| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Robert Gansler | ||
| Date of birth | (1941-07-01)July 1, 1941 (age 84) | ||
| Place of birth | Mucsi, Hungary | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1967 | Chicago Mustangs | ||
| International career | |||
| 1968 | United States | 5 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1979–1982 | United States U19 | ||
| 1984–1988 | UW–Milwaukee Panthers | ||
| 1987–1989 | United States U20 | ||
| 1989–1991 | United States | ||
| 1996–1998 | Milwaukee Rampage | ||
| 1999–2006 | Kansas City Wizards | ||
| 2007 | Toronto FC (assistant) | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Bob Gansler (born July 1, 1941) is a Hungarian-born Americansoccer player and coach of German descent.[1] He coached theU.S. national team at the1990 World Cup, the team's first appearance at the tournament since1950.
As a player, Gansler made 25 appearances for the United States between 1963 and 1969, captaining the1964 and1968 Olympic qualifying teams and1967 Pan American team. Of his 25 appearances, only 5, all in 1968, came in games considered full internationals.
Gansler played for theChicago Mustangs of theNational Professional Soccer League in 1967. When the NPSL merged with theUnited Soccer Association to form the North American Soccer League, the Spurs likewise merged with theChicago Mustangs, and Gansler played with the Mustangs of the NASL in 1968.[2][3]
Gansler served in various coaching positions with the national teams beginning in 1975. In the late 1980s, he served as the coach of the U.S. U-20 national team while also coaching theUniversity of Wisconsin–Milwaukee men's soccer team. On January 16, 1989, theUnited States Soccer Federation hired him as the full-time coach for theUnited States men's national soccer team, replacingLothar Osiander. Gansler's tenure during the1990 FIFA World Cup was somewhat controversial, even though he led the United States to its first appearance in the final World Cup tournament in 40 years. He took a team made up primarily of college and amateur players, leaving professionals such asRick Davis andHugo Perez off the roster. At the time, the United States did not have a top division outdoor soccer league, theNorth American Soccer League having folded in 1985. Most domestic professionals at the time played in indoor leagues, and Gansler felt that the skills required for indoor soccer conflicted with the outdoor game. In addition, the United States had been awarded the 1994 World Cup, and Gansler may have wanted to expose the core of the 1994 team to the World Cup experience. Not unexpectedly, the U.S. lost all three games, although the team won a moral victory of sorts by losing to host Italy 1–0; the Italians prevented the embarrassment of a draw thanks to goalkeeperWalter Zenga.
Gansler went on to coach theKansas City Wizards, winning the club's firstMLS Cup in 2000 and theU.S. Open Cup in 2004. He also coached theMilwaukee Rampage to theA-League title in 1997. He stepped down from his coaching position with the Wizards on July 19, 2006. Gansler spent the2007 MLS Season inCanada as an assistant coach forToronto FC.
After leaving Toronto FC in 2007, he retired to spend more time with his wife, Nancy, four sons, and 11 grandchildren.[4]
