GermanFootballerGoalkeeperInternational Footballer

Bernd Franke

Bernd Franke is a German former football goalkeeper primarily associated with Eintracht Braunschweig, who also played for West Germany, notably at the 1984 Summer Olympics.

1. Overview

Bernd FrankeBernd FrankeGerman (born on 12 February 1948) is a German former footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Throughout his extensive career, Franke was primarily associated with Eintracht Braunschweig, where he made a significant impact despite facing challenges such as club relegations and personal injuries. His dedication to Eintracht Braunschweig saw him feature in 345 Bundesliga matches. On the international stage, Franke represented West Germany, primarily serving as a backup to prominent goalkeepers like Sepp Maier and Wolfgang Kleff. Despite missing out on two FIFA World Cups due to circumstance and injury, he was part of the 1982 World Cup squad and notably served as the starting goalkeeper for West Germany at the 1984 Summer Olympics football competition. His career is often assessed in light of his talent, which many believed was on par with the era's top goalkeepers, and the unfortunate timing of injuries that potentially prevented him from securing a more prominent international role.

2. Club Career

Bernd Franke's club career began with promising youth development and culminated in a long and loyal tenure with Eintracht Braunschweig.

2.1. Early Career and Development

In his youth, Bernd Franke initially played as an outfield player before transitioning to a goalkeeper. He showcased impressive talent within the youth ranks of Saar 05 Saarbrücken. His performances there caught the attention of manager Otto Knefler, who subsequently brought him to Fortuna Düsseldorf. In 1971, Knefler moved to Bundesliga side Eintracht Braunschweig and once again signed Franke, this time with the intention of having him serve as a reliable backup for Braunschweig's established goalkeeper, Horst Wolter.

2.2. Eintracht Braunschweig

Upon joining Eintracht Braunschweig, Franke quickly proved his capabilities, immediately ousting the former international goalkeeper, Horst Wolter, to become the club's regular starter. However, despite Franke's strong individual performance, he could not prevent Eintracht Braunschweig from being relegated in 1973. That summer, he was poised to join 1. FC Kaiserslautern, a move that would have allowed him to remain in the Bundesliga. Yet, Franke demonstrated significant loyalty by rejecting this opportunity, opting instead to stay with the relegated Braunschweig, a decision that notably occurred just a year before the 1974 FIFA World Cup. By 1974, Franke and Braunschweig had returned to the Bundesliga, where he continued to be a consistent and dependable presence between the posts, contributing significantly to the club's impressive third-place finish in the league in 1977.

However, Franke's career began to be marred by injuries starting just days before the 1978 FIFA World Cup. These injuries sporadically forced him to miss first-team fixtures in the remaining years of his career. Despite these setbacks, Franke remained a loyal and respected figure for Eintracht Braunschweig. He continued to serve the club, even playing for one more season outside the Bundesliga during 1980-81. When fit, he consistently held his position as a regular starter until Braunschweig's final relegation from the top tier of German football in 1985. In the summer of 1985, Bernd Franke officially retired from professional football to focus on pursuing opportunities outside the sport. Throughout his professional career, Eintracht Braunschweig remained his sole club, for which he amassed a total of 345 appearances in the Bundesliga between 1971 and 1985.

3. International Career

Bernd Franke's international career with the West Germany national team was marked by his consistent role as a backup goalkeeper and his participation in significant tournaments, albeit with some missed opportunities.

3.1. West Germany National Team Selection and Early Appearances

Bernd Franke's impressive performances for Eintracht Braunschweig attracted attention, leading to his selection for the West Germany national squad. He established himself as a backup option to two of the era's leading goalkeepers, Sepp Maier and Wolfgang Kleff. Franke made his international debut for West Germany on 28 March 1973, in a friendly match. His appearances were primarily confined to friendly fixtures, particularly during periods when neither Maier nor Kleff were called up by then-manager Helmut Schön.

3.2. Major Tournaments: World Cups and Olympics

Franke's decision to remain with Eintracht Braunschweig after their relegation in 1973 had significant implications for his international ambitions, as it effectively cost him a place in West Germany's squad for the victorious 1974 FIFA World Cup, with Schalke 04's Norbert Nigbur being named as the third-choice goalkeeper instead. Even more unfortunate was an injury he sustained in May 1978 during what was considered a "meaningless friendly" match against a local amateur selection in Frankfurt. This injury, occurring just days before the 1978 FIFA World Cup, forced him to withdraw from the squad, marking the second consecutive World Cup participation he missed.

Despite these previous disappointments, Franke was ultimately included in West Germany's final squad for the 1982 FIFA World Cup. While he was delighted to be part of the team, he did not make a single appearance in the tournament itself. Prior to the World Cup, he earned his final two of seven total international caps, playing in friendly victories against Portugal and Norway. Although he was no longer in contention for a spot in the senior national team, Franke was given a notable opportunity to represent West Germany as the starting goalkeeper in all four of their matches during the football competition at the 1984 Summer Olympics.

4. Assessment and Legacy

Throughout his career, Bernd Franke was widely regarded by many football pundits and fans as possessing talent comparable to that of contemporary goalkeeping giants like Sepp Maier and Harald Schumacher. Despite this high regard for his abilities, Franke was never able to take the definitive step forward to become the first-choice goalkeeper for the West Germany national team. This unfulfilled potential is largely attributed to a series of unfortunate injuries that struck at the most critical moments of his career. Had these injuries not occurred at such inopportune times, it is widely believed that Franke might have surpassed Sepp Maier to become West Germany's primary goalkeeper towards the end of the 1970s, fundamentally altering the trajectory of his international career.