The ultimate journeyman

[Yngwie]

I caught part of a radio interview the other day with an eccentric sounding foreign keeper who had some great stories to tell. I missed his name but later googled some of his former clubs to identify him as Lutz Pfannenstiel.  Can't say I can recall ever hearing of him before, but what an interesting career he had, which including "dying" on the pitch after a collision.

 

His aim was always to play as much as possible, never setling for a place on the bench, and that led him all over the world to rack up a remarkable 25 clubs before he retired at 36.  He would often play all year round by moving continents when one season ended, and became the first footballer to play in all 6 FIFA confederations.

 

He spent over 3 months in a hellish Asian jail fighting for food and fending off rape attempts, after charges of match-fixing.  The odd thing is he was accused of conspiring to win games!

 

After asking to be released from a contract in Albania, he claims the chairman pulled out a gun and said "Let's negotiate!" The fans there were apparently crazy: one week, after a win they gave him an eagle, then soon afterwards after a defeat they put bricks through his window.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17593237

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lutz_Pfannenstiel

 

If I was a footballer I'm sure I'd find that sort of career to be more rewarding than going to Kilmarnock and Motherwell every few weeks!

Edited August 26, 2014 by Yngwie

[Scotty]

Cant beat your guy ... but former Hibs goalie John Burridge ...... 29 clubs including Hibs, Aberdeen, Dunfermline, Dumbarton, Falkirk, and QOS in Scotland. Didnt make appearances for them all though ... just 20 !

[Renegade]

There was a thing about Pfannenstiel in FourFourTwo a couple of years back. I see he'd played in New Zealand, Canada and even at the Maracana!

This one of the best ones/fall from graces I've come across is Trevor Benjamin. He's even played for two different national teams! Apparently, he was also on trial at Clyde in 2009!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trevor_Benjamin

Ten points for anyone who can spot his one foreign club!

Edited August 26, 2014 by Renegade

[Yngwie]

I'm genuinely surprised that none these guys ever featured for County!

 

Speaking of which, remember Mark Hately?  Milan.....Monaco.....Rangers.....Dingwall.

[AJS]

Ladies and gentlemen...Mr Trevor Benjamin 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trevor_benjamin

[Scotty]

Ladies and gentlemen...Mr Trevor Benjamin 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trevor_benjamin

 

see two posts above yours .....Rene beat you to it !

[Renegade]

Manager-wise Rudi Gutendorf has the record for the most international teams managed and signed Steve Paterson for some team in Japan!

 

He's managed Blue Star Zurich, Luzern, US Monastir, Duisburg, Stuttgart, St Louis Stars, Bermuda, Schalke, Kickers Offenbach, Sporting Cristal, Chile, Bolivia, Venezuela, 1860 Munich, Real Vallodolid, Fortuna Koln, Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda, Botswana, Hamburg, Australia, New Caledonia, Fiji, Nepal, Tonga, Tanzania, Hertha Berlin, Sao Tome and Principe, Yomiuri (now known as Tokyo Verdy), Ghana, Nepal, Fiji (was so good they brought him back!), China, Iran U23s, China (again!), Mauritius, Zimbabwe, Mauritius (again!), Rwanda and Samoa!

 

Bizarrely, in his playing career he was a one club man and played for TuS Neuendorf for nine years!

[+DoofersDad]

I caught part of a radio interview the other day with an eccentric sounding foreign keeper who had some great stories to tell. I missed his name but later googled some of his former clubs to identify him as Lutz Pfannenstiel.  Can't say I can recall ever hearing of him before, but what an interesting career he had, which including "dying" on the pitch after a collision.

 

His aim was always to play as much as possible, never setling for a place on the bench, and that led him all over the world to rack up a remarkable 25 clubs before he retired at 36.  He would often play all year round by moving continents when one season ended, and became the first footballer to play in all 6 FIFA confederations.

 

He spent over 3 months in a hellish Asian jail fighting for food and fending off rape attempts, after charges of match-fixing.  The odd thing is he was accused of conspiring to win games!

 

After asking to be released from a contract in Albania, he claims the chairman pulled out a gun and said "Let's negotiate!" The fans there were apparently crazy: one week, after a win they gave him an eagle, then soon afterwards after a defeat they put bricks through his window.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17593237

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lutz_Pfannenstiel

 

If I was a footballer I'm sure I'd find that sort of career to be more rewarding than going to Kilmarnock and Motherwell every few weeks!

 

Can you explain just what it is about having bricks put through your windows or being in jail fending of rape attempts that you would find so rewarding?  Give me your address and I can arrange the former if you'ld like but I'm afraid you'll need to look elsewhere for the latter. 

[Yngwie]

Can you explain just what it is about having bricks put through your windows or being in jail fending of rape attempts that you would find so rewarding?  Give me your address and I can arrange the former if you'ld like but I'm afraid you'll need to look elsewhere for the latter. 

 

Aye OK, it's Bute House, Charlotte Square...........and if you could somehow arrange the latter too....

Edited August 26, 2014 by Yngwie