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Thorsten Fink

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Thorsten Fink (born 29 October 1967) is a German football coach and a former footballer, who is the head coach of Belgian Pro League club KRC Genk.

Thorsten Fink
Fink in 2016
Personal information
Full name Thorsten Fink
Date of birth (1967-10-29) 29 October 1967 (age 57)
Place of birth Dortmund, West Germany
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 KRC Genk (head coach)
Youth career
1976–1983 SV Roland Marten
1983–1986 Borussia Dortmund
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1989–1994 Wattenscheid 09 162 (26)
1994–1997 Karlsruher SC 92 (11)
1997–2003 Bayern Munich 150 (4)
2003–2006 Bayern Munich II 86 (6)
Total 490 (47)
International career
1989 West Germany U21 1 (0)
Managerial career
2006–2007 Red Bull Salzburg (Junior)
2008–2009 FC Ingolstadt
2009–2011 Basel
2011–2013 Hamburger SV
2015 APOEL
2015–2018 Austria Wien
2018–2019 Grasshoppers
2019–2020 Vissel Kobe
2022 Riga
2022 Al Nasr
2023–2024 Sint-Truiden
2024– KRC Genk
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

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Fink with Bayern Munich

Fink began his career with Borussia Dortmund's reserve squad before moving to SG Wattenscheid 09, where he helped them gain promotion to the first division of German football, the 1. Bundesliga, in 1990. After the club's relegation in 1994, he moved to Karlsruher SC, where he spent three seasons as a regular and impressed so much that he earned himself a move to the most successful club in Germany, Bayern Munich, in 1997. He subsequently spent seven seasons at Bayern, five of which as a regular, but lost his place in the starting lineup in 2002 and was transferred to the club's reserve squad in the German third division, the Regionalliga, in February 2003, although he managed a return to the Bundesliga squad in late April 2003. In the 2003–04 season, he became a regular in Bayern's reserve squad and only made one, his last, Bundesliga appearance that season, coming on as a substitute against VfL Wolfsburg in September 2003. His contract with Bayern's Bundesliga squad expired in June 2004 and he subsequently only continued to play another two seasons for the club's reserve squad before definitely ending his playing career upon the end of the 2005–06 season.

While playing for Bayern's first team, he helped the team reach the 1999 Champions League final against Manchester United, where Bayern dramatically lost 2–1, conceding two goals in injury time. Fink came on as a substitute late in the game, but his sliced clearance in the 91st minute led to United's equaliser, with the ball breaking to Ryan Giggs whose shot was turned into the net by Teddy Sheringham.

However, Fink still managed to pick up a Champions League winner's medal two years later, as Bayern beat Valencia in the 2001 Champions League final on penalties, although he did not play in the match. He also won four Bundesliga champions titles and three German Cups with the club.

He was forced to end his playing career in 2006 after sustaining cartilage damage in his knee.

Coaching career

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Early career

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While still playing for Bayern, he had already graduated from Cologne Sport University, in December 2005, after taking a course on coaching. From 5 September 2006, he began coaching Red Bull Salzburg's reserve side. After the departure of Lothar Matthäus as the assistant of head coach Giovanni Trapattoni, Fink stepped up and became the new assistant.

Fink took over as head coach of FC Ingolstadt 04 on 4 January 2008, replacing Jürgen Press, who was sacked on New Year's Day.[1] He appointed Heiko Vogel as his assistant. His first match was a 3–1 win against VfB Stuttgart II.[2] Ingolstadt finished the 2007–08 season in second place.[3] Ingolstadt started the 2008–09 season by losing to Hamburger SV in the first round of the German Cup.[4] Fink was fired on 22 April 2009.[5] He finished with a record of 16 wins, 11 draws, and 17 losses.[6] His final match was a 3–2 loss against SC Freiburg.[4] Ingolstadt were in 17th place when Fink was sacked.[7]

FC Basel

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On 9 June 2009, Fink was appointed manager of FC Basel as replacement for Christian Gross.[8] Fink took his assistant Vogel with him.[9] His first match was a 2–0 loss to FC St. Gallen on 12 July 2009.[10] In domestic affairs Basel swept the board in 2009/10. Despite a poor start to the season, Finks' side came back to win the 2010 Super League title[11] on the last day of the season with an away win against favourites BSC Young Boys in the Stade de Suisse. Young prospect Valentin Stocker and club legend Scott Chipperfield gave Basel the goals in the 2–0 victory on 16 May. FC Basel won the Swiss Cup Final 2010 with a 6–0 victory over FC Lausanne-Sport on 9 May.[10] Basel started the 2010–11 season against FC Zürich on 20 July.[12] With Fink Basel also won the 2011 Super League title and the 2011 Uhrencup. Fink left the club in October 2011.[13] His final match was a 5–1 win against FC Schötz in the Swiss Cup.[14]

Fwayo Tembo left FC Basel after he accused club coach Thorsten Fink of making racist remarks towards him during a training session. Fink is reported to have told a collaborator to "get the monkey down from the tree."[15]

Hamburger SV

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On 13 October 2011, Fink signed a contract with Hamburger SV to manage the German Bundesliga club through to 2014.[13] with the team in the relegation zone after losing six of their opening eight matches. His first match was a 1–1 draw against VfL Wolfsburg.[16] In HSV's first nine games under Fink they were unbeaten, going into the winter break in thirteenth place.[17] The team eventually finished fifteenth, avoiding a first ever relegation by five points.[18]

In 2012–13, HSV recorded a much improved seventh-place finish.[19] However, during the season Hamburg lost to Karlsruher SC in the first round of the German Cup.[20] the team equaled the club's record Bundesliga defeat, losing 9–2 at the Allianz Arena to FC Bayern Munich.[21]

Following a run of disastrous results during which Hamburger SV picked up only four points from their first five league games of the 2013–14 Bundesliga season and with the club in 15th place in the league table, Fink was sacked with immediate effect on 16 September 2013.[22] "We were no longer confident that Thorsten Fink was capable of turning the team around and that was why we took this decision (to sack Fink). Also it is apparent that he had 'outside troubles' which could have contributed to his poor results. His final match was a 6–2 loss to Borussia Dortmund.[23] He finished with a record of 23 wins, 18 draws, and 27 losses in 68 matches.[24]

APOEL

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On 10 January 2015, Fink signed a contract until the end of the 2014–15 season, with the option of a further season with the reigning Cypriot champions APOEL FC, replacing Giorgos Donis who was fired on 6 January 2015.[25] His first match was a 2–1 loss to AEL Limassol.[26] Following a run of disappointing performances and one day after a questionable 1–0 loss to Apollon Limassol, Fink was sacked by APOEL on 11 May 2015,[27] although at that moment the team were two points clear at the top of the league with only two matches remaining.

Austria Wien

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Fink was hired as Austria Wien's head coach on 28 May 2015.[28] He was given a two-year contract plus an option[28] and started in the 2015–16 season.[29] He was also in negotiations with Hannover 96.[28] He had his first training on 22 June 2015.[30] On 17 July 2015, in his first match, Austria won 3–0 in the Austrian Cup.[31][32] On 26 July 2015, in his first league match, Austria defeated Wolfsberg 2–0 away from home.[33] On 23 April 2016, Austria Wien defeated SV Mattersburg 9–0.[34] He finished the 2015–16 season in third place.[35]

Austria Wien started the 2016–17 season with a 1–0 win against Kukësi in the Europa League on 14 July 2016.[36]

After bad results and standing in seventh place Fink was dismissed on 25 February.[37] His final match was a 2–1 loss to Admira Wacker Mödling on 24 February 2018.[38]

Grasshoppers

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Fink became manager of Grasshoppers on 23 April 2018.[39] His first match was a 1–0 win against FC Lausanne-Sport on 28 April 2018.[40] He started the 2018–19 season with a 2–0 loss against BSC Young Boys.[41]

After disastrous results of only one point out of his last eight matches in the Swiss Super League[41] and standing in last place Fink was sacked on 4 March 2019.[42] His last match was a 1–3 loss against FC Luzern on 2 March 2019.[41]

Vissel Kobe

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On 8 June 2019, Fink was appointed as the new manager of Vissel Kobe, replacing the outgoing Juan Manuel Lillo.[43][44]

Fink managed to bring in the first two titles in club history of Vissel Kobe, winning the Emperors Cup and Japanese Super Cup in 2020.[45]

On 22 September 2020, Fink decided to resign to return to his family.[46]

Riga FC

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In January 2022, Fink was appointed head coach of Riga FC.[47] On 16 May 2022, Fink left Riga to take on a managerial job at another club.[48]

Al-Nasr

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In May 2022, Fink became head coach of the UAE Pro League club Al-Nasr.[49] In November, he was dismissed as the club was third from bottom in the league table.[50]

Sint-Truiden

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In May 2023, Fink was appointed head coach of Belgian side Sint-Truiden, succeeding Bernd Hollerbach.[51]

Career statistics

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Club

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Club Season League German Cup Europe Other1 Total Ref.
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Borussia Dortmund 1987–88 Bundesliga 0 0 1 0 0 0 — 1 0 [52]
Wattenscheid 1989–90 2. Bundesliga 37 1 2 0 — — 39 1 [52]
1990–91 Bundesliga 28 4 4 1 — — 32 5 [52]
1991–92 Bundesliga 32 8 1 0 — — 33 8 [52]
1992–93 Bundesliga 32 8 1 0 — — 33 8 [52]
1993–94 Bundesliga 33 5 3 0 — — 36 5 [52]
Total 162 26 11 1 — — 173 27 —
Karlsruhe 1994–95 Bundesliga 31 5 4 2 — — 35 7 [52]
1995–96 Bundesliga 29 1 6 1 — — 35 2 [52]
1996–97 Bundesliga 32 5 5 1 5 2 — 42 8 [52]
Total 92 11 15 4 5 2 — 112 17 —
Bayern Munich 1997–98 Bundesliga 33 1 6 1 8 0 2 0 49 2 [52]
1998–99 Bundesliga 28 0 4 1 10 1 2 0 44 2 [52]
1999–2000 Bundesliga 26 0 4 0 11 1 2 0 43 1 [52]
2000–01 Bundesliga 24 1 2 1 10 0 2 0 38 2 [52]
2001–02 Bundesliga 28 2 4 0 12 0 1 0 45 2 [52]
2002–03 Bundesliga 10 0 2 0 3 0 1 0 16 0 [52]
2003–04 Bundesliga 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 [52]
Total 150 4 22 3 54 2 10 0 236 9 —
Bayern Munich II 2002–03 Regionalliga Süd 6 0 — — — 6 0 [52]
2003–04 Regionalliga Süd 27 4 — — — 27 4 [52]
2004–05 Regionalliga Süd 34 1 4 0 — — 38 1 [53]
2005–06 Regionalliga Süd 19 1 — — — 19 1 [54]
Total 86 6 4 0 — — 90 6 —
Career totals 490 47 53 8 59 4 10 0 612 59 —

Managerial statistics

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As of matches played on 3 November 2024
Team From To Record
G W D L Win % Ref.
Ingolstadt 4 January 2008[1] 22 April 2009[5] 44 16 11 17 036.36 [6]
Basel 9 June 2009[8] 17 October 2011[13] 119 76 22 21 063.87 [10][12][14]
Hamburg 17 October 2011[13] 16 September 2013[22] 68 23 18 27 033.82 [24]
APOEL 10 January 2015[25] 11 May 2015[27] 22 11 8 3 050.00 [26]
Austria Wien 4 June 2015[28][29] 25 February 2018[37] 123 60 21 42 048.78 [32][36][38]
Grasshoppers 23 April 2018[39] 4 March 2019[42] 35 10 5 20 028.57 [40][41]
Vissel Kobe 8 June 2019[44] 22 September 2020[55] 49 22 12 15 044.90
Al Nasr 19 May 2022 5 November 2022 12 2 5 5 016.67
Sint-Truiden 16 May 2023 5 June 2024 42 13 15 14 030.95
Genk 5 June 2024 16 12 2 2 075.00
Total 517 242 117 158 046.81 —

Honours

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Player

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Bayern Munich

Manager

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Basel

Vissel Kobe

References

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  1. ^ a b "Alles klar mit Fink". kicker (in German). 4 January 2008. Retrieved 8 February 2013.
  2. ^ "FC ingolstadt 04". kicker.de (in German). kicker. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
  3. ^ "Regionalliga Süd (2000–2008) - Spieltag / Tabelle". kicker.de (in German). kicker. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
  4. ^ a b "FC Ingolstadt 04". kicker.de (in German). kicker. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
  5. ^ a b "FCI trennt sich von Fink". kicker (in German). 22 April 2009. Retrieved 8 February 2013.
  6. ^ a b "FC Ingolstadt 04". kicker.de (in German). kicker. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  7. ^ "2. Bundesliga - Spieltag / Tabelle". kicker.de (in German). kicker. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
  8. ^ a b "Thorsten Fink ist der neue Cheftrainer des FCB" [Thorsten Fink appointed new head coach of FC Basel] (in German). FC Basel. 9 June 2009. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 23 May 2011.
  9. ^ "FCB ergänzt Trainer Team" (in German). FC Basel 1893. 16 June 2009. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  10. ^ a b c "FC Basel » Fixtures & Results 2009/2010". World Football. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  11. ^ "Switzerland » Super League 2009/2010 » 36. Round". World Football. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  12. ^ a b "FC Basel » Fixtures & Results 2010/2011". World Football. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  13. ^ a b c d "Bestätigt: Fink übernimmt HSV". kicker (in German). 13 October 2011. Retrieved 8 February 2013.
  14. ^ a b "FC Basel » Fixtures & Results 2011/2012". World Football. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  15. ^ "Fotbalistul dorit de Becali a regresat în carieră după ce a fost victima rasismului: "Jos cu maimuţa din copac!"". gsp.ro (in Romanian). Gazeta Sporturilor. Retrieved 9 October 2012.
  16. ^ "Hamburger SV". kicker.de (in German). kicker. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
  17. ^ "Amsif rettet FCA einen Punkt". kicker. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
  18. ^ "1. Bundesliga - Spieltag / Tabelle" (in German). Retrieved 28 May 2015.
  19. ^ "1. Bundesliga - Spieltag / Tabelle". kicker.de (in German). kicker. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
  20. ^ "Hamburger SV". kicker.de (in German). kicker. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
  21. ^ "Hamburg chief: Bayern defeat 'disgraceful'". ESPN. 1 April 2013. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
  22. ^ a b "HSV trennt sich sofort von Fink". kicker (in German). 16 September 2013. Retrieved 17 September 2013.
  23. ^ "Hamburger SV". kicker.de (in German). kicker. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
  24. ^ a b "Hamburger SV". kicker.de (in German). kicker. Retrieved 28 May 2015.
  25. ^ a b Ανακοίνωση συμφωνίας/Δήλωση Thorsten Fink (in Greek). APOEL FC. 10 January 2015. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
  26. ^ a b "APOEL Nikosia » Fixtures & Results 2014/2015". World Football. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
  27. ^ a b Κοινή συναινέσει λύση συνεργασίας με Thorsten Fink (in Greek). APOEL FC. 11 May 2015. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  28. ^ a b c d "Absage an 96: Fink übernimmt Austria Wien" (in German). kicker. 28 May 2015. Retrieved 28 May 2015.
  29. ^ a b "Fix: Fink wird neuer Austria-Coach" (in German). Österreich. 28 May 2015. Retrieved 28 May 2015.
  30. ^ "Austria: So lief 1. Training unter Fink" (in German). Österreich. 22 June 2015. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
  31. ^ "Austria locker eine Runde weiter" (in German). Österreich. 17 July 2015. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  32. ^ a b "Austria Wien » Fixtures & Results 2015/2016". World Football. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
  33. ^ "Austria feiert Sieg bei Fink-Debüt" (in German). Österreich. 26 July 2015. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  34. ^ "tipico - Bundesliga, 2015/16, 32. Spieltag". kicker.de (in German). kicker. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
  35. ^ "tipico - Bundesliga - Spieltag / Tabelle". kicker.de (in German). kicker. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  36. ^ a b "Austria Wien » Fixtures & Results 2016/2017" (in German). World Football. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
  37. ^ a b "Austria trennt sich von Trainer Fink" (in German). kurier.at. 25 February 2018. Retrieved 25 February 2018.
  38. ^ a b "Austria Wien » Fixtures & Results 2017/2018" (in German). World Football. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  39. ^ a b "Ab sofort ein Grasshopper: Fink landet in Zürich". kicker.de (in German). kicker. 23 April 2018. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  40. ^ a b "Grasshopper Club Zürich » Fixtures & Results 2017/2018". World Football. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  41. ^ a b c d "Grasshopper Club Zürich » Fixtures & Results 2018/2019". World Football. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  42. ^ a b "Wende nicht geschafft: Fink-Aus in Zürich" (in German). kicker. 4 March 2019. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  43. ^ "トルステン フィンク氏監督就任およびトップチーム新体制のお知らせ" (in Japanese). Vissel Kobe. 8 June 2019. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
  44. ^ a b "Podolski-Club Kobe holt Trainer Fink" (in German). Die Welt. 8 June 2019. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  45. ^ "Iniesta wins his second trophy with Vissel Kobe after penalty shoot-out drama". MARCA in English. 8 February 2020. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
  46. ^ "Soccer-Fink steps down as Vissel Kobe manager". Reuters. 23 September 2020.
  47. ^ "TORSTENS FINKS - "RIGA FOOTBALL CLUB" GALVENAIS TRENERIS!" [THORSTEN FINK APPOINTED "RIGA FOOTBALL CLUB" HEAD COACH!]. rigafc.lv (in Latvian). 4 January 2022. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
  48. ^ "THORSTEN FINK IS LEAVING THE CLUB". rigafc.lv/en. 16 May 2022. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
  49. ^ "Fink neuer Trainer bei Al Nasr SC". Sportschau (in German). 19 May 2022.
  50. ^ "Fink ist seinen Job in Dubai los". srf.ch (in German). 5 November 2022.
  51. ^ "Fink heuert als Trainer bei VV St. Truiden an". sport1.de (in German). 16 May 2023.
  52. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "Thorsten Fink » Club matches". World Football. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  53. ^ "Thorsten Fink". kicker.de (in German). kicker. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  54. ^ "Thorsten Fink". kicker.de (in German). kicker. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  55. ^ "Thorsten Fink verlässt Vissel Kobe". spox.com (in German). 22 September 2020.
  56. ^ "Andres Iniesta lifts Japan Super Cup after nine straight pen misses". ESPN. 8 February 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
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