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Thomas Grüter (born 8 December 1966) is a Swiss footballer who played as a
goalkeeper In many team sports that involve scoring goal (sport), goals, the goalkeeper (sometimes termed goaltender, netminder, GK, goalie, or keeper) is a designated player charged with directly preventing the opposing team from scoring by blocking or i ...
. He played in the second half of the 1980s and in the 1990s. He is now businessman and owns an advertising agency. Grüter works as a
goalkeeping coach An athletic coach is a person coaching in sport, involved in the direction, instruction, and training of a sports team or athlete. History The original sense of the word ''Coach'' is that of a horse-drawn carriage, deriving ultimately from the ...
for Egyptian club
Zamalek SC Zamalek Sporting Club (), commonly referred to as Zamalek, is an List of football clubs in Egypt, Egyptian Club based in Cairo, Egypt. The club is best known for its professional men's Association football, football team, which plays in the Egy ...
.


Career

Grüter started his youth football with local team SK Root but he soon moved to
FC Luzern Fussball-Club Luzern (), or simply abbreviated to FCL, is a Swiss sports club based in Lucerne (). It is best known for its professional association football, football team, which plays in the Swiss Super League, Super League, the top tier of the ...
. Another year later he moved on to FC Emmenbrücke. Grüter was called into the "student selection" of the SFV (including a game in England in front of 25,000 spectators) and later played for the Swiss U-16 and U-17. As a 16-year-old he played his debut with Emmenbrücke in the first division. Grüter was considered as a greatly talented goalie and was "chased" by half of the teams in the Nationalliga A as he moved from FC Emmenbrücke to the play on the
Espenmoos Espenmoos Stadium, is a football stadium in St. Gallen, Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, German ...
in the pre-season to the
1987–88 Nationalliga A Statistics of the Swiss National League in the 1987–88 football season, both Nationalliga A and Nationalliga B. Overview There had been modifications to the Swiss Football Association (ASF/SFV) in advance of this season and the format of th ...
campaign. He started for
FC St. Gallen Fussballclub St. Gallen 1879, commonly known as St. Gallen, is a Swiss professional football club based in the city of St. Gallen, Canton of St. Gallen. It is the oldest football club in continental Europe after Kjøbenhavns Boldklub. The tea ...
, as planned, as substitute goalkeeper behind regular keeper Bruno Huwyler, who for his part was no longer undisputed. He played his domestic league debut for FCSG on 23 April 1988 in a 2–0 defeat against
Servette Servette is a district of the city of Geneva, Switzerland. The district's name comes from the Latin word for forest, ''silva'', and means "little forest". Its name alludes to Servette's rural past, before Geneva grew beyond its walls and incorpora ...
. The goal scorers were
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge Karl-Heinz "Kalle" Rummenigge (; born 25 September 1955) is a German football executive and former professional player. Considered as one of the best players of his generation and one of the greatest German footballers ever, he was also the longt ...
and John Eriksen and there were 13,000 spectators at that match on that day. But Grüter had made it and he started the next season as a regular goalie under new head coach Kurt Jara. In August 1988 the team FCSG were humiliated by Servette in Geneva, but nobody blamed the goalie for the 7–1 defeat. Nevertheless, Grüter was henceforth referred to by a newspaper as an ''"uncertainty factor"'' or ''"fly catcher"'' and Jara declared he would keep a close eye on his goalkeeper. Then in November FCSG were defeated 2–0 by Young Boys and Grüter was demoted to third goalkeeper and from then on played in the reserve team. But then came good an enquiry as good fortune for Grüter.
FC Basel Fussball Club Basel 1893, widely known as FC Basel, FCB, or just Basel, is a Swiss professional Association football, football club based in Basel, in the Basel-Stadt, Canton of Basel-Stadt. Formed in 1893, the club has been List of Swiss footba ...
's goalkeeper
Remo Brügger Remo Brügger (born 6 December 1960) is a Swiss former footballer who played in the 1980s and early 1990s as goalkeeper. Football career Brügger's football career began at the age of 14 and he only became goalie by chance, because the team nee ...
was ruled out for a long time following a traffic accident, and because the youth goalie was injured, Grüter was brought in on loan. In January 1989 Grüter joined Basel's first team during their 1988–89 season under head coach Urs Siegenthaler. After playing in five test games Grüter played his domestic league debut for his new club in the away game on 19 March as Basel played a 2–2 draw with
CS Chênois Club Sportif Chênois is a Swiss association football club, playing in the Swiss 2. Liga Interregional. It plays in the municipality of Thônex. History Formed in 1907 as FC Thônex, the club adopted its current name in 1924. The club compete ...
. His loan contract came to an end at the end of the season, but Grüter refused to return to
FC St. Gallen Fussballclub St. Gallen 1879, commonly known as St. Gallen, is a Swiss professional football club based in the city of St. Gallen, Canton of St. Gallen. It is the oldest football club in continental Europe after Kjøbenhavns Boldklub. The tea ...
and because he had convinced trainer Siegenthaler so much, it was Brügger who went to St. Gallen in a player swap during the summer break. Grüter played the following three seasons as regular goalkeeper. Despite the fact that Christian Reinwald transferred in for the 1992–93 season and that Swiss international goalkeeper
Stefan Huber Stefan Huber (born 14 June 1966) is a Swiss former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper during the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. Club career Huber played his youth football by local club FC Unterstrass. He then moved to Grasshoppe ...
transferred in for the 1993–94 season, Grüter stayed with the club as second goalkeeper. During that season, under head-coach
Claude Andrey Claude "Didi" Andrey (born 13 June 1951) is a former Swiss footballer, who most recently managed Yverdon-Sport FC in the Challenge League. Andrey took over FC Basel for their 1993–94 season. His team included the likes of Swiss internation ...
, Grüter's team mates were the likes of Swiss international goalkeeper
Stefan Huber Stefan Huber (born 14 June 1966) is a Swiss former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper during the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. Club career Huber played his youth football by local club FC Unterstrass. He then moved to Grasshoppe ...
, defenders
Massimo Ceccaroni Massimo Ceccaroni (born 15 August 1968) is a Swiss former professional footballer who played as a defender or midfielder. He played for FC Basel for very nearly his entire career. He was later trainer at amateur club BSC Old Boys and then trai ...
,
Marco Walker Marco Walker (born 2 May 1970) is a Swiss football manager and a former international who played as a defender during the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. Club career Walker started his youth football with local club FC Bellach. From 1983 with he was w ...
and
Samir Tabakovic Samir (also spelled Sameer) is a male name found commonly in South Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia. In Arabic, Samir () means "holy", "jovial", "loyal", or "charming". In Albanian, it literally means "so good" but loosely "exquisite", ...
, the midfielders
Mario Cantaluppi Mario "Lupo" Cantaluppi (born 11 April 1974) is a Swiss former professional footballer who played as a defender or midfielder. Club career Born in Schlieren, Switzerland, Mario Cantaluppi started his professional career with Grasshopper Club Z� ...
,
Martin Jeitziner Martin Jeitziner (born 13 January 1963) is a Swiss former professional footballer who played as a midfielder in the 1980s and 1990s. Career Jeitziner played his youth football with FC Basel and advanced to their first team during their 1980– ...
,
Admir Smajić Admir Smajić (born 7 September 1963) is a Bosnian professional football manager and former player. He played in the Yugoslavia national team and the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team. Club career Partizan Born in Bijeljina,Ørjan Berg Ørjan Berg (born 20 August 1968) is a Norwegian former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He is the current sporting director of Bodø/Glimt. Berg retired at the end of the 2006 season, having played for Bodø/Glimt, Wetting ...
and the Swiss international strikers
Dario Zuffi Dario Zuffi (born 7 December 1964) is a Swiss football coach and former international player. He is currently employed as assistant coach for FC Winterthur. Career Playing career Zuffi played his youth football with the local Winterthur team FC ...
and
Philippe Hertig Philippe Hertig (born 2 July 1965) is a Swiss former association football, footballer who played as a striker (association football), striker during the 1980s and 1990s. He is banker and is now assistant director of Mirabaud Group. In 2009 Herti ...
. Together they won the promotion/relegation group and became Nationalliga B champions and thus won promotion to the top flight of Swiss football. This after six seasons in the second tier. Grüter retired from active football in 1997. Between the years 1990 and 1997 Grüter played a total of 221 games for Basel. 134 of these games were in the Nationalliga B or Nationalliga A, 14 in the
Swiss Cup The Swiss Cup (; ; ; ) is a football cup competition that has been organised annually since 1925–26 season by the Swiss Football Association. The Swiss Cup final is usually the most important game of the year with a high attendance. The co ...
and 73 were friendly games.


Personal life

In the summer of 1997, Thomas Grüter hung his football boots on a hook. He went self-employed and started his own business, setting up an advertising agency. He later published the magazine “50 plus” and remained loyal to FC Basel, both emotionally and professionally, and was the publisher of "Joggeli-Magazin" (match program) with his company. He worked for FCB as a goalie coach under
Christian Gross Christian Jürgen Gross (born 14 August 1954) is a Swiss football manager and former player. He played as a sweeper and central midfielder. Gross was manager of Basel from 1999 to 2009, winning four Swiss Super Leagues and four Swiss Cups. As ...
from 1999 to 2009. With Gross' discharge, Grüter's time in the football business also ended. Today he focuses on his projects in the publishing sector. Thomas Grüter, who lives in the Basel suburb of Binningen, no longer follows football events very closely. Quote Grüter: "I don't even have a television."


References


Sources


G for Grüter on FCSG-Data homepage
* Die ersten 125 Jahre. Publisher: Josef Zindel im Friedrich Reinhardt Verlag, Basel.
Verein "Basler Fussballarchiv" Homepage
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gruter, Thomas 1966 births Living people Swiss men's footballers FC St. Gallen players FC Basel players Men's association football goalkeepers Swiss Super League players 20th-century Swiss sportsmen