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Legendary coach Udo Lattek dies

February 4, 2015

Lattek was one of the most successful coaches in Europe with plenty of success in Germany and abroad. He had numerous health problems and has died just over two weeks after his 80th birthday.

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Udo Lattek
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/H. Galuschka

Udo Lattek, the former coach of Bayern Munich, Borussia Mönchengladbach and Barcelona, has died at the age of 80 at a nursing home in Cologne.

Condolences have been coming in from across the German football scene, after the Bundesliga heavyweight's death. Wolfgang Niersbach, the president of the German Football Association (DFB), led the tributes on Wednesday night.

"Udo Lattek was not only the most successful coach in the Bundesliga's history, but an outstanding personality of German football," he said.

"He will be remembered for the championships and titles he won as well as for his direct, but always endearing manner.

Lattek won the German Bundesliga championship eight times and collected 14 major honors over his coaching career which spanned more than three decades. Lattek suffered two strokes and was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2013.

Udo Lattek with the Bayern Munich
Lattek helped Bayern win the European Cup in 1974Image: picture-alliance/dpa

An amazing record

Born in January 1935, Lattek became prominent when he stepped into coaching as an assistant coach at the German Football Association (DFB) ahead of the 1966 FIFA World Cup.

But, as the only coach to have won the three major European titles with three different clubs, Lattek his main triumph was propelling Bayern Munich to the top of German football in his first stint at the club, lasting five years.

After winning the European Cup in 1974, he was central to the most successful period in the history of Gladbach where he won the UEFA Cup and the league championship twice. He went to coach Spanish giants Barcelona before returning to Bayern Munich and winning another five major honors.

At the end of his career, he became the sporting director at Cologne with short-term stints at Schalke and Borussia Dortmund bringing his football career to an end. He also became a well-known TV commentator and football analyst.

"German football has not only lost one of its most successful coaches, but also one of its biggest characters," said Cologne president Werner Spinner in a statement. "He will never be forgotten here in Cologne."

rd/kms (AFP, dpa, SID)