Heini Otto
Encyclopedia
Heini Otto is a retired football
player from the Netherlands
.
between 1974 and 1977, followed by a move to FC Twente
until 1980, where he had replaced Arnold Mühren
after he left for Ipswich Town
.
, earning only one cap for the full national side
. His solitary cap came in a very unusual way. He gave his teammate Jan Jongbloed
a ride to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
, for a match against Yugoslavia
on 30 May 1975. At the airport, manager George Knobel
noticed that Willem van Hanegem
hadn't showed up so he asked Otto to go home as fast as he could to get his football belongings and return to the airport. At 71 minutes into the match, Otto replaced Peter Arntz
and played his first and only match for the national team.
side Middlesbrough
, with a view to a permanent transfer. He impressed manager Bobby Murdoch
and signed a two-year contract in August. He made a scoring debut in the Football League, against Tottenham Hotspur
at Ayresome Park
, but the team lost 3-1. Otto was joint top scorer with a meagre five goals when Middlesbrough dropped into the Second Division
in 1982. He stayed at the club for the next few seasons.
Otto was ever-present for Middlesbrough between 1982 and 1985 earning 155 consecutive appearances (the fourth longest period in the club's history), but eventually rejected a contract extension in May 1985 and returned to the Netherlands the following month to play for FC Den Haag. He is revered by fans of Middlesbrough who watched him play during this otherwise bleak period in the club's fortunes.
Amongst Middlesbrough fans of the period Heine Otto is recognised as an all-time great in the history of the club.
. He would coach there for the next three years before becoming assistant manager for a further three. On 1 November 2000 Otto was appointed manager of HFC Haarlem
. He held the role until 5 December 2002. He returned to Ajax as a youth coach after leaving management.
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 from the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
.
Early career
Otto worked for his father-in-law in the gold business, and then in a whisky distillery before becoming a professional footballer. He began his career playing for FC AmsterdamFC Amsterdam
FC Amsterdam was a Dutch football club which was founded on June 20, 1972, from the merger of the Amsterdam football clubs Blauw Wit and DWS. The club Volewijckers joined the side for the 1973-1974 season...
between 1974 and 1977, followed by a move to FC Twente
FC Twente
FC Twente is a Dutch professional football club from the city of Enschede, playing in the Eredivisie. The club was formed in 1965 by the merger of 1926 Eredivisie Champions, Sportclub Enschede and Enschedese Boys...
until 1980, where he had replaced Arnold Mühren
Arnold Mühren
Arnold Johannes Hyacinthus Mühren is a Dutch football manager and former midfielder. His older brother Gerrie, also a midfield player, won three European Cup titles with Ajax in the early 1970s...
after he left for Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
.
International
Otto played several times for the Netherlands Under-23 sideNetherlands national under-21 football team
The Netherlands national under-21 football team is the national under-21 team of the Netherlands and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association. The team competes in the European Under-21 Championship, held every two years....
, earning only one cap for the full national side
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
. His solitary cap came in a very unusual way. He gave his teammate Jan Jongbloed
Jan Jongbloed
Jan Jongbloed was a football goalkeeper with the Netherlands national football team at the 1974 and 1978 FIFA World Cups, wearing the number 8 jersey....
a ride to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol ) is the Netherlands' main international airport, located 20 minutes southwest of Amsterdam, in the municipality of Haarlemmermeer. The airport's official English name, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, reflects the original Dutch word order...
, for a match against Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia national football team
The Yugoslavia national football team represented the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in association football. It enjoyed a modicum of success in international competition. In 1992, during the Yugoslav wars, the team was suspended from international...
on 30 May 1975. At the airport, manager George Knobel
George Knobel
George Knobel is a former Dutch football manager.He was the coach of the Netherlands national football team for 15 matches from 1974 to 1976. He also coached Dutch clubs AFC Ajax, and MVV. He had a brief stint with Seiko SA in Hong Kong. -External links:*...
noticed that Willem van Hanegem
Willem van Hanegem
Willem "Wim" van Hanegem is a Dutch football player and coach born in Breskens, Zeeland. In a playing career spanning over 20 years he won several domestic honours in the Netherlands, as well as two UEFA trophies, all with Feyenoord. He was also a finalist in the FIFA World Cup 1974...
hadn't showed up so he asked Otto to go home as fast as he could to get his football belongings and return to the airport. At 71 minutes into the match, Otto replaced Peter Arntz
Peter Arntz
Peter Arntz is a former Dutch football player.During his club career he played for Go Ahead Eagles and AZ Alkmaar. He earned 5 caps for the Netherlands national football team, and was included in their squad for the 1976 UEFA European Football Championship.-External links:...
and played his first and only match for the national team.
Middlesbrough
In the summer of 1981, Otto played three friendly games for EnglishEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
side Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
, with a view to a permanent transfer. He impressed manager Bobby Murdoch
Bobby Murdoch
Bobby Murdoch was a Scottish professional footballer who played for Celtic and was one of the Lisbon Lions, the Celtic team who won the European Cup in 1967. He and Bertie Auld formed Celtic's central midfield....
and signed a two-year contract in August. He made a scoring debut in the Football League, against Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
at Ayresome Park
Ayresome Park
-External links:**-References:...
, but the team lost 3-1. Otto was joint top scorer with a meagre five goals when Middlesbrough dropped into the Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
in 1982. He stayed at the club for the next few seasons.
Otto was ever-present for Middlesbrough between 1982 and 1985 earning 155 consecutive appearances (the fourth longest period in the club's history), but eventually rejected a contract extension in May 1985 and returned to the Netherlands the following month to play for FC Den Haag. He is revered by fans of Middlesbrough who watched him play during this otherwise bleak period in the club's fortunes.
Amongst Middlesbrough fans of the period Heine Otto is recognised as an all-time great in the history of the club.
Late career
Heini Otto spent seven seasons playing for Den Haag, being ever present in the side from August 18, 1985 until and November 3, 1991. Later this record was only broken by Fred Grim. In his last season (1991–1992) Heini Otto became the one and only player ever in the Dutch "Eredivisie", that's the highest league in Holland, to score two own goals in one game. This happens in the away game against Feyenoord in "De Kuip", he did it once in each half. As a player he retired in 1992, later on he became a football coach.Coaching career
For the first two years of his coaching career, Otto was a coach and executive at Den Haag, before moving to Ajax AmsterdamAjax Amsterdam
Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax , also referred to as AFC Ajax, Ajax Amsterdam or simply Ajax , is a professional football club from Amsterdam, Netherlands...
. He would coach there for the next three years before becoming assistant manager for a further three. On 1 November 2000 Otto was appointed manager of HFC Haarlem
HFC Haarlem
HFC Haarlem was a Dutch football club from the city of Haarlem, established in 1889. The club won the Dutch national title in 1946 and reached five Cup finals, winning in 1902 and 1912...
. He held the role until 5 December 2002. He returned to Ajax as a youth coach after leaving management.