Sepp Maier

Sepp Maier

Personal information
Full name	Josef Dieter Maier
Date of birth	28 February 1944 (1944-02-28) (age 66)
Place of birth	Metten, Germany
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position	Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1962–1979	Bayern Munich	536	(0)
National team
1966–1979	West Germany	95	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Josef Dieter "Sepp" Maier (born 28 February 1944) is a German former professional football goalkeeper.^[1] His nickname was "Die Katze von Anzing" ("the cat from Anzing") for his fast reflexes.

Career

Bayern Munich

Born in Metten, Bavaria, Maier has spent his entire professional career at Bayern Munich. He began playing for Bayern's youth sides in 1958.^[2] During the 1970s, he was part of the legendary Bayern team which included the likes of Franz Beckenbauer and Gerd Müller and won three European Cups in a row, a German record. Between 1966 and 1979 he played in 442 consecutive Bundesliga matches, still a German national record. His playing career came to an abrupt end in 1979 when he sustained serious injuries in a car accident (caused by DWI).

International

Maier was selected in the West Germany squad for four consecutive World Cups. In 1966 in England, he was a non-playing deputy to Hans Tilkowski. At the 1970 FIFA World Cup in Mexico, he was the undisputed starter and played all games (including the legendary 3–4 semifinal loss to Italy after extra time) except the third-place match.^[3]

In the 1974 FIFA World Cup on home soil, at the top of his footballing abilities, he reached the peak of his international career as the Germans went all the way to the final with a legendary team that included the likes of Franz Beckenbauer, Berti Vogts and Gerd Müller. The greatest triumph came when the hosts defeated a Johan Cruyff-inspired Netherlands team 2–1 in the final in Maier's own hometown Munich.

Four years later at the World Cup in Argentina, slightly past his peak but still formidable, Maier delivered a strong performance but could not prevent his side's failing to advance past the second round. Maier also won the 1972 European Championship with West Germany and reached the final in 1976, losing to Czechoslovakia on penalty kicks. In all, he earned 95 caps for his country.

Post-playing career

Maier went into coaching for both club and country and mentored Oliver Kahn. In October 2004 his contract with the national side was terminated by manager Jürgen Klinsmann after Maier spoke out in favour of Kahn over Arsenal's Jens Lehmann in a dispute over who should be the side's first-choice goalkeeper.^[4] He continued to work as head goalkeeping coach for Bayern and retired in 2008.^[5]

Personal life

Besides his goalkeeping exploits, Maier was famous for his overlong shorts and outsize gloves, as well as his sense of humour. He is remembered for an incident where he became bored during a match at the Olympiastadion as the opposing side had yet to threaten his goal. A duck wandered onto the pitch and Maier attempted to catch it.^[6]

In June 2009, Maier was honoured by the Bavarian government with the Life Achievement Award.^[7]

Career statistics

Honours

• German Champions: 1969, 1972, 1973, 1974
• German Cup: 1966, 1967, 1969, 1971
• European Cup: 1974, 1975, 1976
• UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1967
• Intercontinental Cup: 1976
• World Cup: 1974
• European Championship: 1972
• German Footballer of the Year: 1975, 1977, 1978

References

Germany squads West Germany squad – 1966 FIFA World Cup Runners-up 1 Tilkowski • 2 Höttges • 3 Schnellinger • 4 Beckenbauer • 5 Schulz • 6 Weber • 7 Brülls • 8 Haller • 9 Seeler • 10 Held • 11 Emmerich • 12 Overath • 13 Hornig • 14 Lutz • 15 Patzke • 16 Lorenz • 17 Paul • 18 Sieloff • 19 Krämer • 20 Grabowski • 21 Bernard • 22 Maier • Coach: Schön West Germany squad – 1970 FIFA World Cup Third Place 1 Maier • 2 Höttges • 3 Schnellinger • 4 Beckenbauer • 5 Schulz • 6 Weber • 7 Vogts • 8 Haller • 9 Seeler • 10 Held • 11 Fichtel • 12 Overath • 13 Müller • 14 Libuda • 15 Patzke • 16 Lorenz • 17 Löhr • 18 Sieloff • 19 Dietrich • 20 Grabowski • 21 Manglitz • 22 Wolter • Coach: Schön West Germany squad – UEFA Euro 1972 Winners (1st title) GK Maier • GK Kleff • DF Beckenbauer • DF Bella • DF Breitner • DF Höttges • DF Schwarzenbeck • DF Vogts • MF Bonhof • MF Hoeneß • MF Köppel • MF Netzer • FW Grabowski • FW Heynckes • FW E. Kremers • FW Löhr • FW Müller • FW Wimmer • Coach: Schön West Germany squad – 1974 FIFA World Cup Winners (2nd Title) 1 Maier • 2 Vogts • 3 Breitner • 4 Schwarzenbeck • 5 Beckenbauer • 6 Höttges • 7 Wimmer • 8 Cullmann • 9 Grabowski • 10 Netzer • 11 Heynckes • 12 Overath • 13 Müller • 14 Hoeneß • 15 Flohe • 16 Bonhof • 17 Hölzenbein • 18 Herzog • 19 Kapellmann • 20 H. Kremers • 21 Nigbur • 22 Kleff • Coach: Schön West Germany squad – UEFA Euro 1976 Runners-up 1 Maier • 2 Vogts • 3 Dietz • 4 Schwarzenbeck • 5 Beckenbauer • 6 Wimmer • 7 Bonhof • 8 Hoeneß • 9 Müller • 10 Beer • 11 Hölzenbein • 12 Worm • 13 Danner • 14 Bongartz • 15 Flohe • 16 Nogly • 17 Kaltz • 18 Kargus • Coach: Schön West Germany squad – 1978 FIFA World Cup 1 Maier • 2 Vogts • 3 Dietz • 4 Rüssmann • 5 Kaltz • 6 Bonhof • 7 Abramczik • 8 Zimmermann • 9 Fischer • 10 Flohe • 11 Rummenigge • 12 Schwarzenbeck • 13 Konopka • 14 D. Müller • 15 Beer • 16 Cullmann • 17 Hölzenbein • 18 Zewe • 19 Worm • 20 H. Müller • 21 Kargus • 22 Burdenski • Coach: Schön