Roland Merschel

Roland Merschel (born March 11, 1938 in Sélestat ) is a former French football player and coach .

Player career

Youth and first professional years in Strasbourg (until 1962)

Merschel originally came from Sélestat in Alsace and came to the nearby city of Strasbourg when he was a child , as his father had found a job there as a railroad worker. In 1949 he joined the local football club Racing Strasbourg and remained loyal to it throughout his youth. After the defensive midfielder had already counted to the second team at the end of the 1950s, he moved up to the squad of Racing's second division team for the 1960/61 season at the age of 22. In his first year as a professional, he played seven games and was involved in the 1961 promotion to the top class. On August 19, 1961, he made his debut in a 2-1 win against SCO Angers in France's top division. In the following time he was regularly called up in the fight to stay in the league and also came to his first assignments in European competition. The newcomer from Strasbourg competed in the Messestädte-Pokal , but did not have to qualify for the preliminary competition of the UEFA Cup. In the first round encounters against MTK Budapest FC Mersch was called up and after a 3-1 defeat in the first leg in the second leg even had to accept a 2:10, which meant the elimination. In the second half of the season 1961/62 he was hardly considered in the league and given up against this background for the following season 1962/63 to the second division US Forbach .

Development to become a regular player in the second division (1962–1964)

In Forbach Merschel got a permanent place and appeared with five goals for the first time as a goalscorer despite his defensive role, which was also the case occasionally in the further course of his career. At the small club near the border with Germany, he only stayed for a year because he accepted an offer from the first division relegated FC Nancy in 1963 . Although he was also given a regular place in Nancy, his team was third from bottom of the table. Although no relegation from the second division was planned at the time, FC Nancy gave up its professional status in 1964 and was dissolved a year later. Mersch returned to Racing Strasbourg for the season 1964/65 and thus also to the first division.

Return to Strasbourg and cup success (1964–1969)

Strasbourg had firmly established itself in France's top division in the mid-1960s and mostly placed in the middle of the table. After his return to the Alsatians, Merschel became a regular player and thus also received regular playing times in the Messestädte-Pokal, in which Racing continued to participate. There he and his team even prevailed against FC Barcelona in the 1964/65 season and only failed in the quarter-finals at Manchester United . In the French cup competition 1965/66 , Strasbourg was also successful and played against FC Toulouse for a place in the final. After an early goal by Abderrahmane Soukhane , the team was almost the entire game behind before Merschel was able to equalize in the 90th minute and Strasbourg won the necessary extra time with two more goals. In the subsequent final against FC Nantes , the midfielder was also on the field and, thanks to a 1-0 win by his team, was able to win a national title for the only time in his career. In the following seasons he maintained his place in the first eleven and had to fight with the Alsatians partly against relegation, which in 1968 was only barely averted in the relegation. He also continued to play in the Messestädte Cup with his teammates and, following the cup success against Nantes, also played four games in the 1966/67 European Cup Winners' Cup . In total, he came to 18 disputed games in European competition, making him the most frequently used player in European competition Racing Strasbourg. In 1969 he left the club again and joined the southern French first division club Olympique Marseille .

Last playing years in Marseille and Aix (1969–1971)

In Marseille he was regularly called up, but without being a permanent regular. With the team, he finished second in the table, which was the best league placement of his career. For the 1970/71 season, however, he left the top division and joined the second division AS Aix . There he took a regular place for a year before he ended his active career in 1971 after 198 first division games with 20 goals scored and 100 second division games with nine goals.

Stations

• until 1960: Racing Strasbourg B
• 1960 to 1962: Racing Strasbourg
• 1962 to 1963: US Forbach
• 1963 to 1964: Nancy FC
• 1964 to 1969: Racing Strasbourg
• 1969 to 1970: Olympique Marseille
• 1970 to 1971: AS Aix

Coaching career

At the end of his playing career, the then 33-year-old moved again to Olympique Marseille in 1971, where he took over as coach of the second team. In addition, he was occasionally used as a player for them. In 1973 he was coach of the third division ESCN La Ciotat , with whom he was relegated to fourth division the following year. He retained his post until he returned to his home in Alsace in 1976 and took over as coach at third division club FC Mulhouse . He led this to promotion to the second division in 1978. Then he achieved relegation once with the team before relegation came at the end of the 1979/80 season and his time as a coach ended with it.

Stations

• 1971 to 1973: Olympique Marseille B
• 1973 to 1976: ESCN La Ciotat
• 1976 to 1980: FC Mulhouse

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c} Roland Merschel , racingstub.com
2. ↑ ^{a b c} Roland Merschel - Fiche de stats du joueur de football , pari-et-gagne.com
3. ↑ Roland MERSCHEL , om1899.com