Gert Engels

Playing Career and Education in Germany

Gert Engels began his playing career at SG Düren 99 and later joined Borussia Mönchengladbach, where he was part of the extended squad during the club's most successful period in the 1970s. Without ever playing in the Bundesliga, he won the German championship in both 1976 and 1977 with the team. Instead of continuing a professional career, he decided at 22 to play only semi-professionally and study sports science. He then first played for SV Baesweiler 09 and later returned to SG Düren 99.

Coaching career

At the age of 32, Engels ended his playing career and moved to Japan to work as a coach. Starting at the amateur level, he had to learn Japanese – a skill that later proved advantageous when implementing the philosophies of international coaches as an assistant coach. His first coaching role was as player-coach for Prima Aseno FC, which now competes as Mito Hollyhock in the J2 League. He then worked as sports teacher at Takigawa Daini High School in Akashi. In 1993, Engels became assistant coach for Yokohama Flugels under Shu Kamo. After Kamo took over the Japan national football team, Engels worked under four more coaches, including Carles Rexach of FC Barcelona, before becoming head coach himself in 1998/99, leading the Flugels to win the Emperor's Cup. After the Flugels merged with the Yokohama Marinos, Engels took over JEF United Ichihara for the rest of the season. He then coached Kyoto Sanga after Shu Kamo.…