Horst Bertl

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Horst Bertl

| fullname =

| height =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1947|3|24|df=y}}

| birth_place = Bremerhaven, Allied-occupied Germany

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2022|2|6|1947|3|24|df=y}}

| death_place =

| position = Midfielder

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 1969–1970

| clubs1 = TuS Bremerhaven 93

| caps1 =

| goals1 =

| years2 = 1970–1972

| clubs2 = Hannover 96

| caps2 = 60

| goals2 = 13

| years3 = 1972–1974

| clubs3 = Borussia Dortmund

| caps3 = 31

| goals3 = 17

| years4 = 1974–1979

| clubs4 = Hamburger SV

| caps4 = 104

| goals4 = 25

| years5 = 1979–1980

| clubs5 = Houston Hurricane

| caps5 = 23

| goals5 = 1

| years6 = 1981–1983

| clubs6 = Memphis Americans (indoor)

| caps6 = 28

| goals6 = 24

| manageryears1 = 1981–1984

| managerclubs1 = Memphis Americans

| manageryears2 = 1993

| managerclubs2 = Dallas Rockets

}}

Horst Bertl (24 March 1947 – 6 February 2022) was a German footballer who played as a midfielder.{{cite web | url = http://www.worldfootball.net/spieler_profil/horst-bertl/ | title = Horst Bertl | publisher = worldfootball.net | accessdate = 22 May 2010}}

Playing career

In 1969, Bertl began his career with TuS Bremerhaven 93 before transferring to Bundesliga club Hannover 96 in 1970. Earning the nickname "Big Turtle", he went on to play two seasons with Hannover and moved to Borussia Dortmund where he also spent two seasons. In 1974, Bertl signed with Hamburger SV. He played five seasons with Hamburg before moving to the United States and signing with the Houston Hurricane of the North American Soccer League in 1979. The Hurricane folded after the 1980 season and Bertl spent two seasons with the Memphis Americans of the Major Indoor Soccer League.

Managerial career

In 1981, the Memphis Americans of MISL signed Bertl as head coach. He compiled a 39–53 record over two seasons as a player-coach. In 1984, Bertl became a coach with the Comets Soccer Club in Dallas, Texas.{{cite web | url = http://www.cometssoccer.com/speedweb/site/index.php?site=CometsSoccer&p=directorDetails.php&siteDirID=1423&siteStatus=Active&currfrpage=1 | title = Coaches : Horst Bertl | publisher = Comets Soccer Club | accessdate = 21 November 2010}} In 2012, MLS's FC Dallas Youth acquired the Comets Soccer Club, adding Bertl to its program as well.{{cite web|url=http://www.fcdallasyouth.com/FCD--Dallas-Division-expands-with-addition-of-Comets-Soccer-Club.aspx |title=Dallas Division expands with addition of Comets Soccer Club |accessdate=23 May 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120924063317/http://www.fcdallasyouth.com/FCD--Dallas-Division-expands-with-addition-of-Comets-Soccer-Club.aspx |archivedate=24 September 2012 }} In 1993, he coached the Dallas Rockets to the USISL playoffs.

Bertl served as player agent for Paul Caligiuri, Eric Eichmann, Braeden Cloutier and Brian McBride.

Personal life and death

Bertl died on 6 February 2022, at the age of 74.{{cite news |title=Der HSV trauert um Horst Bertl |url=https://www.hsv.de/news/der-hsv-trauert-um-horst-bertl |access-date=9 February 2022 |publisher=HSV |date=8 February 2022|lang=de}}