
From 1968 to 1970 he coached in the second division Regionalliga West Fortuna Düsseldorf. There he was succeeded by Heinz Lucas, who took the side in 1971 into the Bundesliga.
In 1970, he succeeded at Eintracht Braunschweig the retiring Helmuth Johannsen, who led the provincial side to the German championship of 1967. In his first year, he took the Eintracht to a surprise fourth place in the Bundesliga. The year thereafter the club finished 12th.
During his time in Braunschweig he was targeted by a phone call of the president of the Bundesliga club Rot-Weiß Oberhausen, Peter Maaßen who offered a bribe for a win against Braunschweig. Knefler rejected: "If you want to win, you better play well." While Knefler refused, some of his teammates, such as Lothar Ulsaß, Horst Wolter, and Wolfgang Grzyb, accepted bribes and were later punished in the wake of the so-called Bundesliga scandal.
Weakened by the loss of their most important players Eintracht Braunschweig finished 1972–73 as 17th of 18 clubs and was relegated. Braunschweig retained Knefler all the same and he succeeded in immediately returning the club to the Bundesliga.