Josef Hickersberger

Josef Hickersberger (born 27 April 1948) is a former professional football player and former coach of the Austria national football team and Austrian club side Rapid Wien.

Club career

Hickersberger was born in Amstetten, Austria. He started his playing career with Austria Wien, where he was brought in by Ernst Ocwirk in 1966. After six successful seasons he was sold for 2.1 million schillings to Bundesliga side Kickers Offenbach. He later moved on to Fortuna Düsseldorf, then returned to Austria to join SSW Innsbruck and finished his professional career with Rapid Vienna. He continued playing for amateur sides Badener AC, UFC Pama, SV Forchtenstein and WSV Traisen where he took up his first coaching posts.

International career

Hickersberger made his debut for Austria in May 1968 against Romania and was a participant at the 1978 FIFA World Cup. He earned 39 caps, scoring five goals. His last international match was at the World Cup in 1978 against West Germany, a game dubbed The miracle of Córdoba which Austria won 3–2.

Managerial career

Since retiring as a player, Hickersberger has worked as a football coach. He was the coach of the Austria national team at the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy. However, after the sensational and embarrassing 1–0 defeat against the Faroe Islands in the first qualifying game of UEFA Euro 1992, he decided to quit and subsequently coached Fortuna Düsseldorf (1990–1992) and Austria Wien (1993–94).

Hickersberger then worked for a few years in the Middle Eastern region, where he trained several teams, among them the Bahrain national team, and Al Wasl FC Dubai, one of the most popular clubs in the UAE.

In 2002, Hickersberger returned to Austria, and brought back success to Rapid Wien. With him as coach, Rapid won the Austrian Championship of 2004–05, nine years after the last triumph, and accordingly qualified for the UEFA Champions League group stage where Rapid faced the teams of Bayern Munich, Juventus and Club Brugge.

He coached the Austria national team during the UEFA Euro 2008 played in Austria and Switzerland, obtaining only one point out of nine. Austria lost 1–0 against Croatia and Germany, and rescued a late draw, a 1–1 against Poland with a goal of Ivica Vastić on minute 93. Austria stayed in the third position in the Group B, staying out of the competition in their own country. Hickersberger and Joachim Löw were sent off in the match between Austria and Germany after claiming some errors made by Manuel Enrique Mejuto González. On 23 June 2008, he quit the Austria national team post.

On 10 December, Hickersberger signed a contract with Al-Wahda FC (Abu Dhabi) as head coach until 30 June 2009. After finishing fourth, therefore earning a play-off berth in the Asian Champions League, and leading the team to the Etisalat Cup Final in his first year at the club, he signed a one-year extension. He also brought along two of his former national team assistant coaches, including Klaus Lindenberger.

Personal life

Hickersberger's son Thomas played for the Austria national team in 2002.

Career statistics

Scores and results list Austria's goal tally first.

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	30 April 1972	Praterstadion, Vienna	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Malta	flag alias = Flag of Malta.svg	flag alias-1875 = Flag of Malta (1875–1898).svg	flag alias-1898 = Flag of Malta (1898–1923).svg	flag alias-1923 = Flag of Malta (1923–1943).svg	flag alias-1943 = Flag of Malta (1943–1964).svg	flag alias-unofficial-1943 = Flag of Malta (1943).svg	flag alias-colonial = Flag of Malta (1943-1964).svg	flag alias-civil = Civil Ensign of Malta.svg	link alias-naval = Maritime Squadron of the Armed Forces of Malta	link alias-navy = Maritime Squadron of the Armed Forces of Malta	flag alias-navy =Naval Jack of Malta.svg	flag alias-1814 = 19th Century Flag of Malta.svg	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || 1–0 || rowspan="3" | 4–0 || rowspan="3" | 1974 World Cup qualifier
2.				2–0
3.				3–0
4.	3 September 1972	Stadionul Central, Craiova	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Romania	flag alias = Flag of Romania.svg	flag alias-1859 = Flag of the United Principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia (1859 - 1862).svg	flag alias-1862 = Flag of the United Principalities of Romania (1862–1866).svg	flag alias-1866 = Flag of Romania.svg	flag alias-1947 = Flag of Romania (January-March 1948).svg	flag alias-1948 = Flag of Romania (1948-1952).svg	flag alias-1952 = Flag of Romania (1952-1965).svg	flag alias-1965 = Flag of Romania (1965-1989).svg	flag alias-naval = Flag of Romania.svg	flag alias-naval-1860 = Flag of the United Principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia (1859 - 1862).svg	flag alias-naval-1862 = Flag of the United Principalities of Romania (1862–1866).svg	flag alias-naval-1866 = Flag of Romania.svg	flag alias-naval-1922 = Naval Ensign of Romania (1922–1947).svg	flag alias-naval-1947 = Flag of Romania (January-March 1948).svg	flag alias-naval-1948 = Flag of Romania (1948–1952).svg	flag alias-naval-1950 = Naval Ensign of Romania (1950–1952).svg	flag alias-naval-1952 = Naval Ensign of Romania (1952–1965).svg	flag alias-naval-1965 = Flag of Romania (1965–1989).svg	link alias-naval = Romanian Naval Forces	flag alias-air force = Flag of the Romanian Air Force (obverse).svg	flag alias-air force-1947 = Flag of Romania (January-March 1948).svg	flag alias-air force-1948 = Flag of Romania (1948–1952).svg	flag alias-air force-1950 = Flag of Air Force of Romania (1950-1952, obverse).svg	flag alias-air force-1952 = Flag of Air Force of Romania (1952-1965, obverse).svg	flag alias-air force-1965 = Flag of Romania (1965–1989).svg	link alias-air force = Romanian Air Force	flag alias-army = Flag of the Romanian Land Forces (Obverse).svg	flag alias-army-1859 = Flag of the United Principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia (1859 - 1862).svg	flag alias-army-1862 = Flag of the United Principalities of Romania (1862–1866).svg	flag alias-army-1866 = Flag of Romania.svg	flag alias-army-1947 = Flag of Romania (January-March 1948).svg	flag alias-army-1948 = Flag of Romania (1948–1952).svg	flag alias-army-1950 = Battle flag of Romania (1950-1952, obverse).svg	flag alias-army-1952 = Battle flag of Romania (1952-1965, obverse).svg	flag alias-army-1965 = Battle flag of Romania (1966-1989, obverse).svg	link alias-army = Romanian Land Forces	flag alias-navy = Flag of the Romanian Naval Forces (Obverse).svg	flag alias-navy-1860 = Flag of the United Principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia (1859 - 1862).svg	flag alias-navy-1862 = Flag of the United Principalities of Romania (1862–1866).svg	flag alias-navy-1866 = Flag of Romania.svg	flag alias-navy-1922 = Naval Ensign of Romania (1922–1947).svg	flag alias-navy-1947 = Flag of Romania (January-March 1948).svg	flag alias-navy-1948 = Flag of Romania (1948–1952).svg	flag alias-navy-1950 = Flag of Naval Force of Romania (1950-1951, obverse).svg	flag alias-navy-1952 = Flag of terrestrial units of the Naval Force of Romania (1952-1965, obverse).svg	flag alias-navy-1965 = Flag of Romania (1965–1989).svg	link alias-navy = Romanian Naval Forces	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || 1–0 || 1–1 || Friendly
5.	10 November 1976	Kavala National Stadium, Kavala	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Greece	flag alias = Flag of Greece.svg	flag alias-old = Flag of Greece (1822-1978).svg	flag alias-1970 = Flag of Greece (1970-1975).svg	flag alias-royal = State flag of Greece (1863–1924;1935–73).svg	flag alias-otto = Naval Royal Standard of Greece (1858-1862).svg	flag alias-army = Hellenic Army War Flag.svg	link alias-army = Hellenic Army	border-army=	flag alias-air force=Fin Flash of Greece.svg	link alias-air force=Hellenic Air Force	flag alias-royalnavy = Naval Ensign of Kingdom of Greece.svg	link alias-naval = Hellenic Navy	flag alias-navy = Flag of Greece.svg	link alias-navy = Hellenic Navy	link alias-military = Hellenic Armed Forces	link alias-royalnavy = Royal Hellenic Navy	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || 1–0 || 3–0 || Friendly

Managerial statistics

As of 31 May 2012

Team	From	To	Record
			G	W	D	L	Win %
Austria	1 January 1988	14 September 1990
Fortuna Düsseldorf	1 January 1991	28 August 1991
Austria Wien1	1 July 1993	30 June 1994
Al Ahli SC	1 July 1995	30 June 1997
Bahrain	1 January 1996	21 December 1996
El Mokawloon SC	1 July 1997	30 June 1999
Al-Shaab CSC	1 July 1999	30 June 2000
Al Wasl FC	1 July 2000	30 June 2001
Al-Gharafa Sports Club	1 July 2001	30 June 2002
Rapid Wien1	1 July 2002	21 December 2005
Austria	1 January 2006	23 June 2008
Al Wahda S.C.C.	10 December 2008	1 June 2010
Bahrain	3 June 2010	20 October 2010
Al Wahda S.C.C.	22 October 2010	31 May 2012
Total

• 1.^ Statistics includes league and Europe.

Honours

As a player

• Austrian Football Bundesliga: 1968–69, 1969–70, 1981–82
• Austrian Cup: 1968–69, 1970–71, 1978–79

As a manager

• Austrian Cup: 1993–94
• Bahraini Premier League: 1995–96
• Qatari League: 2001–02
• Austrian Football Bundesliga: 2004–05

External links

• Josef Hickersberger at Austria Archive Template:In lang
• Josef Hickersberger at Rapid Archive Template:In lang
• Template:NFT player