Ralf Becker

{{Infobox football biography

|name = Ralf Becker

|image =

|image_size =

|alt =

|caption =

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1970|9|26|df=y}}

|birth_place = Leonberg, Baden-Württemberg

|death_date =

|death_place =

|height = 1.87 m

|position = Midfielder

|currentclub = Dynamo Dresden (Director of Sports)

|youthyears1 = 1975–1983

|youthclubs1 = SVGG Hirschlanden-Schöckingen

|youthyears2 = 1983–1986

|youthclubs2 = VfB Stuttgart

|youthyears3 = 1986–1987

|youthclubs3 = SV Leonberg/Eltingen

|youthyears4 = 1987–1989

|youthclubs4 = Stuttgarter Kickers

|years1 = 1989–1992

|clubs1 = TSF Ditzingen II

|caps1 =

|goals1 =

|years2 = 1992–1993

|clubs2 = TSF Ditzingen

|caps2 = 33

|goals2 = 15

|years3 = 1993–1995

|clubs3 = Bayer Leverkusen

|caps3 = 23

|goals3 = 1

|years4 = 1995–1996

|clubs4 = FC St. Pauli

|caps4 = 15

|goals4 = 1

|years5 = 1996–1998

|clubs5 = Stuttgarter Kickers

|caps5 = 15

|goals5 = 1

|years6 = 1998–1999

|clubs6 = TSF Ditzingen

|caps6 = 29

|goals6 = 9

|years7 = 1999–2003

|clubs7 = SSV Reutlingen

|caps7 = 125

|goals7 = 29

|years8 = 2003–2006

|clubs8 = Karlsruher SC

|caps8 = 4

|goals8 = 0

|totalcaps = 215

|totalgoals = 56

|manageryears1 = 2006–2009

|managerclubs1 = Karlsruher SC (assistant coach)

|manageryears2 = 2009–2010

|managerclubs2 = SSV Ulm

}}

Ralf Becker (born 26 September 1970) is a German former football player and coach who works as the sports director of Dynamo Dresden.

Playing career

{{Small|Main source:{{Cite web|url=https://www.kicker.de/ralf-becker/laufbahn|title=Ralf Becker|publisher=kicker|language=de|access-date=26 June 2020}}}}

Becker spent a significant portion of his time as a youth player with VfB Stuttgart, as well as with their smaller rival club Stuttgarter Kickers.

In 1993, he first entered into professional competition by leaving TSF Ditzingen and joining Bundesliga side Bayer 04 Leverkusen, with whom he reached the quarterfinals of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in the following year.{{Cite web|url=https://www.kicker.de/leverkusen-gegen-sl-benfica-1994-europapokal-der-pokalsieger-786475/ergebnis|title=Spielereignisse {{!}} Bayer 04 Leverkusen - Benfica Lissabon 4:4 {{!}} Viertelfinale {{!}} Europapokal der Pokalsieger 1993/94|publisher=kicker|language=de|access-date=26 June 2020}} In 1995, he moved to FC St. Pauli, another Bundesliga team, where he only stayed one season. Following a brief return to TSF Ditzingen in 1998–1999, he spent the remaining years of his playing career with 2. Bundesliga teams SSV Reutlingen 05 and Karlsruher SC, before retiring in 2006.

Coaching and managerial career

Becker acted as the Karlsruher SC's assistant coach under Edmund Becker (no relation) from 2006 to 2009, after which he coached SSV Ulm 1846,{{Cite web|url=https://www.augsburger-allgemeine.de/neu-ulm/sport/Ralf-Becker-in-Ulm-erstmals-Cheftrainer-id6674226.html|title=Ralf Becker in Ulm erstmals Cheftrainer|publisher=Augsburger Allgemeine|date=15 December 2009|last=Kümmritz|first=Stefan|language=de|access-date=26 June 2020}} a Regionalliga Süd team, for little more than one year. Since stepping back from this position on 30 November 2010,{{Cite web|url=http://www.swp.de/goeppingen/sport/fussball/regional/art5693,747999|title=Becker ist kein Ulmer Spatz mehr|publisher=Südwest Presse|date=1 December 2010|language=de|access-date=26 June 2020|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101204122517/http://www.swp.de/goeppingen/sport/fussball/regional/art5693,747999|archive-date=4 December 2010}} he has not worked as a coach.

From 2010 to 2016, Becker was VfB Stuttgart's chief of scouting.{{Cite web|url=https://www.vfb.de/de/aktuell/meldungen/news/2011/umstrukturierung-2011/page/1965-0-3-1305634733.html|title="Bewegung tut gut"|publisher=VfB Stuttgart|date=17 May 2011|language=de|access-date=26 June 2020|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131031144759/https://www.vfb.de/de/aktuell/meldungen/news/2011/umstrukturierung-2011/page/1965-0-3-1305634733.html|archive-date=31 October 2013}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.stuttgarter-nachrichten.de/inhalt.vfb-stuttgart-verein-trennt-sich-von-chefscout.a2e8fc14-baa1-473f-9ad0-1f715cffbe33.html|title=Verein trennt sich von Chefscout|publisher=Stuttgarter Nachrichten|date=8 February 2016|last=Maisel|first=Philipp|language=de|access-date=26 June 2020}} He then became Holstein Kiel's managing director.{{Cite web|url=http://holstein-kiel.de/herren-news-lesen/ralf-becker-neuer-geschaeftsfuehrer-sport|title=Ralf Becker wird neuer Geschäftsführer Sport|publisher=Holstein Kiel|date=8 May 2016|language=de|access-date=26 June 2020|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160515114819/http://holstein-kiel.de/herren-news-lesen/ralf-becker-neuer-geschaeftsfuehrer-sport|archive-date=15 May 2016}} Under his direction, the club secured a promotion to the 2. Bundesliga in 2016–2017, and only narrowly missed out on a subsequent promotion to the Bundesliga the following year.

On 28 May 2018, Becker joined the newly relegated Hamburger SV as their managing director.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hsv.de/news/ralf-becker-ist-neuer-sportvorstand-beim-hsv|title=Ralf Becker ist neuer Sportvorstand beim HSV|publisher=Hamburger SV|date=28 May 2018|language=de|access-date=26 June 2020}} He controversially replaced head coach Christian Titz with Hannes Wolf in October 2018,{{Cite web|url=https://www.sport1.de/fussball/2-bundesliga/2018/10/hamburger-sv-trennt-sich-von-christian-titz-hannes-wolf-uebernimmt|title=HSV feuert Coach Titz - Wolf kommt|publisher=sport1|date=23 October 2018|language=de|access-date=26 June 2020}} despite his team being merely two points behind the top of the table at the time.{{Cite web|url=https://www.kicker.de/2-bundesliga/spieltag/2018-19/10|title=10. Spieltag {{!}} 2. Bundesliga 2018/19|publisher=kicker|language=de|access-date=26 June 2020}} At the end of this season, the club missed promotion, causing its executive board to sack Becker and replace him with {{ill|Jonas Boldt|de}}.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hsv.de/news/aufsichtsrat-beruft-ralf-becker-ab|title=Aufsichtsrat beruft Ralf Becker ab und bestellt Jonas Boldt zum neuen Sportvorstand|publisher=Hamburger SV|date=24 May 2019|language=de|access-date=26 June 2020}}

On 25 June 2020, Dynamo Dresden announced Becker as their new sports director, following the departure of Ralf Minge.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dynamo-dresden.de/verein/news/newsdetails/ralf-becker-wird-neuer-sportgeschaeftsfuehrer.html|title=Ralf Becker wird neuer Sportgeschäftsführer|publisher=Dynamo Dresden|date=25 June 2020|language=de|access-date=26 June 2020|archive-date=26 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200626072446/https://www.dynamo-dresden.de/verein/news/newsdetails/ralf-becker-wird-neuer-sportgeschaeftsfuehrer.html|url-status=dead}} After their relegation in the 2019–20 season, he oversaw the club's immediate return to the 2. Bundesliga.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mdr.de/nachrichten/sachsen/dresden/dresden-radebeul/dynamo-fussball-aufstieg-randale-100.html|title=Dynamo Dresden steigt auf - Randale mit Verletzten am Stadion|publisher=MDR|date=17 May 2021|language=de|access-date=23 May 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.tagesspiegel.de/sport/schwere-ausschreitungen-rund-ums-stadion-dynamo-dresden-steigt-in-die-zweite-liga-auf/27195554.html|title=Schwere Ausschreitungen rund ums Stadion: Dynamo Dresden steigt in die Zweite Liga auf|publisher=Der Tagesspiegel|date=16 May 2021|language=de|access-date=23 May 2021}}

Personal life

Becker is married and has three children.{{Cite news|title=Dynamos neuer, starker Mann|publisher=Sächsische Zeitung (print)|date=16 September 2020|last=Meyer|first=Tino|language=de|page=7}}