Thomas Schaaf

Thomas Schaaf (born 30 April 1961 in Mannheim) is a former German football player. Schaaf was a defender.

Thomas Schaaf

Schaaf with Werder Bremen in 2009
Personal information
Date of birth	30 April 1961 (aged 64)
Place of birth	Mannheim, West Germany
Height	1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position	Defender
Youth career
	BBV Union Bremen
1972–1978	Werder Bremen
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1978–1980	Werder Bremen II	59	(0)
1978–1995	Werder Bremen	281	(14)
Total		340	(14)
Teams managed
1995–1999	Werder Bremen II
1999–2013	Werder Bremen
2014–2015	Eintracht Frankfurt
2015–2016	Hannover 96
2021	Werder Bremen (interim)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Career

After the death of his father the Schaaf family went to Bremen. They lived near the Weser Stadion, and Thomas Schaaf came to SV Werder. He spent all his active and manager time with SV Werder. In 1972 he came to Werder Bremen's youth academy. In 1978 he turned professional. From 1978 to 1994 he played 281 matches for Werder Bremen. He was twice German champion with Bremen, in 1988 and 1993, and twice Cup winner (1991, 1994). He also won the UEFA Cup in 1992. As player he played two times for the German U21 national team.

Schaaf began his coaching career during his active career. He was then coach of Werder's youth teams U17 (1987/88) and U19 (1988 - 1995). From 1993 to 1995 he was assistance coach in the first team. After four years as coach with the second team he became coach of the first team in 1999. He is still coach. As coach of the first team he won the German Bundesliga in 2004 and was three times Cup winner (1999, 2004, 2009). From 2004 his team qualified 5 times for the UEFA Champions League.

Thomas Schaaf is married and has a daughter. He is also engaged in social issues. He is ambassador for the "Zentrum für trauernde Kinder und Jugendliche " (center for mourning children and youths).

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			Cup		Europe		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Werder Bremen	1978–79	Bundesliga	1	0	0	0	—		1	0
	1979–80		0	0	0	0	—		0	0
	1980–81	2. Bundesliga	19	1	4	0	—		23	1
	1981–82	Bundesliga	1	0	0	0	—		1	0
	1982–83		21	1	1	1	5	0	27	2
	1983–84		29	1	5	0	4	0	38	1
	1984–85		32	1	4	0	2	0	38	1
	1985–86		30	3	2	0	2	0	34	3
	1986–87		29	4	2	0	2	0	33	4
	1987–88		29	1	4	1	9	1	42	3
	1988–89		23	2	5	0	4	1	32	3
	1989–90		19	0	2	0	5	0	26	0
	1990–91		13	0	1	0	—		14	0
	1991–92		18	0	4	0	6	0	28	0
	1992–93		5	0	0	0	1	0	6	0
	1993–94		9	0	3	0	3	0	15	0
	1994–95		3	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
Career total			281	14	37	2	43	2	361	18

Manager

Werder Bremen

• Bundesliga: 2003–04
• DFB-Pokal: 1998–99, 2003–04, 2008–09; runner-up: 1999–2000, 2009–10
• DFB-Ligapokal: 2006; runner-up: 1999, 2004
• DFL-Supercup: 2009
• UEFA Cup runner-up: 2008–09

Individual

• German Football Manager of the Year: 2004

Player

Werder Bremen

• Bundesliga: 1987–88, 1992–93
• DFB-Pokal: 1990–91, 1993–94; runner-up: 1988–89, 1989–90
• 2. Bundesliga: 1980–81
• DFL-Supercup: 1988, 1993, 1994; runner-up: 1991
• UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1991–92
• UEFA Super Cup runner-up: 1992

Other websites

• Fansite Thomas Schaaf (German) Archived 2013-06-25 at the Wayback Machine
• Profile Official Werder Homepage (German) Archived 2015-12-19 at the Wayback Machine