Bernd Bransch
Bernd Bransch (* September 24, 1944 in Halle ( Saale) ) was soccer player in the DDR - Oberliga, the top division of the East German Football Association ( DFV). He played there for the SC Chemistry Hall, the Halle FC chemistry and FC Carl Zeiss Jena. Bransch is 72 times the national team and won at the Olympic football tournaments in 1972 and 1976, the bronze and gold medal.
Football career
Youth
The football career of Bernd Bransch began in the streets of his native city hall, where he played as a six- year-old with the neighborhood kids football. In 1951 the decision was made to continue to play in a real football team, and the group joined the Motor Sports Association South Hall. Although Bransch for not particularly talented and held temporarily thought about quitting, but he moved in 1955 to the University sports club SC Science Hall. Here he went through the obligatory youth teams. In between, he was delegated in 1958 with the football section of the SC to SC Chemistry Science Hall. In addition to his football commitment Bransch completed after his education, an apprenticeship as a machinist.
League players
During the football season 1963/64, Bransch was taken chemistry in the league joint of the SC. His debut in the first division he gave on Matchday, the September 30, 1963 In the encounter Turbine Erfurt -. Chemistry hall (0:0 ), he was employed as the left striker. This season he was used a total of 22 times in the league and played in contrast to his debut feature mainly in midfield. He scored four goals in those games and opened a series that extended over his entire league career: Although primarily used in the defensive area, passed no league season without scoring. With the exception of the season in 1973/74, in which it was used only 16 times, Bransch was spared serious injury, so he was able to be a regular player for 14 years. Only a year when the SC had to descend Chemistry 1964 Branschs league career was interrupted. The club whose football section was converted from 1966 to Halle FC Chemistry ( HFC), immediately rose again, with Bransch had helped as top scorer of the DDR -Liga active with 20 hits. In the 1970/71 season Bransch reached third place the best league placing the HFC. He had now become a versatile player and always shuttled between different positions in midfield and defense.
1973 HFC rose again from out of the league. Bransch was at this time already established national players and saw his nomination for the 1974 World Cup as a second division player at risk. He left therefore the HFC to the end of the 1972/73 season and moved to the GDR 's top club FC Carl Zeiss Jena, where several of his teammates were already home from the national team. Bransch had no difficulties in adapting and captured immediately a regular place as a sweeper. On April 13, 1974 was the with FC Carl Zeiss as a sweeper in the final of the East German soccer cup. With the 3-1 victory over Dynamo Dresden, where he was responsible for the final results, he won his only national title. At the end of the 1973/74 season he was with FC Carl Zeiss in the league runner-up. He had denied 25 of 26 discharged Oberliga point games and had come to scoring a goal. He played in all four games of the UEFA Cup this season Jena and scored two goals.
Meanwhile, the Halle FC had managed its chances of promotion, and Bransch took this as an opportunity to rejoin his old club. Now As in Jena, he also took over the libero position in Hall, but could this season 1974/75 due to an injury dispute only 16 league games. In the following two seasons, he returned to full capacity and was still used in each case in all 26 point games in general as a sweeper. The season 1976/77 was the last league season by Bernd Bransch. With the match on the last matchday Sachsenring Zwickau - HFC ( 6:2 ), he ended his performance sports career. Once again he proved his marksmanship with the goal to 2:3 standings. After eleven league seasons with the club he had come to Halle 292 top-flight appearances that add up with his stopover in Jena to 317. As a player in the defensive area he came up with the astonishing figure of 43 Erstligatoren. Due to his good performances he was in 1968 and 1974, elected by the sports journalists of the GDR Footballer of the Year.
National players
Even as a junior player Bransch moved into the focus of the East German Football Association. In 1962 he was included in the squad of the junior national team and played on 16 September 1962, the encounter Poland - East Germany ( 3-1 ) as a striker his first Junior National team. By 1963, followed by three more international appearances, where he served as team captain. In the years 1965 and 1966 Bransch completed six caps with the junior national team.
With 22 years Bransch moved in 1967 to the squad of the national team on. With her he came to his first international cap on 17 May 1967. During 1-0 win in Sweden, he was employed as a left defender. In this position, he immediately became a regular player for the national team. One of his most successful matches was the qualifier for the 1974 World Cup in the Encounter DDR -. Romania on 29 September 1973, he scored both goals in the 2-0 victory, with which the GDR laid the foundation for the World Cup. At the World Championship tournament Bransch denied as team captain all six games and was so also in the team that the host DFB team defeated surprising 1-0.
Since the A-team could win a title either in Europe or in the World Championships, Bransch came with the football Olympic team of the GDR to his biggest international successes. There, since 1967, he was also part of the squad and played in all six qualifiers for the Olympic football tournament in 1968, for which the GDR, however, failed to qualify. Of the eleven games of the Olympic team in 1971 and 1972 Bransch completed ten games. This time the GDR reached the Olympic football tournament in the Federal Republic, and Bransch was in all seven games this. In the small final, he won after a 2-2 draw against the Soviet Union according to the tournament with his team the bronze medal. Also in 1975 belonged Bransch back to the Olympic squad selection. Of the six qualifying matches he played three games. Once again reached the GDR the Olympic tournament, but Bransch was with his almost 31 years, only a substitute. On 31 July 1976, the GDR selection was in Montreal, Canada in the final and won after a 3-1 victory over Poland the gold medal. In honor of his contributions to the national Bransch was substituted by coach George Buschner in the 85th minute, which was even helped him to end international career to the Olympic gold medal. He was awarded the Patriotic Order of Merit in silver for this success.
With the Olympic final in 1976 and winning the gold medal as the pinnacle of his career Bransch ended his career in the national team. Within ten years he had played 72 matches with the national team and scored two goals. With the Olympic team, he completed 1967-1976 20 official international games. From 1972 to 1975 Bransch was team captain in 45 internationals.
After playing career
During his time as a footballer Bransch in 1972 passed the master's examination in metalworking. After the end of competitive sports, he began studying to become an engineer economist. Professionally, he worked as a Councillor for Youth and Sports in Halle. From 1983 to 1990 he was Chairman of the Halle FC, then to 1992, President and Manager. After the political and economic upheaval in 1990 in East Germany Bransch worked as an insurance agent and corporate planner and temporarily unemployed. In 2007, Bransch at Halle FC the function of a sports consultant and was Vice President of the Metropolitan Sports Association Hall.
Achievements
- Olympic gold in 1976
- Olympic bronze in 1972
- East German Cup winner 1974
- DDR - runner 1974
- Oberliga rise in 1965
- Scorer of the DDR League 1965
- East German Footballer of the Year in 1968 and 1974