From Otago goalkeeper to the Major League

Pfannenstiel (right) with Nic Zuniga, of Canada, at the Caledonian Ground in 2004 after being...
Pfannenstiel (right) with Nic Zuniga, of Canada, at the Caledonian Ground in 2004 after being unveiled as Otago United's imports for its inaugural season. PHOTO: ODT FILES
From Dunedin to the Bundesliga and everywhere in 
between, Lutz Pfannenstiel has done more than most in his football career. Now tasked with building a brand new Major League Soccer club in the United States, the former Otago United goalkeeper caught up with Jeff Cheshire.

Lutz Pfannenstiel could hardly have arrived in Dunedin after a worse ordeal.

After being accused of match-fixing while playing in Singapore in 2000, he was jailed for 101 days.

He was later released and cleared by Fifa due to a lack of evidence.

"I basically had no real chance to get out of that, it was a bit like a mousetrap by then for me," the German native said.

"It was horrible.

"Imagine spending 3½ months in one of the hardest prisons in the world.

"With no bed, no toilet, no toilet paper, just literally getting punched in the face for breakfast.

"It’s not something you’d wish on your biggest enemy.

"But I managed to get through.

"I thought about my family and soccer and that kept me alive."

Lutz Pfannenstiel in his latest job as sporting director at new Major League Soccer club St Louis City.
Lutz Pfannenstiel in his latest job as sporting director at new Major League Soccer club St Louis City.

He had good friends in New Zealand, notably Roger Brooks and Mark Chidley.

The link led him to Dunedin and he signed with Dunedin Technical for the 2001 season.

Five seasons in New Zealand followed, initially with Tech, then with Otago United — the forerunner to Southern United.

He played overseas during the off-season to get more football.

But he was always lured back and his time in Dunedin was memorable.

The style of football was physical and, in his second season, Otago made its only playoff appearance — losing to Wellington in a penalty shootout — in club history.

He also became known for taking home a pet penguin for 34 hours, after visiting the penguin colony.

An animal lover, he had some exotic pets — including monkeys while in Asia.

Lutz Pfannenstiel in his latest job as sporting director at new Major League Soccer club St Louis...
Lutz Pfannenstiel in his latest job as sporting director at new Major League Soccer club St Louis City. PHOTOS: SUPPLIED

However, it was quickly sent back and, as he realised penguins, "were not made to be pets".

Pfannenstiel maintains many friendships in Dunedin and it is a place he still loves.

"Till today I’m still very thankful Dunedin Technical gave me the chance to restart my career.

"I was literally finished physically, but even more mentally.

"New Zealand brought my life back on track, it brought my football back on track.

"I enjoyed it, it was a great time."

Pfannenstiel retired from football in 2011, having played for 25 clubs and being the only player to have played for a professional team on all six Fifa continents.

Since then, he has figured prominently in coaching, management and media roles in some of the world’s top leagues.

Now 47, he is married to Amalia, and his daughter of the same name is at university in New York.

Just before retiring, he got into coaching in Africa, spending time as a player-coach in Namibia, while also being the national team’s goalkeeping coach.

In 2011, he returned to Germany and became the chief scout for 1899 Hoffenheim.

A smaller Bundesliga club, he helped it grow to play in the Champions League.

His most notable find was star striker Roberto Firmino, who is now one of Liverpool’s key players.

He remained there until 2018, when he moved to fellow Bundesliga club Fortuna Düsseldorf as the executive sporting director — essentially the club’s top person.

Pfannenstiel presents on television at the 2018 Fifa World Cup in Russia. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
Pfannenstiel presents on television at the 2018 Fifa World Cup in Russia. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
This year he made the move to the United States, taking a sporting director role at St Louis City, a new club which will enter Major League Soccer in the coming years.

"For me it’s one of the most exciting projects in the whole world, as you can build it from scratch.

"We don’t have a stadium, we don’t have a training facility, nothing yet.

"We can literally build everything similar to the way we built in Hoffenheim as well.

"And we’re a financially stable club with a great ownership behind it.”

"It’s like [the computer game] Sim City. You build something from new and I can bring all my experience from 30 years’ professional football into it.

"It’s a club with a lot of potential, with big aims and big goals, it’s exactly what I was looking for."

He hopes to have the first youth teams on the pitch in the next American summer, and a reserve team the following spring.

By the beginning of 2023 the club will finally be on the pitch playing its first MLS game.

That may seem a long way off although, as he says, there is a lot to do in that time.

Since retiring he has also been a prominent television personality for the BBC and on German networks.

He is a regular working on World Cups, European Cups, Champions League and Bundesliga games.

While it is work, it is something he does more so for the enjoyment.

He also has a charity team called Global United, which began 10 years ago.

Its aim is to raise awareness of climate change and protect the environment.

Many of the world’s greatest players have jumped on board, including names such as Zico and Zinedine Zidane.

Yet it was Dunedin that he credits for much of it.

"I always believe you can achieve everything.

"For me, New Zealand, but really especially Dunedin, gave me all that back, what I invested in my career.

"... [Dunedin Technical] really helped me to get back on track and restore the belief in myself and my career.

"If you work hard, believe in yourself, I promise you can reach the impossible.

"It was a long road from playing for Dunedin Technical, to be in a key role in one of the best leagues in the world, even reaching the Uefa Champions League.

"I always lived my dream and Dunedin was a big part of it.”

Add a Comment