November 11, 2009
Robert Enke Killed:- Germany’s World Cup Plan Suffered
Germany’s World Cup plans suffered a devastating blow today when Robert Enke, the starting goalkeeper on the national team, was struck and killed by a train at Neustadt am Rubenberge in what police said appeared to be a suicide.
Enke, 32, played for Hannover 96 in the German Bundesliga and had made eight appearances for the national team, which has qualified for next year’s tournament in South Africa.
News of Enke’s death was announced by Martin Kind, Hannover’s president, and a subsequent police statement said that “first indications are that it was a suicide.”
Kind said Enke had appeared “unstable” recently. He and his wife lost their 2-year-old daughter to a heart ailment in 2006.
Even though he had not been selected to play for Germany in matches against the Ivory Coast on Saturday and Chile on Nov. 18, Enke was considered the leading candidate to start at the World Cup, according to national team Coach Joachim Loew.
Robert Enke (24 August 1977 – 10 November 2009[2]) was a German international football goalkeeper.
Enke played at leading clubs in several European countries, namely Barcelona, Benfica and Fenerbahçe, but made most appearances for Bundesliga side Hannover 96 in his homeland.
He won eight full international caps for the German national team between 2007 and his death in 2009, and was part of the squad which finished as runners-up in Euro 2008. At the time of his death, he was widely considered to be a strong contender for the number one spot at the 2010 World Cup
Early career
Enke started his career in the youth ranks of hometown club Carl Zeiss Jena and worked his way up to the first team during the 1995–96 season. He made his professional debut on 11 November 1995, against future club Hannover 96 in the 2. Bundesliga. He was given the opportunity after first choice Mario Neumann conceded 14 goals in just three matches, prompting coach Eberhard Vogel to drop him for the youngster Enke. Enke played three games during November 1995, but Neumann was restored to the team after this period and Enke did not appear for the first team again that season.
The goalkeeper actually would never play for the club again as he was snapped up by Bundesliga club Borussia Mönchengladbach in Summer 1996. Enke spent his first two seasons here with the club’s U-23 side, playing in the lower leagues and honing his talent.
His chance came on the eve of the 1998–99 season when the club’s legendary goalkeeper Uwe Kamps suffered an injury and new coach Friedel Rausch gave Enke his big chance to finally make his club debut. His first Bundesliga game came on 15 August 1998 in a 3-0 win over Schalke 04 that put them top of the table. However, this position quickly changed as, despite Enke’s best efforts, the club plummeted to the foot of the league where they remained from October until their eventual relegation (Rainer Bonhof was manager from November onward).
Life abroad
Although Mönchengladbach’s fortunes were on a downward path, Enke’s were not. After his first full season as a professional, he was quickly signed by Benfica of Portugal. The club were then managed by Enke’s countryman Jupp Heynckes, who promptly made him captain. His time in Portugal was a turbulent one, as the club changed manager three times in his three seasons there and suffered their lowest ever league finish (6th) in a trophyless spell, beset by financial difficulties that caused players wages to often be late.
Despite these problems, Enke’s performances here gained him a list of admirers, with clubs like Arsenal, Atletico Madrid and Manchester United chasing him. After contract talks with Benfica stalled, Enke took up the offer of Spanish giants FC Barcelona and moved on a free transfer in June 2002 on a three-year deal.
Life at the Nou Camp proved tough for Enke – he later labelled the goalkeeper’s spot at Barca as the “most difficult goalkeeping position in Europe” – as he ended up playing second choice to Roberto Bonano. His debut set the mark, as the club were humiliatingly knocked out of the Spanish Cup by third flight Novelda CF at the first hurdle on 11 September 2002 and was criticised by teammate Frank de Boer for his part in their exit. His brief taste of La Liga came in a 20 minute appearance as a substitute in a 2–2 draw at Osasuna on 2 March 2003. He did manage to sample some European action during his spell though as he made two UEFA Champions League appearances, against FC Bruges and Galatasaray in the group stage.
The following season, as Frank Rijkaard replaced Louis van Gaal as coach, Enke was loaned out to Turkish side Fenerbahçe – then managed by German coach Christoph Daum – as part of the deal that saw Rüştü Reçber move to the Spanish club. However, his career continued to stall as he managed to play just a solitary game there, a traumatic 0–3 defeat to Istanbulspor on 10 August 2003. His own fans pelted him with firelighters and bottles during the game, blaming him for this bitter defeat. These scenes caused Enke to immediately quit the club and his planned one-year loan and return to Spain.
After a four month spell back at FC Barcelona, but outside the first team squad, Enke dropped down to the Spanish Segunda División when he was loaned to CD Tenerife in January 2004 for the remainder of the season. Here, he enjoyed an upturn, performing strongly and winning acclaim from the fans and other clubs.
Bundesliga return
Following his return to form at CD Tenerife, Enke returned to his homeland joining Bundesliga side Hannover 96 in July 2004 on a free transfer in an initial two year deal. His career enjoyed its greatest success and stability, as he became firmly established as the club’s first choice and was voted the best goalkeeper in the league by his fellow professionals in Kicker magazine.
Such form caused Enke to be linked with moves to larger clubs, particularly VfB Stuttgart. In December 2006, however, he ended this speculation by signing a contract extension with Hannover 96 until the end of the 2009–10 season. He was elected team captain by his teammates for the 2007–08 season. After his serious injury in autumn 2008, Enke returned into the team for the first match after the winter break on 31 January 2009. Before his death he was considered a cult hero by Hannover 96 fans and Captain of his club.
International career
Enke first represented his country in 1998–99 whilst playing for Borussia Mönchengladbach, winning a place in the German Under-21 side and holding down that number one jersey throughout the season, playing 15 times in total. His performances there convinced national team coach Erich Ribbeck to include him in the squad for the 1999 Confederations Cup, although he did not feature in any games.
His international career then stalled when he left Germany and he was not considered again until his return to the Bundesliga. The growing acclaim he enjoyed since saw him in contention for the 2006 FIFA World Cup squad, under Jürgen Klinsmann, although he missed out ultimately. He succeeded in breaking into the squad shortly after, under new coach Joachim Löw, in being chosen for a friendly against Georgia, and, after first choice Jens Lehmann caught the flu, again against Cyprus.
He finally made his senior international debut for Germany in a 0–1 friendly defeat to Denmark in Duisburg on 28 March 2007.
On 8 October 2008, Enke broke the scaphoid of his left hand while practising with the national team for the match against Russia. He was operated on 10 October and had to pause for the following two months.
After his return in January 2009, he became number one keeper in the national team again.
In September 2009, Enke had to pause again because of an infection with campylobacter. He died on 10 November 2009 with eight national caps.
Personal life and Death
Robert Enke was married to wife Teresa and had a daughter, Lara, who died (aged 2) on 17 September 2006 due to a heart birth defect (hypoplastic left heart syndrome). They also adopted a baby girl in 2009. They lived together on a farm.
He was involved with his wife in the animal rights campaign, and they had many pets themselves. He lent his face to the PETA campaign against the fur industry.
On 10 November 2009 Enke apparently committed suicide at a level crossing when hit by an oncoming train in Neustadt am Rübenberge. German website Morgenpost Online have quoted a spokesperson from the Hannover police as saying: “Enke has thrown himself under a train at Neustadt am Rübenberge”. Enke’s friend and advisor, Jörg Neblung, confirmed his death as a suicide to the Deutsche Presse-Agentur.
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