Matthias Sammer (German pronunciation:[maˈtiːasˈzamɐ]; born 5 September 1967) is a German football official and former player and coach. He played as a defensive midfielder and later in his career as a sweeper.
With Sammer as a manager, Borussia Dortmund won the Bundesliga in 2002.
Club career
Dynamo Dresden
Sammer with Dresden in 1990, holding the FDGB-Pokal trophy
Sammer started his career at Dynamo Dresden when he joined the club's youth team as a nine-year-old in 1976.[2] He made his debut for the senior team under the management of his father, Klaus Sammer, in the 1985–86 season. Playing as a striker, he scored eight goals in his first season as Dynamo finished fifth in the DDR-Oberliga. After being moved to the left wing the following season by new manager Eduard Geyer, he eventually found his place in central midfield during the 1987–88 season.
Sammer was formally an officer of the Volkspolizei, as a player of Dynamo Dresden. He enrolled into the Felix Dzerzhinsky Guards Regiment as a 19-year-old. Many players of Dynamo Dresden were assigned to the regiment for their military service. Sammer then served as a non-commissioned officer in the Guards Regiment for three years from 1987,[3] holding the rank of sergeant in the Stasi.[4] The President of SV Dynamo was the head of the Stasi Erich Mielke. Sammer has explained that he would not have been able to continue to play football for Dynamo Dresden if he had refused to serve with the Guards Regiment and that he never saw any weapon or took part in any military exercise. He has described his employment with the Guard Regiment as an alibi to play football to Dynamo Dresden.[3]
After two seasons at Stuttgart, Sammer joined Italian club Inter Milan for the 1992–93 Serie A season. Though he was a success on the pitch, scoring four times in 11 appearances, including a goal against Juventus in the Derby d'Italia, Sammer failed to adapt to the Italian lifestyle and returned to Germany in January 1993.
Borussia Dortmund
In the winter break of the 1992–93 season, Sammer signed for Borussia Dortmund. He made 17 Bundesliga appearances in the second half of the season, scoring ten times.
Soon after winning the Champions League, Sammer's career was cut short by injury. He made only three further Bundesliga appearances for Dortmund before suffering a serious knee injury which he failed to recover from and retired in 1998.[5]
Sammer was a member of the German squad for UEFA Euro 1992, where the team was beaten in the final by Denmark. He was also selected for the 1994 FIFA World Cup, as Germany was surprisingly knocked out by the underdog Bulgaria at the quarter-final stage.
In UEFA Euro 1996, Sammer played in the libero role he had been converted to at Borussia Dortmund. He scored the opening goal in Germany's second group match against Russia and the winning goal against Croatia in the quarter-final. After Germany defeated the Czech Republic in the final, Sammer was named Player of the Tournament.[7]
Sammer usually played as a sweeper during the height of his career, and in particular in later years, although he was also capable of playing in several midfield and offensive roles; indeed, he was often deployed further up the pitch earlier in his career, including in a holding role, as an attacking midfielder, as a central midfielder, as a left winger, as a deep-lyingplaymaker, or even as a striker on occasion, courtesy of his technique, stamina, passing ability, and vision. Although he was not the most physically gifted defender, due to his slender frame, he was regarded as a world class player in his position, in particular due to his intelligence and positional sense, while he was also able to improve his tackling ability as his career progressed. Despite his more defensive playing role, he was also a talented and energetic player, who was known for his eye for goal, athleticism, elegance, finesse, and offensive capabilities, and had a penchant for undertaking individual forward runs with the ball towards the opposing penalty area. Beyond his skills as a footballer, he was also known as an influential player and a commanding presence on the pitch, who stood out for his charismatic leadership qualities, determination, bravery, and composure under pressure. Despite his ability and reputation as one of the greatest sweepers of all time, however, he was also known to be prone to injuries, which ultimately forced him to retire from professional football at the age of 31.[a]
Coaching and management career
Borussia Dortmund
After retirement, Sammer became head coach of Borussia Dortmund on 1 July 2000.[19] Sammer led Borussia Dortmund to another Bundesliga title in 2002. His team reached the 2001–02 UEFA Cupfinal the same year but lost 2–3 against Feyenoord. Sammer was sacked at the end of the 2003–04 season after Dortmund finished in sixth place.
VfB Stuttgart
Sammer returned to VfB Stuttgart as head coach for the 2004–05 season.[20] Despite finishing one point off a Champions League qualifying position, Sammer left the club on 3 June 2005.[21]
German Football Association
On 1 April 2006, he was appointed technical director of German Football Association (DFB), on a five-year contract. The position was new in the DFB at the time and had been initiated by national coach Jürgen Klinsmann, who undertook major structural reforms in the DFB during his short time of two years as a coach, with an impact lasting much longer than his actual term. The position included responsibility for the national youth teams, focusing on young talents between the ages of eleven and eighteen, as well as incorporating the latest developments in sports science into the DFB's training theories. Sammer was also expected to work on a tactical system for all of Germany's national sides in close co-operation with national coach Joachim Löw. He is credited of having led the declining quality of German football from its worst era at the beginning of the 2000s to new success through several talented players developed in the restructured youth system.
Bayern Munich
On 2 July 2012, he took over as Sporting Director of Bayern Munich and replaced Christian Nerlinger, who had been released following Bayern's treble losses in Bundesliga, German Cup and Champions League and because of his strained relationship with the club.[22] As Sporting Director, Sammer was a member of the management board responsible for the professional playing staff of the club.[22]
In his first season, Sammer orchestrated FC Bayern's turnaround to the first treble in club history by claiming the 2012–13 Bundesliga, the 2012–13 UEFA Champions League and the 2012–13 DFB-Pokal in record-setting fashion. His communicative abilities to never get satisfied, always stress some critical details, keep pressure high and not getting into delight even during the most superior periods were especially lauded to have contributed to the historic success. In the next years three consecutive Bundesliga championships and two cup wins followed.
In spring 2016, he had a "minute circulatory disorder in the brain"[23] and had to take a break from his work. During his recovery, he gained a new perspective on his work and family life and asked FC Bayern to release him from his position as sporting director which they granted.[24][25] Afterwards Munich continued working without any sporting director for a year before they presented Hasan Salihamidžić as his replacement.
Following this he effectively retired, initially working as a pundit for Eurosport for a while but ruling out to continue this in the future. In 2018, he started to work part-time as an adviser for Borussia Dortmund, meeting with the club for talks every two weeks, and is regularly seen sitting next to Dortmund's management during matches.
Personal life
Sammer is married and has three children, Sarah, Marvin, and Leon. He lives in Munich, Germany.[26] He is the son of Klaus Sammer, a former player and manager of Dynamo Dresden.[27]
