US Soccer News Release - www.ussoccer.com

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

CHICAGO, IL -- Bob Gansler, the former head coach of the US Men’s National Team and the former USL First Division Milwaukee Rampage, was honored at US Soccer’s Annual General Meeting in Waikoloa, Hawaii on Saturday as the recipient of the prestigious Werner Fricker Builder Award. USL Founder and President Francisco Marcos received the honor last year.

The honor is bestowed annually to an individual who has worked tirelessly in furthering the interest of the sport of soccer, without regard to personal recognition or advancement. The Werner Fricker Award is designed to honor those who have created or fostered programs that will outlast their own active involvement in the sport and that establish a lasting legacy in the history and structure of soccer in the United States.

Gansler has been involved with soccer in the United States as a player and a coach at all levels. As a player, Gansler played in the National Professional Soccer League and the North American Soccer League and captained the 1964 and 1968 US Olympic teams. He also had a total of five international caps with the US MNT.

Starting in 1975, Gansler served in various coaching positions with the US National Teams and was eventually named the head coach of the US MNT in 1989, leading the US to their first World Cup Finals appearance in 40 years in Italy 1990 during his two-year tenure. Gansler also coached in college and the professional ranks, including seven years with the Kansas City Wizards where he won the 2000 MLS Cup, 2000 Supporter’s Shield and 2004 US Open Cup.

Gansler revived his career with the Milwaukee Rampage after being passed over by Major League Soccer in its inaugural season. He proved highly successful with Milwaukee and led the team to a USL First Division championship in 1997 and posted a three-year (1996-98) regular season record of 44-30 with an 8-4 postseason mark.

Gansler became the second full-time head coach in Wizards history, inheriting a 0-7 team from Ron Newman on April 28, 1999. Although he was unable to turn the club around that season, he masterminded a worst-to-first finish in 2000, guiding the new-look Wizards to a 16-7-9 record and an appearance in the playoffs for the first time since 1997. His second-year effort earned him the 2000 Major League Soccer's Coach of the Year award.

Gansler was inducted into the USL Hall of Fame as a Coach in 2002 as part of its inaugural class.

Werner Fricker himself was honored posthumously with the inaugural award in 2002, with his son, Werner Jr., accepting the award on his behalf. Current US Soccer President Sunil Gulati received the award in 2003, and with the organization’s Annual General Meeting moving from the summer months to March, no award was bestowed in 2004. In 2005 the honor went to Michigan Soccer Association President Gerhard Mengel, in 2006 the award was given to Sal Rapaglia, president of the Eastern New York Amateur Soccer Association and in 2007 the award was presented to Franscisco Marcos, president of the United Soccer Leagues.

Werner Fricker is widely credited for his role in bringing the 1994 FIFA World Cup to the United States. Born in Yugoslavia and raised in Austria, he lived his adult life in Pennsylvania, where he was a star midfielder for the United German Hungarians of Philadelphia soccer club from 1954 to 1969 and was a member of the 1964 US Olympic Team. He served as US Soccer President from 1984 to 1990 and was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta, NY, in 1992.

The President of U.S. Soccer appoints a selection committee to review the nominations and select a winner.

WERNER FRICKER AWARD
Year    Recipient
2002   Werner Fricker, Sr.
2003   Sunil Gulati
2005   Gerhard Mengel
2006   Sal Rapaglia
2007   Francisco Marcos (2007 honor / bio)
2008   Bob Gansler (USL Hall of Fame bio)