Jürgen Macho

Jürgen Macho (born 24 August 1977 in Vienna) is an Austrian footballer currently playing with LASK Linz, as a goalkeeper.

Club career

Macho started his first-team career with Wiener Sportclub in 1996, and moved after one season to First Vienna FC, where he spent three seasons before leaving for English Premiership side Sunderland A.F.C. in 2000.

At Sunderland, Macho spent three seasons as the second-choice keeper, behind Danish international Thomas Sørensen, and managed a total of 22 league appearances. He then transferred to Chelsea F.C. for the 2003–04 season, but was mostly fourth-choice there. He suffered a serious season-long injury,^[1] and subsequently failed to make a single competitive appearance with the team.

In August 2004, having been released from the remaining year of his Chelsea contract, Macho left the club to join Austrian Bundesliga side SK Rapid Wien, on what was scheduled to be a year-long loan deal.^[2] However, he spent just four months there, managing eight league appearances, as well as two in the UEFA Cup.

In January 2005, Macho joined Germany's 1. FC Kaiserslautern, where he first spent six months as the third-choice, behind Tim Wiese and Thomas Ernst. However, he managed to become the starter in 2005–06, as Wiese left for SV Werder Bremen. He subsequently made a total of 20 league appearances that season, but missed nearly the entire second part of the season due to an injury. He continued to be Kaiserslautern's main goalkeeper during 2006–07, with the team now in the second division, to where it was relegated after finishing 16th in the topflight the previous season.

On 31 August 2007, Macho joined AEK Athens F.C. in Greece. He was soon selected as the side's first-choice, ahead of Brazilian Marcelo Moretto, who failed to impress. On March 26, 2009, it was announced he would be released from contract after it expired in June.^[3]

Macho was in training with Premier League club Wigan Athletic F.C. in view to a permanent move,^[4] but the transfer was cancelled on 29 September 2009.^[5]

On November 5, 2009, after a few months without a club, Macho returned to his country after five years, signing with LASK Linz.

International career

Macho made his debuts for the Austrian national team in 2002, going on to amass 18 internationals, including two 2006 World Cup qualifiers in October 2005.

On 16 November 2007, in a friendly against England, he swallowed his tongue after a collision with Peter Crouch. His life was saved by Austria's chief medic.^[6] In UEFA Euro 2008, he played all three group stage matches for the hosts, in an eventual group stage exit.

Honours

• Rapid Wien:
  • Austrian League: 2004–05

References

External links

• AEK Athens profile (Greek)
• Stats at Fussballdaten (German)
• Rapid Wien archives (German)
• EURO 2008 profile
• Jurgen Macho career stats at Soccerbase
• NationalFootballTeams data

v • d • e Austria squad – UEFA Euro 2008 1 Manninger • 2 Standfest • 3 Stranzl • 4 Pogatetz • 5 Fuchs • 6 Aufhauser • 7 Vastić • 8 Leitgeb • 9 Linz • 10 Ivanschitz • 11 Korkmaz • 12 Gërçaliu • 13 Katzer • 14 Garics • 15 Prödl • 16 Patocka • 17 Hiden • 18 Kienast • 19 Säumel • 20 Harnik • 21 Macho • 22 Hoffer • 23 Özcan • Coach: Hickersberger