Gunther Hofmans

Gunther Jozef Hofmans (born 3 January 1967) is a former Belgian professional footballer who spent his entire career in Belgium playing as an attacking midfielder and striker for Germinal Ekeren and Germinal Beerschot. He also represented the Belgium national team, winning one cap. He currently works as a team manager for Royal Antwerp, since 2011, having previously worked in the same position, at one of his previous clubs, Germinal Beerschot, from 2008 to 2011.

Gunther Hofmans
Personal information
Full name Gunther Jozef Hofmans
Date of birth (1967-01-03) 3 January 1967
Place of birth Berchem, Belgium
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Attacking midfielder
Striker
Youth career
1975–1984 KFC Ranst
1984–1985 Racing Mechelen
1985–1986 FC Nijlen
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1986–1999 Germinal Ekeren 333 (157)
1999–2000 Germinal Beerschot 33 (10)
Total 366 (167)
International career
1992 Belgium 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Hofmans started his career at youth club KFC Ranst, where he played from 1975 to 1984. He then joined Racing Mechelen in 1984, before moving to FC Nijlen the following year.

Hofmans began playing on senior level in 1986, after completing a move to Germinal Ekeren, who were playing in the Belgian Third Division. In the 1987–88 season, he scored 17 goals for Ekeren as they were promoted to the second division following a second place behind Stade Leuven.

In the 1988–89 season, Hofmans made a total of 30 league appearances, scoring thirteen times for the Antwerp team, under Albert Bers as manager, as they were crowned winners that season, thus achieving promotion to the highest division. Hofmans helped Germinal Ekeren reach the final of the 1989–90 Belgian Cup, where he scored the equalising goal as they suffered a 1–2 defeat to RFC Liège. Ekeren reached the final of the cup again in the following season, where they won 4–2 against Anderlecht, with Hofmans netting the fourth goal.

Following Ekeren's participation in the 1997–98 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, Hofmans scored his only goal on 18 September 1997, as they won 3–2 against Red Star Belgrade in the first leg of the commencing round,[1] before they were eliminated 4–6 on aggregate in the next round by VfB Stuttgart.[2][3]

Hofmans transferred Germinal Beerschot in 1999, playing there for a season before retiring in 2000.[4]

International career

Hofmans appeared only once for Belgium, making his debut on 22 April 1992, following his inclusion in the squad by Paul Van Himst,[5] where he came on as a substitute for Marc Wilmots,[6] who scored the winning goal in a 1–0 victory in their 1994 World Cup qualifier game against Cyprus.[6][7]

Later career

Hofmans was appointed as team manager of Germinal Beerschot in 2008. He spent three years there, before being unveiled as the new team manager of Royal Antwerp in 2011, succeeding Patrick Vanoppen.[8]

Honours
Germinal Ekeren

References
  1. Lambert, Eddy (19 September 1997). "Seiziemes de finale de la Coupe des Coupes Ekeren sauve l'honneur quand d'autres la bafouent Ekeren 3 er Belgrade 2". Le Soir (in French). Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  2. "Germinal Ekeren – VfB Stuttgart". Rheinische Post (in German). 23 October 1997. Archived from the original on 20 April 1999. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  3. "La reaction d'orgueil etait vaine Stuttgart 2 Ekeren 4". Le Soir (in French). 7 November 1997. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  4. "Gunther Hofmans moest stoppen met topvoetbal". Gazet van Antwerpen (in Dutch). 6 February 2001. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  5. "L'Anversois est de retour chez les diables rouges Gunther Hofmans". Sudpresse (in French). 18 April 1992. Archived from the original on 15 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  6. Jean-Louis, Donnay (23 April 1992). "Ils n'ont assure que le minimum Belgique 1 – Chypre 0 Enzo Scifo a preche dans le desert Grün: Pas ideale, cette ambiance". Le Soir (in French). Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  7. "Soccer". The New York Times. 23 April 1992. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  8. "Paul Heylen en Gunther Hofmans bezetten sleutelposities op de Bosuil". Het Nieuwsblad (in Dutch). 6 August 2011. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
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