Damian Halata

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Damian Halata

| image = Damian Halata.png

| caption = Halata with Meuselwitz in 2008

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1962|8|8}}

| birth_place = Świętochłowice, Poland

| height = 1.78 m

| currentclub =

| position = Forward

| youthyears1 = 1975–1980

| youthclubs1 = 1. FC Magdeburg

| years1 = 1980–1988

| clubs1 = 1. FC Magdeburg

| caps1 = 193

| goals1 = 47

| years2 = 1988–1991

| clubs2 = 1. FC Lok Leipzig

| caps2 = 76

| goals2 = 21

| totalcaps = 269

| totalgoals = 68

| nationalyears1 = 1984–1989

| nationalteam1 = East Germany

| nationalcaps1 = 4

| nationalgoals1 = 1

| manageryears1 = 1994

| managerclubs1 = VfB Leipzig

| manageryears2 = 1996

| managerclubs2 = VfB Leipzig

| manageryears3 = 1997–1998

| managerclubs3 = VfB Leipzig

| manageryears4 = 1998–1999

| managerclubs4 = Dynamo Dresden

| manageryears5 = 2002–2006

| managerclubs5 = ZFC Meuselwitz

| manageryears6 = 2007

| managerclubs6 = SV Dessau 05

| manageryears7 = 2007–2011

| managerclubs7 = ZFC Meuselwitz

| manageryears8 = 2012–2013

| managerclubs8 = Budissa Bautzen

}}

Damian Halata (born 8 August 1962) is a German former professional football player and manager. Born in Poland, he represented the East Germany national team internationally.

Club career

Halata was born in Świętochłowice, Silesia, Poland. He spent his senior career at two clubs, playing 267 DDR-Oberliga matches for 1. FC Magdeburg (1975–1988) and 1. FC Lokomotive Leipzig (1988–91).{{Cite web | url = https://www.rsssf.org/players/halatadata.html | title = Damian Halata – Matches and Goals in Oberliga | author = Matthias Arnhold | date = 13 March 2014 | accessdate = 24 March 2014 | publisher = Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation}} He also appeared in 14 matches on the European level for the two clubs.{{Cite web | url = https://www.rsssf.org/players/duit-players-h.html | title = Germany – Player Data – H | author = Matthias Arnhold | publisher = Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation | date = 24 February 2014 | accessdate = 24 March 2014}}

In October 1988, Halata managed to score five goals in one game against BSG Sachsenring Zwickau. After qualifying for 2. Bundesliga with Lok Leipzig, Halata suffered an injury in the first match of the 1991–92 season that ended his playing career.

International career

Halata played four matches for East Germany, scoring once.{{Cite web | url = https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/halata-intl.html | title = Damian Halata – International Appearances | author = Matthias Arnhold | date = 31 July 2008 | accessdate = 24 March 2014 | publisher = Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation}} As part of East Germany's Olympic team he qualified for the 1984 Summer Olympics, but did not participate in the Games, due to the Soviet-led boycott. Altogether, Halata appeared in 30 matches with the Olympic squad during qualification.

Managerial career

After his playing career, Halata became assistant manager of VfB Leipzig, working under managers Jürgen Sundermann and Bernd Stange. Aged 31, on 9 April 1994, he took over as interim manager, when Leipzig were assured relegation from the Bundesliga.

Between 1 July 1994 and 30 April 1996, he returned to the role of assistant manager, until he was made interim manager once more on 1 May 1996. This time he prevented the club's relegation from 2. Bundesliga. After again returning to his duties as assistant manager in the following season, Halata was once more given the task to save VfB Leipzig from relegation on 7 December 1997, but he could not prevent the club's relegation at the end of the season.

From 8 December 1998 to February 1999, he was manager of 1. FC Dynamo Dresden, staying at the club as assistant manager until 14 March 2001.

On 1 January 2002, he took over as manager of ZFC Meuselwitz, then on a relegation spot in the fifth-tier Landesliga Thüringen. He secured non-relegation, then finished second in 2003 before winning promotion to the NOFV-Oberliga in 2004. In their first season, Meuselwitz finished sixth. After a disappointing start to the 2005–06 season, Halata stepped down as manager of Meuselwitz,{{Cite web | url = http://www.zfc.de/zfc-web/?&ID=554 | title = Damian Halata legt Traineramt in Meuselwitz nieder | author = Jan Vollrath | publisher = ZFC Meuselwitz | accessdate =25 December 2008 | language = German}} only to rescind his decision days later.{{Cite web | url = http://www.zfc.de/zfc-web/?&ID=555 | title = Damian Halata bleibt Trainer beim ZFC Meuselwitz | author = Jan Vollrath | publisher = ZFC Meuselwitz | accessdate =25 December 2008 | language = German}} He stayed at the helm until June 2006, leading the club to a 5th place.

On 22 March 2007, Halata took over as manager of SV Dessau 05 in the NOFV-Oberliga. In December 2007, Halata returned as manager of ZFC Meuselwitz, signing a contract until June 2012.{{Cite web | url = http://www.zfc.de/zfc-web/?&ID=1054 | title = Halata ist wieder Trainer beim ZFC Meuselwitz | author = Ronny Eichhorn | publisher = ZFC Meuselwitz | date = 2 December 2007 | accessdate =25 December 2008 | language = German}}