Hans Segers Explained

Hans Segers
Fullname:Johannes Segers
Birth Date:30 October 1961
Birth Place:Eindhoven, Netherlands
Position:Goalkeeper
Years1:1981–1984
Clubs1:PSV Eindhoven
Caps1:16
Goals1:0
Years2:1984–1988
Clubs2:Nottingham Forest
Caps2:58
Goals2:0
Years3:1987
Clubs3:Stoke City (loan)
Caps3:1
Goals3:0
Years4:1987–1988
Clubs4:Sheffield United (loan)
Caps4:10
Goals4:0
Years5:1988
Clubs5:Dunfermline Athletic (loan)
Caps5:4
Goals5:0
Years6:1988–1996
Clubs6:Wimbledon
Caps6:262
Goals6:0
Years7:1996–1997
Caps7:0
Goals7:0
Years8:1997
Clubs8:Woking
Caps8:?
Goals8:0
Years9:1997–1998
Caps9:11
Goals9:0
Years10:1998–2001
Clubs10:Tottenham Hotspur
Caps10:1
Goals10:0
Totalcaps:363
Totalgoals:0

Johannes "Hans" Segers (born 30 October 1961) is a Dutch football coach and former professional player who played as a goalkeeper.

As a player, he notably spent eight years with Wimbledon where he featured in the Premier League. He also played in England's top flight for Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur. He had spells in his native the Netherlands with PSV Eindhoven and in Scotland with Dunfermline Athletic, and in the Football League with Sheffield United, Stoke City, Wolverhampton Wanderers.[1]

Playing career

Segers was born in Eindhoven, North Brabant. His early career was with home-town club PSV Eindhoven, before being signed for Nottingham Forest by Brian Clough during the 1983–84 season. In his first season with Forest he played 32 times but lost his place to Steve Sutton and played in 12 matches in 1985–86. He made 18 appearances in 1986–87 and signed for Stoke City on loan in March 1987 playing in one Second Division match for the "Potters", a 4–1 defeat away at West Bromwich Albion.[1] He played five games in 1987–88 with Sutton injured, but was clearly second choice despite he and Sutton being of similar ability. He spent time that season out on loan at Sheffield United and Scottish side Dunfermline Athletic.[1]

His career revived when he was signed as replacement for Dave Beasant by Wimbledon in the aftermath of their FA Cup glory in 1988, his long kicks suiting Wimbledon's style of play, as Beasant's had done. He would remain the club's first choice goalkeeper over the next eight seasons, making 265 league appearances. Although he was unable to help Wimbledon win any more silverware, they never finished lower than 14th in the top flight in any of the eight seasons he played for them, and peaked at sixth place in the FA Premier League in 1994.

In 1994, he was accused of involvement in match fixing, together with Liverpool goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar, Wimbledon striker John Fashanu and a Malaysian businessman. The case was referred to Winchester Crown Court for a criminal trial in 1997 but all four defendants were cleared.[2] In December 1997, Grobbelaar and Segers were found guilty by the Football Association of breaching betting regulations.[3]

In the summer of 1996, Segers signed for Wolverhampton Wanderers as understudy to Mike Stowell. A brief spell in the Conference with Woking followed, before returning to Wolves again. A highlight during his time at Wolves was helping them reach the semi-finals of the 1997–98 FA Cup. In the quarter-finals, against Premier League side Leeds United, Wolves were leading 1-0 before a young Robbie Keane conceded a penalty in the dying minutes. However Segers saved Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's penalty to see his side through.[4]

Segers then made a remarkable return to the Premier League scene with Tottenham Hotspur, where he spent three years (playing just one league game) as a standby goalkeeper until he finally retired in the summer of 2001, a few months before his 40th birthday.

Coaching career

He was goalkeeper-coach at Tottenham Hotspur until 26 October 2007 when he was asked to stand down with immediate effect following the sacking of Martin Jol.[5]

Segers returned to his home-town club, PSV Eindhoven as a goalkeeping coach in July 2008 until June 2011,[6] when he linked up again with new Fulham manager Jol as Fulham's goalkeeping coach. [7]

In November 2018 Hans assumed the role of goalkeeper coach with the Australian national team until the completion of the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019.[8]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueFA CupLeague CupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Nottingham Forest1984–85First Division280400000320
1985–86First Division110001000120
1986–87First Division140103000180
1987–88First Division5000000050
Total580504000660
Stoke City (loan)1986–87Second Division1000000010
Sheffield United (loan)1987–88Second Division100000010110
Dunfermline Athletic(loan)1987–88Scottish Premier Division4000000040
Wimbledon1988–89First Division330404020430
1989–90First Division380105030470
1990–91First Division370302010430
1991–92First Division410202010460
1992–93Premier League410504000500
1993–94Premier League410306000500
1994–95Premier League320403000410
1995–96Premier League4000000040
Total2620220260703170
Wolverhampton Wanderers1996–97First Division0000000000
1997–98First Division110200000130
Total110200000130
Tottenham Hotspur1998–99Premier League1000100020
Career total3470290310804150

Notes and References

  1. Book: Lowe, Simon. Stoke City The Modern Era – A Complete Record. 2000. Desert Island Books. 1-874287-39-2.
  2. News: Grobbelaar's evidence 'riddled with lies' . BBC News . 14 July 1999 . 14 December 2008.
  3. News: Suspended ban for Grobbelaar and Segers . BBC News . 13 December 1997 . 14 December 2008.
  4. News: Segers' save sees Wolves through. . 7 March 1998 . 12 March 2024.
  5. News: Ramos favourite for Tottenham job . BBC Sport . 26 October 2007 . 14 December 2008.
  6. Web site: Hans Segers LinkedIn. Hans Segers LinkedIn.
  7. Web site: Hans Segers – Goalkeeper Coach . Fulham FC . 3 February 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140219005452/http://www.fulhamfc.com/the-teams/staff/hans-segers . 19 February 2014 .
  8. News: Caltex Socceroos announce staff changes ahead of November matches . FFA . 15 November 2018 . 15 November 2018.