Johannes Linßen

Johannes Linßen
	Linßen as manager of FC Gütersloh in the 1997–98 season
Personal information
Date of birth	28 September 1949
Place of birth	Wachtendonk, North Rhine-Westphalia, West Germany
Date of death	31 October 2025 (aged 76)
Place of death	Germany
Height	1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position	Midfielder
Senior career*
Years	Team
1968–1974	MSV Duisburg
1974–1984	Fortuna Köln
International career
1971	West Germany U23
Managerial career
1984–1986	Fortuna Köln
1987–1989	Fortuna Köln
1993–1995	Fortuna Köln
1996–1998	FC Gütersloh
	* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Johannes "Hannes" Linßen (or Linssen; 28 September 1949 – 31 October 2025) was a German football player, coach and manager.

Playing career

Linßen began his career with Bundesliga club MSV Duisburg in 1968 before dropping a division in 1974 to join Fortuna Köln, where he remained until the end of his career in 1984.^{[citation needed]} He played in the 1983 final of the DFB cup, which his team lost 1–0 to local rivals 1. FC Köln.^{[citation needed]}

On 23 January 1971, while playing for MSV Duisburg against Rot-Weiß Oberhausen, Linßen received the first ever yellow card to be awarded in the Bundesliga, although the card should in fact have been awarded to his teammate Đorđe Pavlić, the referee having confused the two players.^[1]

Managerial career

Following his retirement as a player, Linßen was appointed manager of Fortuna Köln in 1984. He remained in charge until a bad start to the 1986–87 season led to his departure. He had a second stint as manager of the club from April 1987 to August 1989. Linßen was assistant manager of 1. FC Köln from July 1990 until February 1993, after which he had a third spell as manager of SC Fortuna Köln. His final managerial position was with FC Gütersloh from 1996 to 1998.^{[citation needed]}

Linßen returned to 1. FC Köln as director of football in 1998. During his three-and-a-half years in this position, the club achieved promotion to the Bundesliga in 2000. But by 2002 the club were heading towards relegation and, amid much personal criticism, particularly for the eight-year contract given to 12-year-old Marco Quotschalla, Linßen resigned on 11 February.^[2]^[3]

Death

Linßen died on 31 October 2025, at the age of 76.^[4]

References

^ "Germany's first Gelbsünder: Hannes Linßen" (in German). jogisjungs.de. 30 January 2009. Archived from the original on 2 February 2009. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
^ Lavergne, Renaud (17 June 2001). "Le Wunderkind de Cologne" [The Wunderkind of Cologne]. La Dernière Heure (in French). Retrieved 3 November 2025.
^ "1. FC Köln: Linßen trat am Rosenmontag zurück" [1. FC Köln: Linßen resigned on Rose Monday]. Der Spiegel (in German). 11 February 2002. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
^ FCG trauert um Ex-Trainer Hannes Linßen (in German)

[1] "Germany's first Gelbsünder: Hannes Linßen" (in German). jogisjungs.de. 30 January 2009. Archived from the original on 2 February 2009. Retrieved 5 October 2013.

[2] Lavergne, Renaud (17 June 2001). "Le Wunderkind de Cologne" [The Wunderkind of Cologne]. La Dernière Heure (in French). Retrieved 3 November 2025.

[3] "1. FC Köln: Linßen trat am Rosenmontag zurück" [1. FC Köln: Linßen resigned on Rose Monday]. Der Spiegel (in German). 11 February 2002. Retrieved 3 November 2025.

[4] FCG trauert um Ex-Trainer Hannes Linßen (in German)

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