Wiki: Markus Babbel - upcScavenger

Markus Babbel (; born 8 September 1972) is a German professional football coach and former player who most recently managed Western Sydney Wanderers FC. He played as a defender for clubs in Germany and England. Babbel won the UEFA Cup twice: in 1996 with Bayern Munich and in 2001 with Liverpool. He was also a member of the Germany squad that won UEFA Euro 96.

Playing career

Bayern Munich

Born in Munich, Babbel began his professional career with Bayern Munich. Progressing from the youth squad to the first team, he became a regular contributor, starting in eight league matches and appearing as a substitute in four others.

Hamburger SV and return to Bayern Munich

He transferred to Hamburger SV in August 1992, where he became a regular in the first team and scored his first league goal in Germany's top flight. Returning to Bayern Munich in 1994, Babbel made 167 starts and caught the attention of Manchester United following UEFA Euro 1996. Although a £5 million deal was arranged for the German full-back, it ultimately fell through.Tyldesley, Clive. 1999 UEFA Champions League Final commentary. In June 2000, Liverpool F.C. manager Gérard Houllier signed Babbel on a Bosman transfer. He became a key member of Liverpool's back four during their triumphant 2000–01 season.

Liverpool

Babbel was a key figure in Liverpool's lineup, known for his trademark surging runs down the right flank, which contributed to several goals, including one in the UEFA Cup final. However, his Liverpool career came to an abrupt halt when he was diagnosed with Guillain–Barré syndrome, sidelining him for an entire year.

Blackburn Rovers

He joined Blackburn Rovers on loan in August 2003 after recovering from Guillain–Barré syndrome, making regular first-team appearances in the league and scoring three goals.

VfB Stuttgart

Babbel's final club was VfB Stuttgart, which he joined on a free transfer in July 2004. In January 2007, Babbel announced his intention to retire at the end of the 2006–07 season.

Germany national team

He was capped 51 times and scored one goal for the Germany and was part of the Euro 96 winning team. Babbel also represented his country at the 1998 FIFA World Cup and Euro 2000.

Coaching career

2007–12: Early career

Following his retirement from football, Babbel remained with his last club, VfB Stuttgart, as an assistant manager.

On 24 November 2008, Babbel became head coach of VfB Stuttgart. At the time of Babbel's appointment, VfB Stuttgart were 11th in the table after 14 games. Babbel's first match was a 1–1 draw against Sampdoria on 27 November 2008. Under his leadership, the team finished the season in third place, five points behind league winners VfL Wolfsburg, and qualified for the Champions League. On 6 May 2009, Babbel signed a contract extension with VfB Stuttgart until the summer of 2011. However, on 6 December 2009, VfB Stuttgart and Babbel parted ways. His final match was a 1–1 draw against VfL Bochum on 5 December 2009. At the time of his dismissal, VfB Stuttgart were in 16th place after 15 games played. Babbel's record at Stuttgart stood at 21 wins, 15 draws, and 14 losses. Under Babbel, VfB Stuttgart finished second in their Champions League group and qualified for the round of 16.

Babbel took over as head coach of Hertha BSC in July 2010, guiding the team in the 2nd division. His first match was a 2–0 win in the German Cup. Babbel successfully led Hertha BSC to promotion back to the Bundesliga by winning the 2. Bundesliga during the 2010–11 season. However, on 18 December 2011, Babbel was dismissed as coach of Hertha BSC. Prior to his dismissal, Babbel had expressed his intention to leave the club at the end of the season. His last match was a 1–1 draw against TSG Hoffenheim on 17 December 2011. At the time of his departure, Hertha BSC were in 11th place in the league. Babbel's tenure at Hertha BSC concluded with a record of 30 wins, 13 draws, and 12 losses.

On 10 February 2012, Babbel was appointed manager of TSG Hoffenheim. At the time, 1899 Hoffenheim was in eighth place. His first match ended in a 1–1 draw against Werder Bremen. 1899 Hoffenheim completed the season in 11th place. On 3 December 2012, Babbel was dismissed due to poor results, with the team in 16th place in the Bundesliga. Babbel's final match was a 4–1 loss to Werder Bremen. His tenure concluded with a record of seven wins, eight draws, and 15 losses.

2014–2018: FC Luzern

Babbel became the new head coach of FC Luzern on 12 October 2014, following the dismissal of Carlos Bernegger who had failed to win a single league game during the 2014–15 season. Babbel's first match was a 0–0 draw against FC Vaduz on 19 October 2014. Luzern finished the 2014–15 season in fifth place.

The 2015–16 season began with a 2–2 draw against FC Sion on 18 July 2015. During the 2015–16 season, Luzern reached the semi-final of the Swiss Cup and finished third in the league.

The 2016–17 season began with six matches between 23 July 2016 and 7 August 2016. Luzern won the opening match of the season 2–1 against FC Lugano on 23 July 2016.

2018: Western Sydney Wanderers

On 19 May 2018, Babbel was appointed manager of Western Sydney Wanderers FC in the A-League. The 2018–19 A-League season saw the Wanderers finish eighth out of ten teams, winning only six games, drawing six, and losing 15. In the 2019–20 season, after a promising start that included a 1–0 victory over Sydney FC in the first Sydney Derby at the new Western Sydney Stadium, the team experienced a dramatic collapse, securing only 1 win and 2 draws in the next 11 matches, dropping from first place after 3 rounds to 9th place (out of 11) after 14 games. Babbel was dismissed by the Wanderers on Monday, 20 January 2020, with his assistant coach appointed as interim replacement.

Overview