The magician remembered
Tuesday 7 December 2004
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Raymond Goethals, pictured in 1988 (©Getty Images)
By Berend Scholten
Legendary Belgian coach Raymond Goethals has died at the age of 83. Goethals, who had been suffering from cancer, was taken to Brussels's Erasmus hospital on Sunday and passed away on Monday evening.
European glory
Goethals, whose achievements as a coach earned him the nicknames 'the magician' and 'Raymond-la-Science', led Olympique de Marseille to the European Champion Clubs' Cup in 1993, 15 years after UEFA Cup Winners' Cup success with RSC Anderlecht.
Goalkeeper
However, it was as a goalkeeper that Goethals first made his name in football, playing for Daring Brussels from 1933-49 and then Racing Brussels (1949-52).
I can tell in five minutes if someone is a natural coach
Raymond Goethals
The natural
Valuable though that experience must have been as he subsequently developed a career on the sidelines, Goethals, who was born in Brussels in 1921, felt he was destined to be a coach. "You cannot learn that, they cannot make you a coach. I can tell in five minutes if someone is a natural coach or not," he once said.
First steps
Goethals's first coaching jobs were with Belgian clubs Hannuit, Borgworm and K. Sint Truidense VV. He impressed enough to earn the role of assistant national coach to Constant Vanden Stock in 1966. Two years later he took full charge of the side and remained at the helm until 1976.
Third place
He steered Belgium to the 1970 FIFA World Cup finals in Mexico before guiding the team to third place at the 1972 UEFA European Championship. In the latter tournament, the Red Devils lost to West Germany in the semi-finals but overcame Hungary in Liege to claim third position.
Proud boast
Four years later Belgium reached the last eight of the European competition, while Goethals himself always took pride from the fact his side never conceded a goal against the Netherlands team of 'total football'.
Success with Anderlecht
Goethals then embellished his reputation with Anderlecht. His tenure there brought appearances in the Cup Winners' Cup finals of 1977 (lost against Hamburger SV) and 1978 (won, 4-0, against FK Austria Wien) in addition to victories in the UEFA Super Cup in 1976 and 1978.
Standard double
Next, following spells with French club FC Girondins de Bordeaux and Brazil's São Paulo FC, he won back-to-back Belgian championships with R. Standard de Liège in 1982 and 1983. But European glory eluded Standard as they lost the Cup Winners' Cup final to FC Barcelona.
Crowning glory
Then to Marseille. Despite the disappointment of losing the European Champion Clubs' Cup final to FK Crvena Zvezda, Goethals was voted European Coach of the Year for 1991. That award was more than justified when, after three consecutive French title triumphs, Goethals masterminded OM's UEFA Champions League final victory over AC Milan in 1993. He was 71 at the time but still supremely active. "I had scouted Milan seven times," he said. "I knew exactly how they played."
'Genius and hero'
Beating the Italian giants capped an outstanding career. Belgian Football Association president Jan Peeters said of Goethals today: "He was a genius and a football hero." Meanwhile, the current Anderlecht coach Hugo Broos, who as a player lifted the Cup Winners' Cup under Goethals, paid the following tribute: "I was lucky to play under him for three years, and look back on that period with a lot of happiness. He was one of football's eternal greats."
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