Grasshopper Club Zürich
| Grasshopper-Club Zürich Logo | |||
| Full name | Grasshopper-Club Zürich | ||
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| Nickname(s) | GC, GCZ | ||
| Founded | 1886 | ||
| Ground | Letzigrund, Zürich | ||
| Capacity | 26,500 | ||
| Chairman | Roger Berbig | ||
| Manager | Hanspeter Latour | ||
| League | Swiss Super League | ||
| 2007-08 | Swiss Super League, 4th | ||
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Grasshopper-Club Zürich commonly referred to as simply GC, GCZ, or Grasshopper is a Swiss multisports club based in Zürich. The oldest and most well known section of Grasshopper-Club Zürich is its football team. With 27 titles, Grasshopper-Club Zürich holds the record for winning the most national championship titles and with 18 victories also the one for the most successes in the Swiss Cup tournament.
The origins of Grasshopper's name is unknown, although the most common explanation is rooted in its early players' energetic post-goal celebrations.
History
Grasshopper was founded on September 1, 1886 by Tom E. Griffith, an English student. With a 20 Swiss franc donation, the club was able to import an English football and blue and white colours. Its first match came in October that year against ETH and ended in a goalless draw. In 1893, Grasshopper became the first Swiss team to play in Germany, defeating RC Strasbourg 1-0.
1896 saw the formation of Fussballclub Zürich and the beginning of a storied rivalry. The following year, Grasshopper won the first Swiss Championship, beginning a collection of 27 league championships and 18 Swiss Cup wins. In 1909, Grasshopper withdrew from the football federation until the end of World War I in 1919.
In 1997, Grasshopper incorporated and as of May 2005, it is formally organized as Neue Grasshopper Fussball AG. In doing so, Grasshopper became the first Swiss sports club to go public.[1]
After a number of high profile friendly and competitive Europe Cup and UEFA Champions League matches, Grasshopper has become Switzerland's most recognizable football club. Today, in addition to its marquee football squad, Grasshopper-Club Zürich maintains competitive professional and youth teams for rowing, ice hockey, handball, lawn tennis, court tennis, field hockey, curling, squash, and unihockey.
Stadium and grounds
- Sihlhölzli
- Stadion im Quartier Seefeld
- Stadion Hardau
- Stadion Hardturm
Grasshopper used to play its home matches at the Hardturm (Kreis 5 - Zürich). Starting on September 22nd 2007, Grasshopper-Club Zürich will play all of its home matches in the Letzigrund stadium, until the completion of Stadion Zürich Training facilities are located in Niederhasli, where the club opened comprehensive facility including five practice pitches, apartments for youth players and offices in 2005.
Honours
- Swiss Super League
- Winners (27): 1898, 1900, 1901, 1905, 1921, 1927, 1928, 1931, 1937, 1939, 1942, 1943, 1945, 1952, 1956, 1971, 1978, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1990, 1991, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003
- Swiss Cup
- Winners (18):1926, 1927, 1932, 1934, 1937, 1938, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1946, 1952, 1956, 1983, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1994
- Swiss League Cup
- Winners (2): 1973, 1975
- Swiss Super Cup
- Winners (1): 1989
Affiliated clubs
Current squad
(As of 3 July 2008)[2][3][4] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Out on loan
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Famous players
Coaching staff
- Manager:
Hanspeter Latour - Assistant manager:
Mats Gren - Assistant manager: Walter Grüter
- Goalkeeping coach: Stefan Huber
- Goalkeeping coach: Willi Weber
Managers since 1925
| Manager | Years | Record |
 Izidor "Dori" Kürschner
|
1925–1934 | ?-?-? |
 Karl Rappan
|
1935–1948 | ?-?-? |
| Hardy Walter | 1948–1950 | ?-?-? |
| Willi Treml | 1950–1955 | ?-?-? |
| Willi Hahnemann
|
1955–1958 | ?-?-? |
Toni Pogacnik and Alfred "Fredy" Bickel
|
1958–1960 | ?-?-? |
| Branislav Vukosaljevic | 1960–1963 | ?-?-? |
| Alfred "Fredy" Bickel
|
1963–1964 | ?-?-? |
 Albert Sing
|
1964–1966 | ?-?-? |
| Walter Brunner and Werner Schley
|
1966–1967 | ?-?-? |
| Henri Skiba | 1967–1969 | ?-?-? |
| Walter Brunner and Werner Schley
|
1969–1970 | ?-?-? |
| René Hüssy
|
1970–1973 | ?-?-? |
| Erich Vogel and Istvan Szabo |
1973–1976 | ?-?-? |
| Helmut Johannsen
|
1976–1979 | ?-?-? |
| Jürgen Sundermann
|
1979–1980 | ?-?-? |
| Timo Konietzka
|
1980–1982 | ?-?-? |
| Hennes Weisweiler
|
1982–1983 | ?-?-? |
 Miroslav Blazevic
|
1983–1985 | ?-?-? |
| Timo Konietzka
|
1985–1986 | ?-?-? |
| Kurt Jara
|
1986–1988 | ?-?-? |
| Ottmar Hitzfeld
|
1988–1991 | ?-?-? |
| Oldrich Svab | 1991–1992 | ?-?-? |
 Leo Beenhakker
|
1992–1993 | ?-?-? |
| Christian Gross
|
1993–1997 | ?-?-? |
| Hanspeter Latour
|
1997 interim | ?-?-? |
| Rolf Fringer
|
1998 | ?-?-? |
| Roger Hegi
|
1999 | ?-?-? |
 Roy Hodgson
|
1999–2000 | ?-?-? |
| Hanspeter Zaugg
|
2000–2001 | ?-?-? |
| Piet Hamberg
|
2000 interim | ?-?-? |
| Marcel Koller
|
2002–2003 | ?-?-? |
| Carlos Bernegger | 2003–2004 | ?-?-? |
| Alain Geiger
|
2004–2005 | ?-?-? |
| Hanspeter Latour
|
2005–2006 | ?-?-? |
 Krassimir Balakov
|
2006—2007 | ?-?-? |
| Hanspeter Latour
|
2007– | ?-?-? |
Famous supporters
- Maximilian Schell, Oscar winning actor
- Friedrich Dürrenmatt, author of German literature
- Michelle Hunziker, model and entertainer on Italian and German television
References
External links
Official
Unofficial
- GCZForum - Bulletin Board (Forum) for Fans of GCZ (German)
- GCZone - Fansite of GCZ (German)
- Zone Romande - Fansite of GCZ (French)
- Grassmokers - Oldest unofficial fanclub of GCZ (German)
- Blue-Side - Unofficial fanclub of GCZ (German)
- Grasshoppers Online - Fansite of GCZ (German)
- GC Fanclub Ostschweiz - Official Fanclub of GCZ (German)