Manfred Schaefer was a central defender representing Australia and Sydney club St. George Budapest. Schaefer died earlies this year, on the 28th of March, aged 80. He was a World War II refugee, fleeing Germany at the age of 11, as his family moved down under.
His life in football is also one to notice, as he must be the only German to have played against both East and West Germany in a World Cup tournament. Manfred Scheafer was among the players representing Australia in their first ever World Cup entry.
The team of Australia had a grand group of special men as they qualified for this World Cup, returning to his native country, leaving 20 years earlier. In 1974, Schaefer worked as a milkman and an amateur player at the time, and of course having that probably in mind, when entering the field for the games in this World Cup. Schaefer played in games taking place in Hamburg and West-Berlin.
Looking at the squad of players, you also had a number of others, moving to Australia from other nations of strong soccer history. The coach Rale Rasic, also died this year at the 6th of June. He was born in Yugoslavia, moving to Australia in 1962. The goalkeeper Jack Reilly and winger Jimmy Rooney were both Scottish, previously playing for Hibernian (KR) and Peterborough United and Montrose (JR). Captain Peter Wilson, born in England and previously with Middlesbrough. The team was a large mix of different nationalities, as well as Australian born players, to bring together a squad of enough quality to get to the World Cup.
The club of Manfred Schaefer, St. George Budapest, had four other players in the Australia squad. All players in the squad played their club football in Australia.
Manfred Schaefer played in all games with shirt number 4, losing both games against East Germany (0-2) and West Germany (3-0), and making getting their only point in the tournament with a 0-0 draw vs. Chile.
Schaefer ended his international career in 1974, he was 31 years of age. Later Manfred Schaefer became a known coach in Australia, being with a number of major clubs in the country and had a major influence on the developement of soccer in Australia.
A good video of a few of the players and the coach discussing their international history, is one to watch.
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