Gilbert Gress (born 17 December 1941) is a French
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
coach and a former player. He was the mentor of
Arsène Wenger
Arsène Charles Ernest Wenger (; born 22 October 1949) is a French former association football, football Manager (association football), manager and football player, player who is currently serving as FIFA's Chief of Global Football Developme ...
.
Club career
Gress was born in
Strasbourg
Strasbourg (, , ; german: Straßburg ; gsw, label=Bas Rhin Alsatian, Strossburi , gsw, label=Haut Rhin Alsatian, Strossburig ) is the prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est region of eastern France and the official seat of the Eu ...
. He began his professional football career in the city of his birth with
RC Strasbourg
Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace (commonly known as RC Strasbourg, Racing Straßburg, RCSA, RCS, or simply Strasbourg; Alsatian: ''Füeßbàllmànnschàft Vu Stroßburri'') is a French association football club founded in 1906, based in the c ...
, where the fans soon nicknamed him the "angel of la Meinau" (''L'ange de
la Meinau''; ''Engel von der Meinau'', Meinau is the stadium of the club). Briefly after first playing for Strasbourg (May 1960) the team were relegated to the second division, but returned after one year to Division 1, where Gress played until 1966 and his departure to
VfB Stuttgart
Verein für Bewegungsspiele Stuttgart 1893 e. V., commonly known as VfB Stuttgart (), is a German sports club based in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg. The club's football team is currently part of Germany's first division, the Bundesliga. VfB Stu ...
. Strasbourg were at the time only in mid-table of the division, but won the 1966
Coupe de France
The Coupe de France, formerly known as the Coupe Charles Simon, is the premier knockout cup competition in French football organized by the French Football Federation (FFF). It was first held in 1917 and is open to all amateur and profession ...
.
During his time in Germany, he was called up for the first time to the
France national team. During the 1970–71 season, Gress returned to his homeland and joined
Olympique de Marseille
Olympique de Marseille (, ; oc, Olimpic de Marselha, ), also known simply as Marseille or by the abbreviation OM (, ), is a French professional men's football club based in Marseille, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. Founded in 1899, the club pl ...
, then two-time French champions. From 1973 to 1975, he came back to
RC Strasbourg
Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace (commonly known as RC Strasbourg, Racing Straßburg, RCSA, RCS, or simply Strasbourg; Alsatian: ''Füeßbàllmànnschàft Vu Stroßburri'') is a French association football club founded in 1906, based in the c ...
, before moving for one year to
Neuchâtel Xamax
, neighboring_municipalities= Auvernier, Boudry, Chabrey (VD), Colombier, Cressier, Cudrefin (VD), Delley-Portalban (FR), Enges, Fenin-Vilars-Saules, Hauterive, Saint-Blaise, Savagnier
, twintowns = Aarau (Switzerland), Besançon (France ...
in Switzerland and ending his playing career in 1977.
Gress completed 290 matches (201 for Strasbourg, 89 for Marseille) in France and scored 28 goals; in the federal league he came on 149 times.
International career
In 1966, after having won the
Coupe de France
The Coupe de France, formerly known as the Coupe Charles Simon, is the premier knockout cup competition in French football organized by the French Football Federation (FFF). It was first held in 1917 and is open to all amateur and profession ...
, Gress was not called up to the
1966 FIFA World Cup
The 1966 FIFA World Cup was the eighth FIFA World Cup, a quadrennial football tournament for men's senior national teams. It was played in England from 11 July to 30 July 1966. The England national football team defeated West Germany 4-2 in the ...
in England by
France national team coach
Henri Guérin because Gress refused to shorten his long hair. Under the new coach
Louis Dugauguez
Louis Dugauguez (21 February 1918 – 22 September 1991) was a French football player and football manager.
Playing career
Louis Dugauguez played amateur football for , , Lens, Toulouse, Carvin and Sedan, where he began his coaching career as ...
, Gress was first called up on 27 September 1967 (a 5–1 defeat against
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
in Berlin). Altogether he played only three times in the France national team (1967, 1968 and 1971) and did not score any goals.
Managerial career
Since 1977, Gress has worked as a football manager, receiving his first job in his home town at
RC Strasbourg
Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace (commonly known as RC Strasbourg, Racing Straßburg, RCSA, RCS, or simply Strasbourg; Alsatian: ''Füeßbàllmànnschàft Vu Stroßburri'') is a French association football club founded in 1906, based in the c ...
, where he had won the 1979
French championship
The French rugby league championship (french: Le Championnat de France de Rugby à XIII) has been the major rugby league tournament for semi-professional and professional clubs in France since the sport was introduced to the country in the 1930s.
...
, and where he returned again in 1991 for three years. His popularity is expressed also in the establishment of a Gilbert Gress Fanclub. In addition, he worked in Belgium, Austria and in Switzerland, where in 16 years (including twelve with
Neuchâtel Xamax
, neighboring_municipalities= Auvernier, Boudry, Chabrey (VD), Colombier, Cressier, Cudrefin (VD), Delley-Portalban (FR), Enges, Fenin-Vilars-Saules, Hauterive, Saint-Blaise, Savagnier
, twintowns = Aarau (Switzerland), Besançon (France ...
) he won two national championships and the cup. In 1998, he was appointed Swiss national football coach. A debate preceded his resignation over his wages as a national coach. In the meantime, Gress had also accepted Swiss nationality. In June 2009, he was named RC Strasbourg manager, his third stint as manager of the club. and was released after only two games on 12 August 2009.
Honours
Player
Strasbourg
*
Coupe de France
The Coupe de France, formerly known as the Coupe Charles Simon, is the premier knockout cup competition in French football organized by the French Football Federation (FFF). It was first held in 1917 and is open to all amateur and profession ...
:
1965–66
Marseille
*
Ligue 1
Ligue 1, officially known as Ligue 1 Uber Eats for sponsorship reasons, is a French professional league for men's association football clubs. At the top of the French football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. A ...
:
1970–71,
1971–72
Manager
Strasbourg
*
Ligue 1
Ligue 1, officially known as Ligue 1 Uber Eats for sponsorship reasons, is a French professional league for men's association football clubs. At the top of the French football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. A ...
:
1978–79
Neuchâtel Xamax
*
Swiss Super League
The Swiss Super League (known as the Credit Suisse Super League for sponsorship reasons) is a Swiss professional league in the top tier of the Swiss football league system and has been played in its current format since the 2003–04 season ...
:
1986–87,
1987–88
*
Swiss Super Cup: 1987, 1988
FC Zürich
*
Swiss Cup
The Swiss Cup (; ; ; ) is a football cup tournament that has been organised annually since 1925–26 by the Swiss Football Association. Since 1999 the winner earns the chance to qualify for the UEFA Europa League or the UEFA Europa Conference L ...
:
1999–2000
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gress, Gilbert
1941 births
Living people
France international footballers
French football managers
French footballers
French people of German descent
Footballers from Strasbourg
Neuchâtel Xamax FCS players
Olympique de Marseille players
VfB Stuttgart players
Ligue 1 players
Bundesliga players
RC Strasbourg Alsace players
RC Strasbourg Alsace managers
Neuchâtel Xamax FCS managers
Servette FC managers
Switzerland national football team managers
FC Metz managers
SK Sturm Graz managers
FC Zürich managers
FC Sion managers
FC Aarau managers
Ligue 1 managers
Club Brugge KV managers
Association football midfielders
Association football forwards
French expatriate footballers
French expatriate football managers
French expatriate sportspeople in West Germany
Expatriate footballers in West Germany
French expatriate sportspeople in Switzerland
Expatriate footballers in Switzerland
Expatriate football managers in Switzerland
Expatriate football managers in Belgium
French expatriate sportspeople in Belgium