Allan Simonsen

Allan Rodenkam Simonsen (born 15 December 1952) is a Danish former footballer and manager. He most prominently played as a striker for German Bundesliga club Borussia Mönchengladbach, winning the 1975 and 1979 UEFA Cups, as well as for Barcelona in Spain, winning the 1982 Cup Winners' Cup. Simonsen is the only footballer to have scored in the European Cup, UEFA Cup, and Cup Winners' Cup finals. Simonsen was named 1977 European Footballer of the Year.

For the Denmark national team, Simonsen was capped 55 times, scoring 20 goals. He represented Denmark at the 1972 Summer Olympics, 1984 European Championship and 1986 World Cup tournaments. He was voted into the Danish Football Hall of Fame in November 2008.

Club career

Vejle

Born in Vejle, Simonsen started playing football with Vejle FC, before he joined the youth team of local top-flight club Vejle BK (VB) in 1963.^[5] He made his senior debut for VB on 24 March 1971 in a 3–1 home win against Karlskoga FF.^[6] He won the 1971 and 1972 Danish championship with the club, as well as the 1972 Danish Cup to complete The Double. Following an impressive three goals in six matches at the 1972 Summer Olympics, Simonsen moved to Germany to play professionally for defending German Bundesliga champions Borussia Mönchengladbach.

Borussia Mönchengladbach

In his first two seasons with Borussia Mönchengladbach, Simonsen had a hard time,^[5] as he only played a combined 17 games and scored two goals. However, he was part of the team which won the 1972–73 German Cup trophy. He broke into the starting line-up for the 1974–75 season. He played all 34 games of the season, and scored 18 goals as Mönchengladbach won the Bundesliga championship. Simonsen also scored ten goals in 12 games in the international 1974–75 UEFA Cup competition, including two goals in the 5–1 final victory against Twente. In the following season, Simonsen scored 16 goals as Mönchengladbach regained the Bundesliga in the 1975–76 season. He scored four goals in six games of the international 1975–76 European Cup competition, before Mönchengladbach were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Spanish team Real Madrid on the away goals rule.^[2]

1977 was the greatest year in Simonsen's career. In the 1976–77 European Cup, Simonsen helped Mönchengladbach to the 1977 European Cup Final against English team Liverpool.^[2] In the final, Simonsen scored a memorable goal from a powerful shot to level the game at 1–1, but Mönchengladbach eventually lost 3–1.^[5] He was subsequently named the 1977 European Footballer of the Year, becoming the first Danish player to win that award. The race was tight, Simonsen edged past English forward Kevin Keegan by three points and French midfielder Michel Platini by four points to win the prestigious prize. The win was notable in that Simonsen's native Denmark was not among the top footballing nations in the 1970s, leaving little room for him to impress at the international tournaments.^[7]

In the following two Bundesliga seasons, Simonsen continued his prolific goalscoring, as Mönchengladbach finished second and eighth respectively. He won another international trophy with Mönchengladbach in 1979, when he scored eight goals in eight games to guide the club to the final games of the 1978–79 UEFA Cup. He scored the deciding goal in the 2–1 1979 UEFA Cup Final win against Red Star Belgrade.^[2] Simonsen had been approached by Spanish club Barcelona in 1978, but Mönchengladbach refused to let him go. Instead, Simonsen waited for his contract to expire and moved to Barcelona in 1979, rejecting offers from Hamburger SV, Juventus, and several Arabian clubs.^[8]

Barcelona

Simonsen spent three successful seasons with Barcelona.^[5] In his first Barcelona season, Simonsen was the top goal scorer of the team with ten goals in 32 games,^[9] as Barcelona finished in fourth place in the 1979–80 La Liga season. The following season saw several new players at Barcelona, and the club won the 1981 Copa del Rey. Simonsen's ten goals saw him as third top goalscorer behind new players Quini (20) and Bernd Schuster (11),^[10] as Barcelona finished in fifth place in the 1980–81 La Liga season. Simonsen was second goal scorer behind Quini,^[11] as the club finished second in the 1981–82 La Liga season. He also helped Barcelona reach the final of the continental 1981–82 European Cup Winners' Cup competition. In the 2–1 final victory against Standard Liège,^[12] Simonsen scored the deciding goal on a header to help Barcelona lift the trophy.^[5]

Charlton Athletic

When Barcelona signed Argentinian forward Diego Maradona in 1982, Spanish league restrictions meant Simonsen was to compete with Maradona and Bernd Schuster for only two places allowed for foreign players in each starting line-up. Simonsen saw it as a personal insult, and asked Barcelona for his contract to be annulled.^[8] He made a shock move to English Second Division side Charlton Athletic for £300,000 in October 1982.^[13] He rejected offers from Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur, in order to play for a club with less stress and attention.^[8] Despite scoring nine times in 16 appearances, the club had trouble funding his transfer and wages after three months, and he was put up for sale.^[13] His £1,300 per week wages had not been paid, and as a result, he was free to leave the club for nothing.^[14] Simonsen then chose to return to his childhood club VB in 1983.

Return to Vejle

He missed the last half of the 1984 season for VB because of an injury he sustained at the 1984 European Championship, but the club managed to win the 1984 Danish championship without him. He returned as a profile of the top-flight Danish 1st Division, but never reached his former form.^[5] Simonsen retired from football in 1989 at age 37, and played his last game for VB in November 1989. He played a total 282 games and scored 104 goals, including 208 games and 89 goals in the league, for Vejle Boldklub.^[6]

International career

Simonsen debuted for the Danish national team under manager Rudi Strittich in the July 1972 friendly match against Iceland. He scored two goals as Denmark won 5–2, and Simonsen was included in the Danish squad for the 1972 Summer Olympics. At the Olympics, he scored three goals in the first three matches to help Denmark advance beyond the first group stage. In the second group stage, Simonsen ran out of steam and he was substituted at half time in two of the last three games as Denmark were eliminated.^[4]

He played a crucial part for the Danish national team under manager Sepp Piontek, in Denmark's qualifying campaign for the 1984 European Championship. Denmark trailed England in their qualifying group by a single point with a game in hand before the two teams met at England's home ground Wembley Stadium in September 1983. Simonsen scored one of the most important Danish goals ever in this game, as he converted a penalty kick against English goalkeeper Peter Shilton.^[5] The 1–0 win eventually secured the Danish national team qualification for their first international tournament since the 1972 Olympic Games, and the first European Championship participation since the 1964 tournament. It effectively ended England's hopes of qualification for the tournament,^[15] as was confirmed by Denmark's later victory against Greece. Simonsen subsequently finished third in the vote for the 1983 European Footballer of the Year award.^[16]

The 1984 European Championship main tournament was a short experience for Simonsen, as he broke his leg in a challenge by Yvon Le Roux in Denmark's first match against France.^[5] Even without Simonsen, Denmark reached the semi-finals. He was once more a part of the Danish national team at the 1986 World Cup, Denmark's first World Cup participation. He only played a single match at the tournament, coming on as a substitute against West Germany, as younger players had surpassed him. He played a farewell match against Germany in September 1986 before ending his national team career.^[4]

Simonsen played a total 55 games for the Danish national team and scored 20 goals, according to the Danish Football Association.^[4] However, some sources chose to include Simonsen's appearance in a February 1981 charity match, to tally his national team career as 21 goals in 56 games.^[5] The match was Italy vs. Europe for the benefit of the Irpinia earthquake victims. Simonsen started the game, scored a goal, and was substituted at half time as Europe won 3–0.^[17]

Style of play

Simonsen predominantly played on the right wing or as a second striker.^[18] He is widely regarded as one of the best right wingers in the history of the Bundesliga.^[19]

Managerial career

Following his retirement, Simonsen went on to coach his former club Vejle Boldklub from 1991 to 1994. During his time at the club, VB were relegated from the new top-flight Danish Superliga to the now second-tier Danish 1st Division. He later coached the national teams of the Faroe Islands from 1994 to 2001 and Luxembourg from 2001 to 2004.^[5]

In 2011, he became General Manager of the Danish 1st Division team Fredericia. When Fredericia sacked manager Thomas Thomasberg on 8 April 2013, Simonsen and Steen Thychosen took charge of the team as caretaker managers.^[20] At the end of the 2012–13 season, Simonsen left both his positions at Fredericia.^[21]

Career statistics

Club

International

Scores and results list Denmark's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Simonsen goal.^[4]

Managerial statistics

Updated 16 June 2016

Honours

Vejle

• Danish championship: 1971, 1972, 1984
• Danish Cup: 1972

Borussia Mönchengladbach

• Bundesliga: 1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77
• DFB-Pokal: 1972–73
• DFL-Supercup: 1977
• UEFA Cup: 1974–75, 1978–79; runner-up: 1972–73
• European Cup runner-up: 1976–77

Barcelona

• Copa del Rey: 1980–81
• UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1981–82

Individual

• Ballon d'Or: 1977
• Onze de Bronze: 1977
• kicker Bundesliga Team of the Season: 1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77^[24][25][26]
• Sport Ideal European XI: 1977^[27]
• European Cup Top Scorer: 1977–78
• UEFA Cup Top Scorer: 1978–79
• La Liga Team of The Year: 1982^[28]
• Danish Football Hall of Fame

References

1. ^ Simonsen played a total 208 league games and scored 86 league goals, according to his Vejle Boldklub profile Archived 2 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine. He played 166 league matches and scored 70 league goals from 1983 to 1989, according to National-Football-Teams.com. This leaves 42 league games and 16 goals from 1971 to 1972.
2. ^ "Allan Simonsen - Trainer". Fussballdaten
3. ^ 19468
4. ^ Allan Simonsen – Alle hold (Alle kampe) at Danish Football Association
5. ^ Allan Simonsen Archived 26 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine at Danish Sports Hall of Fame
6. ^ "Vejle Boldklub – Topfodbold i Regionen"
7. ^ (in French) 1977 – ALAN SIMONSEN – UN DANOIS POUR L'HISTOIRE Archived 28 November 2006 at the Wayback Machine, France Football, #1,655, 27 December 1977
8. ^ Tonny Worm, Farvel til Catalonien, Information, 26 September 2008
9. ^ F.C. Barcelona – Liga BBVA Squad season 1979–1980 at LFP
10. ^ F.C. Barcelona – Liga BBVA Squad season 1980–1981 at LFP
11. ^ F.C. Barcelona – Liga BBVA Squad season 1981–1982 at LFP
12. ^ James M. Ross, European Cup Winners' Cup 1981–82, RSSSF, 9 January 2008
13. ^ The transfers that rocked the world: Part IV Archived 3 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine. His £1,300 per week wages had not been paid, and as a result, he was free to leave the club for nothing.
14. ^ "Forgotten EFL: When Charlton Athletic Signed a Ballon d'Or Winner - The Real EFL". 23 December 2023. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
15. ^ Allan Simonsen on YouTube
16. ^ José Luis Pierrend, European Footballer of the Year ("Ballon d'Or") 1983, RSSSF, 26 March 2005
17. ^ Maurizio Mariani, Italy – International Matches 1980–1989, RSSSF, 6 June 2002
18. ^ "Allan Simonsen"
19. ^ "Tagesspiegel-Wahl: Bester Auẞenbahnspieler Rechts Allan Simonsen, der kleine Riese"
20. ^ Fredericia fyrer Thomasberg Archived 6 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine, bold.dk, 8 April 2013
21. ^ Allan Simonsen takker af i Fredericia, bold.dk, 20 June 2013
22. ^ "Denmark - Record International Players". RSSSF
23. ^ "List of Luxembourg managers". ProFootball.lu. Archived from the original on 18 May 2019. Retrieved 5 November 2018.
24. ^ "Bundesliga Historie 1974/75" (in German). kicker. Archived from the original on 18 October 2012.
25. ^ "Bundesliga Historie 1975/76" (in German). kicker. Archived from the original on 18 October 2012.
26. ^ "Bundesliga Historie 1976/77" (in German). kicker. Archived from the original on 18 October 2012.
27. ^ "Sport 1977". Mundo Deportivo. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
28. ^ "Mundo Deportivo La Liga Team of the Year". Hemeroteca - El Mundo Deportivo. Retrieved 30 October 2024.

External links

• Vejle Boldklub profile Archived 2 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine (in Danish)
• Official Spanish career profile (in Spanish)
• DBU's Officielle Statistikere (in Danish)