The German coach, whose history in coaching is littered with trophies, passed away at the age of 80 following a deterioration in health over the past five years
Legendary former Bayern Munich and Barcelona coach Udo Lattek has passed away aged 80 at a nursing home in Cologne.
The German is one of the most successful trainers in history, winning 14 major trophies during his 35-year coaching career including the European Cup, Uefa Cup and European Cup Winners’ Cup with three separate clubs.
But Lattek’s health has deteriorated since a stroke in 2010. Two years ago he was diagnosed with the debilitating Parkinson’s disease and he was in the early stages of senile dementia.
Bayern chief Karl-Heinz Rummenigge expressed his condolences following the news of his death, hailing him as a “personal friend” who played an important role making the club as prestigious as they are today.
“The news of the death of Udo Lattek has deeply moved us,” he said in a statement. “His name is so closely associated with the rise of Bayern Munich in the successful 1970s.
“For decades he has been one of the great personalities of football – nationally and internationally. With him we lose one of the great men of FC Bayern – a personal friend of the club and myself.”
Sad news: The great Udo Lattek is dead. Rest in peace, my friend #RIP pic.twitter.com/wmVgxr0mqD
— Franz Beckenbauer (@beckenbauer) February 4, 2015
Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu said the Camp Nou club were also desperately sad to hear news of his passing on Wednesday.
“Udo Lattek has left us,” he wrote on Twitter. “Barca are in mourning for the man who coached our team at the start of the 1980s. May he rest in peace.”
Lattek had an unremarkable career as a player before working with West Germany’s national team as part of the coaching staff between 1965 and 1970.
It was in 1970 that he go his big break, however, as he was handed the role of Bayern boss. With the likes of Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Muller and Sepp Maier in his team, the Bavarians won three Bundesliga titles under his first stint in Munich. He guided them to European Cup glory in 1974 before being sacked for poor form a year later.
Lattek subsequently enjoyed success at Borussia Monchengladbach – winning two league titles and the Uefa Cup – before a silverware-free, two-year stint with Borussia Dortmund.
He opted for a change of scenery for his next role, taking charge of Barcelona between 1981 and 1983, where he won the Copa del Rey and the European Cup Winners’ Cup.
Another fruitful four years at Bayern followed (he won the Bundesliga three times and the DFB-Pokal twice), but the next 13 years only saw him take up brief roles at Koln, Schalke and Dortmund before he effectively retired to focus on punditry.