Bob Gansler
Encyclopedia
Bob Gansler is a Hungarian
-born American
soccer
player and coach of German
descent. He coached the US National Team
at the 1990 World Cup, the team's first appearance at the tournament since 1950.
Gansler spent the 2007 MLS Season in Canada
as an assistant coach for Toronto FC
. He left the team after their successful first season to spend more time with his wife, Nancy, four sons, and six grandchildren. Previously, Gansler coached the Kansas City Wizards
, winning the club's first MLS Cup
in 2000 and the US Open Cup in 2004
. He also coached the Milwaukee Rampage
to the A-League
title in 1997. He stepped down from his coaching position with the Wizards on July 19, 2006.
As a player, Gansler made 25 appearances for the United States between 1963 and 1969, captaining the 1964
and 1968 Olympic
and 1967 Pan American Teams. Of his 25 appearances, only 5, all in 1968, came in games considered full internationals.
Gansler played for the Chicago Spurs
of the National Professional Soccer League
in 1967. When the NPSL merged with the United Soccer Association
to form the North American Soccer League, the Spurs likewise merged with the Chicago Mustangs
, and Gansler played with the Mustangs of the NASL in 1968.
Gansler served in various coaching positions with the national teams beginning in 1975. In the late 1980s, he served as the coach of the U.S. U-20 national team while also coaching the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee men's soccer team. On January 16, 1989, the United States Soccer Federation
hired him as the full time coach for the United States men's national soccer team
, replacing Lothar Osiander
. Gansler's tenure during the 1990 FIFA World Cup
was somewhat controversial, even though he led the United States to its first appearance in the final World Cup tournament in 40 years. He took a team made up primarily of college and amateur players, leaving professionals such as Rick Davis
and Hugo Perez off the roster. At the time, the United States did not have a top division outdoor soccer league, the North American Soccer League
having folded in 1985. Most domestic professionals at the time played in indoor leagues, and Gansler felt that the skills required for indoor soccer conflicted with the outdoor game. In addition, the United States had been awarded the 1994 World Cup, and Gansler may have wanted to expose the core of the 1994 team to the World Cup experience. Not unexpectedly, the U.S. lost all three games, although the team won a moral victory of sorts by losing to host Italy 1–0; the Italians prevented the embarrassment of a draw thanks to goalkeeper Walter Zenga
.
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
-born American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soccer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player and coach of German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
descent. He coached the US National Team
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
at the 1990 World Cup, the team's first appearance at the tournament since 1950.
Gansler spent the 2007 MLS Season in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
as an assistant coach for Toronto FC
Toronto FC
Toronto FC is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada....
. He left the team after their successful first season to spend more time with his wife, Nancy, four sons, and six grandchildren. Previously, Gansler coached the Kansas City Wizards
Kansas City Wizards
Sporting Kansas City is an American professional soccer club based in Kansas City, Kansas that competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
, winning the club's first MLS Cup
MLS Cup
The MLS Cup is the championship match of Major League Soccer, the highest tier of professional soccer in the United States and Canada. As the final match of the MLS Cup playoffs, the winner is crowned the season champion in the same manner as other North American sports leagues...
in 2000 and the US Open Cup in 2004
2004 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
-Schedule:Note: Scorelines use the standard U.S. convention of placing the home team on the right-hand side of box scores.-First round:Eight PDL and eight USASA teams start.-----Second round:Six PSL and two A-League teams enter....
. He also coached the Milwaukee Rampage
Milwaukee Rampage
The Milwaukee Rampage is a defunct American soccer franchise, which played in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the A-League. The Rampage folded in 2002 because of financial problems, despite winning the A-league championship that year, as well as in 1997. The Rampage was founded in 1994 as a member of the...
to the A-League
USL First Division
The United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
title in 1997. He stepped down from his coaching position with the Wizards on July 19, 2006.
As a player, Gansler made 25 appearances for the United States between 1963 and 1969, captaining the 1964
1964 Summer Olympics
The 1964 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Tokyo, Japan in 1964. Tokyo had been awarded with the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subsequently passed to Helsinki because of Japan's...
and 1968 Olympic
1968 Summer Olympics
The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Mexico City, Mexico in October 1968. The 1968 Games were the first Olympic Games hosted by a developing country, and the first Games hosted by a Spanish-speaking country...
and 1967 Pan American Teams. Of his 25 appearances, only 5, all in 1968, came in games considered full internationals.
Gansler played for the Chicago Spurs
Chicago Spurs
Chicago Spurs were an American professional soccer team based out of Chicago, Illinois that was a charter member of the non-FIFA sanctioned National Professional Soccer League in 1967. The owners of the franchise were Al Kaczmarek, William Cutler and Michael Butler...
of the National Professional Soccer League
National Professional Soccer League (1967)
The National Professional Soccer League was a North American professional soccer league that existed for only the 1967 season before merging with the United Soccer Association to form the North American Soccer League. It had ten charter members, nine from the United States and one from Canada...
in 1967. When the NPSL merged with the United Soccer Association
United Soccer Association
The United Soccer Association is a former professional soccer league featuring teams from the United States and Canada. The league survived only one season before merging with the National Professional Soccer League to form the North American Soccer League. All the teams in the league were imported...
to form the North American Soccer League, the Spurs likewise merged with the Chicago Mustangs
Chicago Mustangs
The Chicago Mustangs were an American professional soccer team based out of Chicago, Illinois that was a charter member of the United Soccer Association in 1967. The league was made up of teams imported whole from foreign leagues. The Chicago club was actually Cagliari Calcio from Italy...
, and Gansler played with the Mustangs of the NASL in 1968.
Gansler served in various coaching positions with the national teams beginning in 1975. In the late 1980s, he served as the coach of the U.S. U-20 national team while also coaching the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee men's soccer team. On January 16, 1989, the United States Soccer Federation
United States Soccer Federation
The United States Soccer Federation is the official governing body of the sport of soccer in the United States. Its headquarters are located in Chicago, Illinois. It is a member of FIFA and is responsible for governing amateur and professional soccer, including the men's, women's, youth, futsal...
hired him as the full time coach for the United States men's national soccer team
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
, replacing Lothar Osiander
Lothar Osiander
Lothar Osiander is a U.S.-German soccer coach who has served as head coach to the U.S. national and Olympic teams as well as the Atlanta Ruckus, Los Angeles Galaxy and San Jose Clash....
. Gansler's tenure during the 1990 FIFA World Cup
1990 FIFA World Cup
The 1990 FIFA World Cup was the 14th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 8 June to 8 July 1990 in Italy, the second country to host the event twice. Teams representing 116 national football associations from all six populated...
was somewhat controversial, even though he led the United States to its first appearance in the final World Cup tournament in 40 years. He took a team made up primarily of college and amateur players, leaving professionals such as Rick Davis
Rick Davis
Richard Dean Davis is a retired American soccer midfielder, and former captain of the U.S. National Team for much of the 1980s...
and Hugo Perez off the roster. At the time, the United States did not have a top division outdoor soccer league, the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
having folded in 1985. Most domestic professionals at the time played in indoor leagues, and Gansler felt that the skills required for indoor soccer conflicted with the outdoor game. In addition, the United States had been awarded the 1994 World Cup, and Gansler may have wanted to expose the core of the 1994 team to the World Cup experience. Not unexpectedly, the U.S. lost all three games, although the team won a moral victory of sorts by losing to host Italy 1–0; the Italians prevented the embarrassment of a draw thanks to goalkeeper Walter Zenga
Walter Zenga
Walter Zenga is a retired Italian footballer and current manager. He is a long-time goalkeeper for the Italian national team and Internazionale. He also holds Romanian citizenship...
.
Coaching Positions
- Marquette University High SchoolMarquette University High SchoolMarquette University High School is a private, all-male, Jesuit, Roman Catholic school located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools and is a member of both the National Catholic Educational Association and the Jesuit...
Varsity Soccer Team Head Coach (1973–1976) - U.S. Under-19 National Team (1979–1982)
- UWM (1984–1988)
- U.S. Under-20 National Team (1987–1989)
- U.S. National TeamUnited States men's national soccer teamThe United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
(1989–1991) - Milwaukee RampageMilwaukee RampageThe Milwaukee Rampage is a defunct American soccer franchise, which played in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the A-League. The Rampage folded in 2002 because of financial problems, despite winning the A-league championship that year, as well as in 1997. The Rampage was founded in 1994 as a member of the...
(1996–1998) - Kansas City WizardsKansas City WizardsSporting Kansas City is an American professional soccer club based in Kansas City, Kansas that competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
(1999–2006) - Toronto FCToronto FCToronto FC is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada....
(assistant coach) (2006–2007)
Honors
- Walt Chyzowych Award (2000)
- MLS Coach of the Year AwardMLS Coach of the Year AwardThe MLS Coach of the Year Award is an award given by Major League Soccer to the best coach in any given season. The award has been given since the league's inception in 1996.-Winners:...
(2000) - MLS Supporters' ShieldMLS Supporters' ShieldThe Supporters' Shield is an annual award given to the Major League Soccer team with the best regular season record, as determined by the MLS points system...
(2000) - MLS CupMLS CupThe MLS Cup is the championship match of Major League Soccer, the highest tier of professional soccer in the United States and Canada. As the final match of the MLS Cup playoffs, the winner is crowned the season champion in the same manner as other North American sports leagues...
(2000) - Milwaukee Rampage Hall of Fame (inducted 2002)
- United Soccer LeaguesUnited Soccer LeaguesThe United Soccer Leagues is the organizer of several soccer leagues with teams in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. It includes men's and women's leagues, both professional and amateur. Leagues currently organized are the USL Pro, the USL Premier Development League, the W-League, and...
Hall of Fame (inducted 2002) - US Open Cup (2004)