Coaches mourn Lothar Meurer

The general secretary of the Union of European Football Coaches (UEFT), Lothar Meurer, has died at the age of 72.

Devoted to football
Meurer, a native of the German city of Wiesbaden, devoted his life to football. He began his playing career with FV Biebrich 02, and played in the highest German division for SVW Mainz at the age of 20. Two years later, he returned to Wiesbaden as player-coach of FSV Schierstein 08, and ended his playing days back at FV Biebrich 02.

Highest German coaching licence
Meurer was awarded the highest German coaching licence by the German Football Association (DFB) in 1965. A year later, he was nominated as a member of the German Football Coaches Association (BDFL) executive committee, before taking over as BDFL general secretary in 1969 – a post he held for 24 years.

Elected to office
When the UEFT was founded by the coaches' associations of eight countries in Vienna in 1980, the inaugural conference elected Meurer as general secretary. Since then, the UEFT has grown to comprise more then 30 member organisations.

Great respect
Meurer earned the respect of UEFA, FIFA and Europe's national associations. He was called upon to act as a lecturer at various international coaching events, and organised numerous coaching conferences.

Tireless worker
!He was a tireless worker on behalf of football's further development, as well as for dialogue between coaches, both in Germany and abroad," said the German FA in its official publication. "We will miss his warmth as a person as well."