Ewald Lienen, long-time professional footballer, coach and official, turns 70 on Tuesday. The native of East Westphalia has had an eventful career.
Bielefeld icon, globetrotter and a slightly different football professional. Ewald Lienen has experienced a lot in his professional football career. As a player, coach, official and as a person.
“First comes my wife, then comes my children and then comes football,” Lienen once said in the “Ball You Need is Love” podcast. Football was a very important part of him from an early age. “Football saved me in my childhood because I lost my mother early and my father didn’t know how to behave as a father. I found a second family there.”
Lienen came to professional football late
I would never have thought that I could become part of this big football. I didn’t think about it.
Ewald Lienen
Born and raised in the Bielefeld area, Lienen found his way into professional football late in life. “It never occurred to me that I could become part of this big football. I didn’t think about it.” As a youth, Lienen played for VfB Schloß Holte for ten years. Lienen received his first offer from a professional club at the age of 16.
“Hansi Büttner, the then managing director of Arminia Bielefeld, wanted to lure me with a moped.” However, Bielefeld was not yet an issue for Lienen at the time. “I found it completely absurd. I couldn’t imagine that I would leave my village and play football somewhere else.” And so he played for his hometown club for two more years as a senior.
A serious foul on Lienen becomes world famous
When Bielefeld came knocking for the second time, this time with a real contract, Lienen dared to join the then second division club. He made his Bundesliga debut three years later, after missing out on promotion with Arminia, at Borussia Mönchengladbach. Back in Bielefeld in 1981, Lienen inadvertently created one of the most famous sports photos in Bundesliga history.
In the game against Werder Bremen, Werder’s Norbert Siegmann slashed Lienen’s leg with his cleats. There was a flesh wound 25 centimeters long and five centimeters deep on the right thigh. “It’s just a shock to see your own leg open,” Lienen said later.
It is also well known how Lienen limped towards Bremen coach Otto Rehagel just a few seconds after the foul. Rehagel is said to have loudly asked Siegmann to commit the foul. Lienen took advantage of the attention and drew attention to the sometimes brutal style of play in the Bundesliga. He sued Siegmann for negligent bodily harm.
Ewald Lienen – the atypical football professional
And the slightly different football professional Lienen also caused a stir off the pitch. Lienen took part in peace demonstrations and ran in the 1985 election campaign for the left-wing peace list in North Rhine-Westphalia. Lienen never really got used to the commercial football business.
“Playing football is totally overrated in this country, and football players are therefore totally overrated. We are made into demigods and many football players actually believe that they are demigods,” said Lienen in the 80s. “You don’t get an autograph from your baker either.”
Nevertheless, Lienen remained a professional player until the 90s. He ended his active playing career at MSV Duisburg at the age of 39. While he was still active, Lienen completed his training as a football coach – with top marks. From 1989 to 1993 he coached Duisburg’s amateurs before taking over the MSV first team in March 1993.
Together with Jupp Heynckes in Tenerife
As an assistant coach at CD Tenerife, Lienen studied under Jupp Heynckes for two years in 1995 before returning to Germany for five years and coaching Hansa Rostock and 1. FC Köln. Lienen became a permanent coaching figure in Germany’s two highest divisions.
You can’t be more successful than being fired shortly before the end at a club that wants to be relegated because there is a risk of relegation.
Ewald Lienen
After working in Mönchengladbach and Hanover, Lienen moved to Greece for the first time. From 2006 to 2008 he coached Panionios Athens, later Olympiakos Piraeus and AEK Athens. Linen says about his time at AEK: “The whole situation was adventurous.” The club was unable to pay 80 percent of the players’ salaries and was aiming for second division. “You can’t be more successful than being fired shortly before the end at a club that wants to be relegated because there is a risk of relegation.”
Ewald Lienen talks about his time in Greece in the WDR documentary “Ewald Lienen – A Greek Tragedy” (Wednesday, 11:15 p.m. on WDR television).
Lienen ended his coaching career at FC St. Pauli in 2017, where he then remained in office as technical director and club representative. Lienen cared about sustainability aspects and today he is still the climate ambassador for his home district of Lippe.
Ewald Lienen celebrates his 70th birthday on Tuesday with close friends and family. “I’ve celebrated enough great birthdays, this one doesn’t have to be one.”
