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Klaus Linnenbruegger is a German former footballer and coach who briefly played professionally in Germany and coached Canadian clubs.

Club career

Early career

Linnenbruegger began his professional career in his native city of Bielefeld with VFB03 Bielefeld at the junior level and finally at the senior level.

Canada

In 1971, he emigrated to Canada and landed in Ottawa, Ontario where he initially played in the local circuit known as the Ottawa and District Soccer Association's first division with Ottawa Centennials.

He played in the inter-provincial Quebec National Soccer League in 1973 after signing with Ottawa St.Anthony Italia. Linnenbruegger re-signed with Ottawa for the 1974 season. In the 1975 season, he finished as Ottawa's top goalscorer and assisted the team in securing a playoff berth. In the opening round of the postseason, he contributed two goals against St. Viataeur which advanced the club to the next round. Ultimately, St. Anthony would secure the championship title after defeating Haitiana where Linnenbruegger scored a goal in a 4-2 victory.

Ottawa would re-sign Linnenbruegger for the 1976 season. Throughout the season, he participated in the O' Keefe Cup which determined Quebec's entry in the national Challenge Trophy tournament. He played in the semifinal round of the tournament where he recorded a goal against Montreal Elio Blues where Ottawa advanced to the finals. St. Anthony would secure the title after defeating Montreal Lachine.

Maple Leaf Almrausch

After four seasons with Ottawa St. Anthony, he departed from the club in order to return to the Ottawa and District League to serve in the capacity of a player-coach for Ottawa Maple Leaf Almrausch. In his debut season at the helm, he led the team to a city championship and the league cup. He returned for the 1978 season in the same role. In his second season with Ottawa, he successfully defended the league title and also added the Eastern Ontario Senior Challenge Cup. In 1979, during the winter season, he led the indoor team to the championship finals where they were defeated by Ottawa Royals. In 1980, Ottawa qualified for the Challenge Trophy tournament where in the semifinal round, Linnenbruegger contributed a goal against Halifax City Privateers which helped the team advance to the finals. In the national tournament final, Ottawa was defeated by Saint John Drydock.

Managerial career

Linnenbruegger's first experience with coaching occurred in the Ottawa and District League with Maple Leaf Almrausch as a player-coach throughout the late 1970s.

Ottawa Wizards

He returned to managing in 2002 to become the head coach for the Ottawa Wizards in the inter-provincial Canadian Professional Soccer League. In his first tenure with Ottawa, he led the club to a league treble. In the Canada Cup tournament, the Wizards defeated Toronto Croatia for the title. In the postseason he guided Ottawa to a championship title after defeating the North York Astros. Linnenbruegger would be reinstated as head coach for Ottawa in early September of 2003 after the departure of Hubert Busby, Jr. The Wizards would clinch their division and secure a playoff berth.

Ottawa Fury

In 2011, he returned to the coaching scene as an assistant coach under head coach Steve Payne for the Ottawa Fury in the American-based USL Premier Development League. After the dismissal of Steve Payne midway through the season, he was named the interim head coach on June 17, 2011. Ultimately, the Fury failed to secure a playoff berth. After the conclusion of the season, he was succeeded by Stephen O' Kane.

Honors

Ottawa Wizards

• CPSL Championship: 2002
• Open Canada Cup: 2002
• Canadian Professional Soccer League Eastern Conference: 2002, 2003

References

1. "Centennials win by 5-0". Ottawa Citizen. 9 June 1971. p. 24.
2. "Klaus gets four goals in half game". Ottawa Citizen. 28 September 1971. p. 16.
3. "St. Anthony's soccer star shrugs off success". Ottawa Citizen. 4 September 1973. p. 31.
4. De Marinis, Mariano (8 September 1973). "Free Kick". Ottawa Journal. p. 16.
5. "Verdun takes soccer". Ottawa Citizen. 8 April 1974. p. 19.
6. ^ "Saints start soccer defense in game Sunday". Ottawa Citizen. 29 April 1976. p. 24.
7. "St. Anthony's qualifies for semi-finals". Ottawa Journal. 22 September 1975. p. 19.
8. "Saints win". Ottawa Citizen. 14 October 1975. p. 29.
9. "St. Anthony's seeks cup on two provincial fronts". Ottawa Journal. 21 May 1976. p. 28.
10. ^ "Saints are finalists in Quebec cup soccer". Ottawa Citizen. 16 July 1976. p. 19.
11. "St. Anthony's wins soccer cup". Ottawa Journal. 9 August 1976. p. 17.
12. Dowd, Eric (19 February 1977). "Ottawa Sport". Ottawa Citizen. p. 20.
13. ^ Henderson, Bruce (23 March 1978). "Maple Leaf rated highly". Ottawa Journal. p. 29.
14. ^ Henderson, Bruce (26 May 1978). "All systems are go for Ottawa-Carleton". Ottawa Journal. p. 20.
15. "Ottawa Sport - Soccer". Ottawa Citizen. 2 October 1978. p. 24.
16. Dowd, Eric (19 March 1979). "Ottawa Sport - Soccer". Ottawa Citizen. p. 32.
17. "Vic West upset in soccer semis". Times Colonist. 13 September 1980. p. 18.
18. "Saint John ends B.C. hold on national soccer honors". Times Colonist. 15 September 1980. p. 16.
19. ^ "Former Wizards coach returns". Ottawa Citizen. 11 September 2003. pp. B7.
20. "Wizards Announce New Head Coach". Rocket Robin`s Home Page. Ottawa Wizards media release. 10 September 2003. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
21. Clearly, Martin (28 October 2002). "Ottawa Citizen: Pro style Wizards conjure up soccer success". Rocket Robin`s Home Page. Ottawa Citizen.
22. "Another title for Wizards". Ottawa Citizen. 30 September 2002. pp. C2.
23. Desaulniers, Darren. "Wizards get 3rd title of season". Ottawa Citizen. pp. C2.
24. "Wizards keep winning". Ottawa Citizen. 14 September 2003. pp. B2.
25. ^ "Wizards end season unbeaten". Ottawa Citizen. 29 September 2003. pp. C7.
26. Brennan, Don (26 May 2011). "Fury chasing success". torontosun.com. Toronto Sun. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
27. Starnes, Richard (17 June 2011). "The secret deal is no longer secret". Ottawa Citizen. pp. B4.
28. Desaulniers, Darren (20 June 2011). "One point will have to do for Fury". Ottawa Citizen. pp. C2.
29. Desaulniers, Darren (25 July 2011). "Men's Fury ends on a tie note". Ottawa Citizen. pp. B5.
30. "Stephen O' Kane is returning as head coach of the Ottawa Fury". Ottawa Citizen. 16 September 2011. pp. C2.

• Living people
• German men's footballers
• German football managers
• Canadian soccer coaches
• Canadian Soccer League (1998–present) coaches
• Footballers from Bielefeld