Raphael Schäfer
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 30 January 1979 | ||
| Place of birth | Kędzierzyn-Koźle, Poland | ||
| Height | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | ||
| Playing position | Goalkeeper | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | 1. FC Nuremberg | ||
| Number | 1 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1987–1991 | SC Drispenstedt | ||
| 1991–1998 | Hannover 96 | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1998–2001 | VfB Lübeck | 76 | (0) |
| 2001–2007 | 1. FC Nuremberg | 130 | (0) |
| 2007–2008 | VfB Stuttgart | 23 | (0) |
| 2008– | 1. FC Nuremberg | 106 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18 December 2011. † Appearances (Goals). |
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Raphael Schäfer (Polish: Rafal Szafarczyk)[1] (born 30 January 1979 in Kędzierzyn-Koźle, Poland) is a German football goalkeeper who plays for 1. FC Nuremberg.
Contents |
[edit] Club career
[edit] Early career
Schäfer began his footballing career at SC Drispenstedt in a suburb of Hildesheim. At the age of 12 he was scouted by Hannover 96 and joined the ranks of their youth teams. He became part of the first-team squad with 17 but never made it into the starting line-up.
Thus, he decided to join Regionalliga side VfB Lübeck before the 1998–99 season. At Lübeck he quickly became the first-choice goalkeeper but his team failed to qualify for the 2. Bundesliga in three consecutive seasons.
[edit] Nuremberg
Schäfer transferred to Nuremberg in July 2001. The club had just been promoted to the Bundesliga and he became the second choice goalkeeper behind former German Under-21-international Darius Kampa. When Kampa had a series of weak showings for the team, coach Klaus Augenthaler gave Schäfer the chance to shine in his first Bundesliga game against Borussia Mönchengladbach in March 2002. Despite playing a good game, Schäfer still remained as second choice as Augenthaler still considered Kampa his first choice keeper. When the club was relegated the following year, Schäfer had played three games for the Franconian side.
At the start of the 2003–04 season, Nuremberg were plagued by financial trouble and looking to cash in on several players including Kampa. Manager Wolfgang Wolf appointed Schäfer as the first choice goalkeeper as he expected Kampa to leave the club before August 2003. However, Kampa was not sold but Schäfer remained the number one goalkeeper. He stayed in this position throughout the entire season despite substantial fan backing for his rival, Kampa.
Even after Kampa was sold to Mönchengladbach before the 2004–05 season, which saw Nuremberg back in the top flight, Schäfer still had to fight off skepticism in his abilities from parts of the Nuremberg supporters. He answered his critics by showing substantial improvements throughout the following two seasons and was voted skipper of the Nuremberg team before the start of the 2006–07 season.
[edit] VfB Stuttgart
In July 2007, he moved to Nuremberg's Bundesliga rival VfB Stuttgart, making his debut for them on 10 August against Schalke 04. However, his performances were not as they were expected to be and he could not live up to the expectations. In summer 2008 he was replaced by Jens Lehmann as Stuttgart's number one keeper.
[edit] Return to Nuremberg
In summer 2008 Schäfer returned to 1. FC Nuremberg and immediately became number one keeper again.[2]
[edit] Honours
With Nuremberg:
- DFB-Pokal (2007)
- Promotions to the Bundesliga in 2004 and 2009
[edit] References
- ^ "Wir lassen uns Bernd Schneider nicht von den Polen wegnehmen" (in German). welt.de. 26 April 2007. http://www.welt.de/sport/article835675/Wir_lassen_uns_Bernd_Schneider_nicht_von_den_Polen_wegnehmen.html. Retrieved 15 July 2010.
- ^ "VfB terminate contract with Raphael Schäfer". vfb.de. 25 June 2008. http://www.vfb.de/en/aktuell/news/2007/22947.php. Retrieved 25 June 2008.
[edit] External links
- Raphael Schäfer at fussballdaten.de (German)
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