Sportfreunde Lotte have signed a prominent new player. He brings with him the experience of over 300 third league games and most recently celebrated promotion.
A few weeks ago, Marc Heider celebrated promotion to the 2nd Bundesliga as captain of VfL Osnabrück. After the summer break, the 37-year-old striker will be hunting for goals in the Oberliga Westfalen: He will move to Sportfreunde Lotte. The club made the announcement early on Thursday evening.
Background to the transfer coup: Heider officially ended his professional career after the past season. However, he wants to continue playing at a higher level and also gain his first coaching experience. The ambitious fifth-division club from the Autobahnkreuz can offer him both, as Heider joins the club as a playing assistant coach. In addition, the long-time professional attacker lives in the region.
“For me, Lotte is simply close to home. I have the opportunity to help young players and take my first steps in coaching,” he explains his move. “In addition, I enjoy developing young players and still have the desire to continue playing ambitiously. Taking initial steps as a coach in the process is a great opportunity.”
The veteran, who was born in the US state of California, will certainly be one of the most prominent players in the league in the future. In Osnabrück’s promotion season, only a yellow suspension meant that Heider did not play all the games – albeit often as a wild card. Nevertheless, he scored six goals in the season and was also in the thick of things in the dramatic season finale with an assist.
Heider promoted twice to the 2nd Bundesliga
Heider made a total of 314 appearances in the Third Division – only five professionals played more often in this division. And his quota of 67 goals and 43 assists is also impressive. Heider also played in 54 matches in the 2nd Bundesliga (four goals, nine assists).
He spent the longest period of his career at Osnabrück, where he once made the leap into professional football. He also played for Werder Bremen II and for a long time for Holstein Kiel before Heider returned to VfL in 2016 and is now celebrating his second promotion after 2019.
In future, Sportfreunde from Lotte want to benefit from this scintillating vita. “If you are involved in football, he is certainly a household name to everyone in the region,” Lotte coach Fabian Lübbers is pleased to say. “For us as a club, it’s just great to sign a player who was promoted to the second Bundesliga just a few weeks ago.” Heider is still in top shape, explains Lübbers.
“He can help us with goals and also carry people away with his emotional style of play.” Heider is the 15th newcomer for the East Westphalians – and by far the most notable.
