Philipp Wollscheid

Philipp Johannes Wollscheid (born 6 March 1989) is a German former professional footballer who played as a centre-back.[3]

Philipp Wollscheid
Wollscheid with Bayer Leverkusen in 2014
Personal information
Full name Philipp Johannes Wollscheid[1]
Date of birth (1989-03-06) 6 March 1989
Place of birth Wadern, Saarland, West Germany
Height 1.94 m (6 ft 4+1⁄2 in)[2]
Position(s) Centre-back
Youth career
1994–1998 SV Morscholz
1998–2002 SV Wadrill
2002–2004 VfL Primstal
2004–2006 SV Morscholz
2006–2007 SG Noswendel-Wadern
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2008 SV Rot-Weiss Hasborn 18 (0)
2008–2009 1. FC Saarbrücken 30 (3)
2009–2010 1. FC Nürnberg II 40 (1)
2010–2012 1. FC Nürnberg 52 (5)
2012–2015 Bayer Leverkusen 51 (2)
2014–2015 → 1. FSV Mainz 05 (loan) 5 (0)
2015 → Stoke City (loan) 12 (0)
2015–2017 Stoke City 33 (0)
2016–2017 → VfL Wolfsburg (loan) 7 (0)
2017 → VfL Wolfsburg II (loan) 2 (0)
2017–2018 Metz 0 (0)
2017–2018 Metz B 2 (0)
Total 252 (11)
International career
2010 Germany U20 1 (0)
2013 Germany 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Wollscheid began his career playing amateur football for various clubs in the Saarland. He progressed to semi-professional level with SV Rot-Weiss Hasborn in 2007 and then 1. FC Saarbrücken. He was released by Saarbrücken in the summer of 2009 and then joined 1. FC Nürnberg following a successful trial. After spending time playing for the second team he broke into the Nürnberg first team and became a regular in the Bundesliga. His performances for Nürnberg saw him transfer to Bayer Leverkusen in July 2012.

Wollscheid was a regular under Sami Hyypiä at Leverkusen in 2012–13 and 2013–14. However, he fell out of favor with new manager Roger Schmidt and joined 1. FSV Mainz 05 on loan in August 2014. Wollscheid joined English side Stoke City on loan in January 2015 which was made permanent at the end of the season. After losing his place at Stoke, Wollscheid had an unsuccessful spell on loan at VfL Wolfsburg in 2016–17. His contract with Stoke was terminated by mutual consent in August 2017 and Wollscheid joined French club Metz. He retired in October 2019.

Club career

Early career

Born in Wadern, Saarland, Wollscheid started his career in the youth teams of various local amateur sides. He made his first team debut in March 2007 for SG Noswendel-Wadern in the Landesliga – then the seventh tier of the German football league system.[4] At the start of the 2007–08 season, he joined SV Rot-Weiss Hasborn in the fifth tier Oberliga, appearing 18 times for the club before moving to 1. FC Saarbrücken six months later. He struggled to make an impact during his 18-month spell at the club, and made many of his 30 league appearances as a substitute.[5] Following Saarbrücken's promotion to the Regionalliga in 2009, Wollscheid decided to look for a new club.

1. FC Nürnberg

He arranged a trial with 1. FC Nürnberg, and subsequently signed a three-year deal with the club.[6] Having not trained at a youth academy like many other young footballers, Wollscheid admitted to knowing little about tactics before he joined Nürnberg, and had little idea about how a back four operates.[6][7] He spent his first season at the club playing for the club's reserve team, making 26 Regionalliga appearances and scoring one goal.

He rose to prominence during the 2010–11 Bundesliga season, making his first team debut in a 3–1 defeat against 1. FC Kaiserslautern in November 2010. He soon became a regular starter for Nürnberg and finished the year ranked third among all Bundesliga defenders, according to kicker's player ratings.[8]

Bayer Leverkusen

In November 2011, Wollscheid agreed a five-year deal with Bayer Leverkusen beginning from summer 2012.[9] In the 2012–13 season under the management of Sami Hyypiä, Wollscheid played 40 times scoring three goals as Leverkusen finished in third position.[10] He struggled with injury and form in 2013–14, making 27 appearances as Hyypiä was sacked in April 2014. His replacement Roger Schmidt opted for the pairing of Emir Spahić and Ömer Toprak and Wollscheid was free to find another club.[11]

Mainz loan

In the summer of 2014, Wollscheid joined 1. FSV Mainz 05 on loan for the 2014–15 season.[12] He played five times for Mainz before leaving in January 2015.[10]

Stoke City

He ended his loan with Mainz in January 2015 and joined English Premier League side Stoke City, on another temporary deal through to the end of the season, with an option to buy him based on his performances.[13] He made his debut for Stoke on 11 January 2015 in a 3–0 defeat away at Arsenal.[14] In his second match against Leicester City, Wollscheid played alongside Marc Muniesa as Stoke secured a 1–0 victory.[15] His performance earned him praise from manager Mark Hughes.[16] However his performances dropped off and he was criticized for poor performances against Blackburn Rovers and Sunderland.[17] He went and played a total of 14 games for Stoke in 2014–15.[18]

On 21 May 2015, Stoke announced that they had taken up their option to buy Wollscheid for an undisclosed fee, reported to be £2.75 million on a three-year contract.[19][20][21] Wollscheid was a key member of Mark Hughes's squad in 2015–16, playing 39 times as the Potters finished in ninth position and reached the semi-final of the League Cup.[22]

Wolfsburg (loan)

On 31 August 2016, Philipp Wollscheid signed for Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg from Stoke City on a season-long loan, with a purchase option at the end of the season.[23] His time at Wolfsburg started terribly after playing just two matches he was suspended by the club for a training ground row with head coach Dieter Hecking.[24] After Hecking was sacked Wollschied's return to training was disrupted by a severe case of tinnitus which required ear surgery.[25] He regained his fitness and played some matches for the reserve team in the Regionalliga.[26] He returned to the first team under new head coach Andries Jonker as Wolfsburg beat Eintracht Braunschweig in the relegation play-off to remain in the Bundesliga.[27]

Metz

Wollscheid joined French club Metz on 30 August 2017, after his Stoke contract was cancelled by mutual consent.[28] He left Metz in January 2018 after failing to make a Ligue 1 appearance.[29]

Retirement

Following his release from Metz, Wollscheid returned to his home town of Wadern, and began playing for his friend's successful five-a side futsal team. In an interview in October 2019 Wollscheid revealed that he no longer enjoyed being a professional footballer.—“Had I been able to play without emotion, I would probably have carried on for another six years". “But I realised that I would only be going to work to earn money and I said to myself that cannot be right.” "The football business in general is simply wrong. One day you will be praised by everyone to the sky, the next you are not good enough anymore. I have never been able to endure these ups and downs.”[30][31]

International career

He represented the German national under-20 football team on one occasion. On 29 May 2013, he made his international debut for Germany national team in a friendly game against Ecuador in Boca Raton, Florida.

Style of play

Wollscheid played as a centre-back and has been compared to compatriot Per Mertesacker.

Like Mertesacker, Wollscheid may be big, but he will not strike the fear of God into opposing strikers. At his best, he is a gifted all round defender, with excellent positioning and relatively secure heading and tackling. He can play with both feet, and can mark equally well man to man or zonally, although he can be prone to losses of concentration.

— German sports writer Kit Holden gives his opinion on Philipp Wollscheid.

Personal life

Wollscheid grew up supporting 1. FC Kaiserslautern and stated that his dream is to end his playing career at the club.[32]

Career statistics

Club
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[10][33]
Club Season League Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
SV Rot-Weiss Hasborn 2007–08[10] Oberliga Südwest 18000——180
1. FC Saarbrücken 2008–09[10] Oberliga Südwest 30300——303
1. FC Nürnberg II 2009–10[10] Regionalliga Süd 26100——261
2010–11[10] Regionalliga Süd 14000——140
Total 40100——401
1. FC Nürnberg 2010–11[10] Bundesliga 19320——213
2011–12[10] Bundesliga 33230——362
Total 52550——575
Bayer Leverkusen 2012–13[10] Bundesliga 31220—71403
2013–14[10] Bundesliga 20030—40270
2014–15[10] Bundesliga 0000—0000
Total 51250—111673
Mainz 05 (loan) 2014–15[10] Bundesliga 5000——50
Stoke City (loan) 2014–15[18] Premier League 1202000—140
Stoke City 2015–16[22] Premier League 3102060—390
2016–17[34] Premier League 200000—20
2017–18[35] Premier League 000010—10
Total 4504070—560
VfL Wolfsburg (loan) 2016–17[10] Bundesliga 7000—2090
VfL Wolfsburg II (loan) 2016–17[10] Regionalliga Nord 20———20
Metz 2017–18[10] Ligue 1 000010—10
Metz B 2017–18[10] Championnat National 3 20———20
Career total 252111408013128712

International
Appearances and goals by national team and year[36]
National teamYearAppsGoals
Germany
201320
Total20

References
  1. "List of Players under Written Contract Registered Between 01/07/2015 and 31/07/2015" (PDF). The FA. p. 11. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  2. "Premier League Player Profile Philipp Wollscheid". Premier League. Barclays Premier League. 2015. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  3. "Philipp Wollscheid" (in German). kicker.de. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
  4. Linkesch, Frank (28 November 2011). "Auf Kloses Spuren". Kicker Sportmagazin (in German). Olympia-Verlag. p. 14.
  5. Koster, Walter (25 June 2011). "Saarländer Philipp Wollscheid ist der Senkrechtstarter des 1. FC Nürnberg". Saarbrücker Zeitung (in German). Archived from the original on 19 December 2013. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  6. Fischer, Johannes (27 October 2011). "Wollscheid's long and winding road". Bundesliga. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  7. "Von Viererkette hatte ich wenig Ahnung" (in German). SPOX. 25 March 2011. Retrieved 6 January 2012.
  8. "1. Bundesliga – Topspieler" (in German). kicker.de. Retrieved 28 July 2012.
  9. "'Jewel' Wollscheid to join Leverkusen". UEFA. 24 November 2011. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
  10. "Philipp Wollscheid". Fussballdaten. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  11. "Philipp Wollscheid looks to rebuild promising career after Bayer Leverkusen slump". Just Football. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  12. "Wollscheid joins the 05ers". Mainz 05. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  13. "Wollscheid Completes Potters Switch". Stoke City F.C. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  14. "Arsenal 3-0 Stoke". BBC Sport. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  15. "Leicester City 0, Stoke City 1: Star man is (not) Bojan". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  16. "We Controlled It - Hughes". Stoke City F.C. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  17. "Stoke City Extra Time: Don't burden Philipp Wollscheid with Robert Huth exit". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  18. "Games played by Phillip Wollscheid in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  19. "Philipp's A Potter". Stoke City. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  20. "Philipp Wollscheid completes Stoke City transfer". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  21. "Stoke sign Philipp Wollscheid to permanent deal after loan spell". ESPN FC. 21 May 2015. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
  22. "Games played by Phillip Wollscheid in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  23. "Wollscheid waves goodbye". Stoke City F.C. 31 August 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  24. "Philipp Wollscheid returning early from Germany?". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  25. "Philipp Wollscheid's nightmare loan spell takes new twist with tinnitus". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  26. "Crowds under 350 and flowing beer: What Philipp Wollscheid can expect in German regional league". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  27. "Stoke's Philipp Wollscheid ends turbulent loan spell with firework, pitch invasion – and a win". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  28. "WOLLSCHEID BIDS FAREWELL". Stoke City. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
  29. "Philipp Wollscheid terminates his contract with FC Metz". Le Equipe. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  30. "Philipp Wollscheid: "Never felt like a dream"". muensterschezeitung.de. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  31. "'It would just be for the money' – Ex-Stoke City defender opens up on career and why he retired at 28". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  32. Stoke City Official Matchday Magazine 13 January 2016 v Norwich City
  33. "P. WOLLSCHEID". Soccerway. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  34. "Games played by Phillip Wollscheid in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  35. "Games played by Phillip Wollscheid in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
  36. "Wollscheid, Philipp". National-Football-Teams. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
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