Torsten Gütschow Explained

Torsten Gütschow
Fullname:Torsten Jens Gütschow[1]
Height:1.75 m
Birth Date:28 July 1962
Birth Place:Görlitz, East Germany
Position:Striker
Youthyears1:1968–1973
Youthclubs1:Traktor Zodel
Youthyears2:1973–1976
Youthclubs2:Dynamo Görlitz
Youthyears3:1976–1980
Youthclubs3:Dynamo Dresden
Years1:1980–1992
Clubs1:Dynamo Dresden
Caps1:247
Goals1:116
Years2:1992–1993
Clubs2:Galatasaray
Caps2:15
Goals2:10
Years3:1993–1994
Clubs3:Carl Zeiss Jena
Caps3:9
Goals3:0
Years4:1994–1995
Clubs4:Hannover 96
Caps4:33
Goals4:16
Years5:1995–1996
Clubs5:Chemnitzer FC
Caps5:34
Goals5:15
Years6:1996–1999
Clubs6:Dynamo Dresden
Caps6:82
Goals6:33
Totalcaps:420
Totalgoals:190
Nationalyears1:1979
Nationalteam1:East Germany U-18
Nationalcaps1:4
Nationalgoals1:3
Nationalyears2:1981–1983
Nationalteam2:East Germany U-21
Nationalcaps2:16
Nationalgoals2:4
Nationalteam3:East Germany Olympic
Nationalcaps3:3
Nationalgoals3:2
Nationalyears4:1984–1989
Nationalteam4:East Germany
Nationalcaps4:3
Nationalgoals4:2
Manageryears1:2003–2004
Managerclubs1:FC Oberneuland
Manageryears2:2006–2013
Managerclubs2:TuS Heeslingen
Manageryears3:2014
Managerclubs3:TSG Neustrelitz
Manageryears4:2017–2019
Managerclubs4:FSV Budissa Bautzen
Manageryears5:2022–2023
Managerclubs5:Bremer SV
Manageryears6:2023
Managerclubs6:SG Dynamo Schwerin

Torsten Gütschow (born 28 July 1962) is a German football manager and former player who played as a striker.[2] He is most associated with Dynamo Dresden, with whom he had two successful spells, playing top level football in East Germany and after reunification.[3] In between these he played for three other German clubs, and spent six months with Galatasaray of the Turkish Süper Lig. A strong and instinctive goalscorer, Gütschow was top scorer in each of the last three seasons of the DDR-Oberliga,[4] and was the last East German Footballer of the Year.[5] He won three international caps for East Germany, scoring two goals between 1984 and 1989.[6] Since retiring he has taken up coaching, and has been manager of TuS Heeslingen.

Playing career

In East Germany

Gütschow played as a youth for Traktor Zodel and Dynamo Görlitz, before joining Dynamo Dresden in 1976.[7] After four years in their youth setup, he was promoted to the first-team, making his DDR-Oberliga debut in 1980. He established himself as a consistent goalscorer, and scored 17 goals in the 1984–85 season. The next two seasons were blighted by injury, but he returned to form, partnering Ulf Kirsten up front, and was the league's top scorer in its last three seasons. His seven goals in the 1988-89 UEFA Cup made him the competition's top scorer and in 1991 he was named as the last East German Footballer of the Year.

During much of Gütschow's time with Dynamo Dresden, the league was dominated by BFC Dynamo, who won ten consecutive league titles from 1979 to 1988.[8] Dresden broke this run by winning the championship in 1989 and 1990,[9] adding a cup win in the latter season to complete the double. They had also won the cup in 1982, 1984 and 1985.

After reunification

The last season of the DDR-Oberliga (now renamed the NOFV-Oberliga) saw Dynamo Dresden finish second, behind Hansa Rostock,[10] and with German reunification they qualified for the Bundesliga. In their first season they finished in 14th place,[11] and Gütschow was the team's top scorer, with 10 goals from 31 appearances.[12] [13] The following season, he played eight matches, scoring twice,[14] before leaving in December 1992, joining Galatasaray of the Turkish Süper Lig. Gütschow's 12 Bundesliga goals are still the most of any Dynamo Dresden player.

Galatasaray had a German coach, Karl-Heinz Feldkamp, and two other German players in Falko Götz and Reinhard Stumpf. Gütschow settled in immediately, and scored 10 goals in 15 league appearances, as the club won a league and cup double.[15] Gütschow only spent six months in Turkey, returning to Germany in summer 1993 but remains a popular figure with Galatasaray fans.

Gütschow returned to Germany with Carl Zeiss Jena of the 2. Bundesliga, but had a singularly unsuccessful season, making only nine league appearances and failing to score.[16] He left Jena after one year, and followed this with single-year spells at two other 2. Liga clubs – Hannover 96 and Chemnitzer FC. He had more personal success in both these seasons, scoring 16 and 15 goals respectively,[17] [18] but the latter ended in relegation for Chemnitz.[19]

In 1996, Gütschow returned to Dynamo Dresden, now in the third-tier Regionalliga Nordost. He spent three years with the club as they tried unsuccessfully to get promoted to the second division,[20] before retiring in 1999. In total, he had made 329 league appearances for Dynamo, scoring 149 goals, across two spells.

International career

Gütschow was called up to the East Germany national team in February 1984, making his debut in a 3–1 away win against Greece. His second cap came later in the same year, also against Greece – this time he scored again in a 1–0 home win. His third and final cap didn't come until 1989, in a 1–1 draw with Finland at his home stadium in Dresden. He was also capped at under-21 level and made three appearances for the DDR Olympic team.

Coaching career

After ending his playing career, Gütschow took up coaching. He worked with VfL Bochum's reserve team, and was manager of FC Oberneuland from 2003 to 2004. In 2006, he was appointed as manager of TuS 1906 Heeslingen, and won promotion to the Oberliga Nord in his first season.[21] Gütchow remained at the club at seven years, leaving in at the end of the 2012–13 season when the club withdrew from the Oberliga for financial reasons. He took over at Regionalliga Norodost side TSG Neustrelitz a year later.

Stasi

Gütschow worked as an Inoffizieller Mitarbeiter (paid informant) for the Stasi.[22] He admitted to spying on around 60 players and staff between 1981 and 1989.[23] Gütschow was approached by the authorities at the age of 18, and feared that he would be prevented from playing football and separated from his fiancee if he refused to co-operate.

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueCupContinentalTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Dynamo Dresden[24] 1980–81DDR-Oberliga1430000143
1981–821545230236
1982–8325941203110
1983–8420732239
1984–85261783614021
1985–86903020140
1986–8720100030
1987–8820942202611
1988–89261732973826
1989–902518610113229
1990–91NOFV-Oberliga262031653526
1991–92Bundesliga3110313411
1992–93820082
Total24711643243114321154
Galatasaray1992–931. Lig1510421912
Carl Zeiss Jena1993–942. Bundesliga9020110
Hannover 961994–952. Bundesliga3316213517
Chemnitzer FC1995–962. Bundesliga3415223617
Dynamo Dresden[25] 1996–97Regionalliga Nordost3012003012
1997–983216423618
1998–9920530235
Total823372008935
Career total42019060313114511235

International goals

Scores and results list East Germany's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Gütschow goal.

List of international goals scored by Torsten Gütschow
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1 15 February 1984 Olympic Stadium, Athens, Greece 3–1 Friendly
2 12 September 1984 1–0 Friendly

Honours

Dynamo Dresden

Galatasaray

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Player Details TFF:Torsten Jens Gütschow. Turkish Football Federation. 16 October 2010.
  2. Web site: Torsten Gütschow . Fussballdaten. de. 14 October 2010.
  3. Web site: Torsten Gütschow – Matches and Goals in Oberliga. . 14 October 2010.
  4. Web site: East Germany – Topscorers. 14 October 2010. RSSSF.
  5. Web site: DDR-Fußballer des Jahres. hansanews.de. 14 October 2010. de.
  6. Web site: Torsten Gütschow – International Appearances. RSSSF. 14 October 2010.
  7. Web site: Germany – Player Data – G. RSSSF. 16 October 2010.
  8. Web site: East Germany – List of Champions. 14 October 2010. RSSSF.
  9. Web site: SG Dynamo Dresden – Offizielle Homepage: Erfolge. de. Dynamo Dresden. 14 October 2010. 10 November 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20101110034512/http://www.dynamo-dresden.de/verein/tradition/erfolge/. dead.
  10. Web site: East Germany (Germany – RL Nordost) 1990/91. RSSSF. 15 October 2010.
  11. Web site: Die Bundesliga 1991/1992 – Abschlusstabelle . Fussballdaten. de. 15 October 2010.
  12. Web site: Dynamo Dresden 1991/1992 – Der Kader . Fussballdaten. de. 15 October 2010.
  13. Web site: Spiele von Torsten Gütschow 1991/1992 . fussballdaten. 15 October 2010.
  14. Web site: Spiele von Torsten Gütschow 1992/1993 . fussballdaten. 15 October 2010.
  15. Web site: Turkey – Final Tables. RSSSF. 15 October 2010.
  16. Web site: Spiele von Torsten Gütschow 1993/1994 . Fussballdaten. 15 October 2010.
  17. Web site: Spiele von Torsten Gütschow 1994/1995 . Fussballdaten. 15 October 2010.
  18. Web site: Spiele von Torsten Gütschow 1995/1996 . Fussballdaten. 15 October 2010.
  19. Web site: Die 2. Bundesliga 1995/1996 – Abschlusstabelle . Fussballdaten. de. 15 October 2010.
  20. Web site: SG Dynamo Dresden – Offizielle Homepage: Spielzeiten. Dynamo Dresden. de. 15 October 2010. 23 October 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20101023173515/http://www.dynamo-dresden.de/archiv/spielzeiten/. dead.
  21. Web site: Niedersachsenliga: Spielpaarungen, Tabelle und Ergebnisse der Saison 2010/11 am 11. Spieltag. 16 October 2010. Kicker sportmagazin. de.
  22. News: East Germans Face Their Accusers. New York Times. 12 April 1994. 17 December 2008 . Stephen . Kinzer.
  23. News: Stasi auf Torjagd . Die Tageszeitung . 27 January 1992 . German.
  24. Web site: Germany – Player Data – 1. FC Dynamo Dresden. RSSSF. 16 October 2010.
  25. Web site: Torsten Gütschow. Dynamo Dresden. 16 October 2010. de.