Few players have grown from an OM player but also as a coach. Joseph Eisenhoffer returned from this closed circle. Nicknamed, Eisenhoffer evolves at OM from 1932 to 1941. A period that allows the Hungarian to mark the history of Olympique Marseille.
Born November 8, 1900 in Budapest, Eisenhoffer began his career in his native country playing successively for Budapest TC, Kispest AC and Ferencváros TC. He then left for Austria where he wins the championship with the Hakoah Vienna and the United States where he will play with the Brooklyn Wanderers, New York Hakoah and Brooklyn Hakoah. He won the United States Cup in 1929 with the New York Hakoah.
'THE MAN WIDTH THE DEADLY LEFT WING'
After a short return to Austria in the Hakoah Vienna, the striker, who can also play in midfield, joined Olympique de Marseille in 1932 at the age of 32 years. A special period since the first championship of France "professional" football takes place that year.
He played 87 matches in Division 1 and 34 of Coupe de France between 1932 and 1941 with Marseille. A year after his arrival at OM, Eisenhoffer brought Vincent Diettrich, the coach of the Hakoah Vienna and the Hungarian Vilmos Kohut to the south of France. "The man on the left wing" finishes with this Olympien team in the second place of his group (1933).
A COACH-PLAYER
With the club of the Phocaean city, the Hungarian is also an unhappy finalist of the Coupe de France in 1934 and 1940. As a player, he won the club's fourth French Cup on May 5, 1935 after a victory in the final against Stade Rennais (3-0).
From 1935 until 1941, Eisenhoffer was coach-player of Olympique de Marseille. He leads 121 league matches (France and Littoral) at the head of the Marseille and 22 matches of the Coupe de France. He remains with Gérard Gili the third coach to have played the most matches with OM in the league.
Eisenhoffer is a great success as a coach-player. The Hungarian international (8 caps, 7 goals) is crowned French Champion of D1 in 1937. History will remember that Eisenhoffer is the first coach of Olympique de Marseille to have won the first title of champion of France "professional" with the Provencal club.
Joseph also took a picture with the Coupe de France on May 8, 1938 thanks to a victory in the final against FC Metz (2-1 a.p). Logically coveted and mercenary assumed, Eisenhoffer succumbs to the very important offers of RC Lens in 1938. It returns to OM where he failed to win May 5, 1940 a sixth Coupe de France but the Olympians are defeated in the final against Racing Club de Paris (2-1). He finished his career at OM in 1941 and died in Budapest in 1944 following an injury caused by a Soviet air raid during the liberation of the city. Joseph Eisenhoffer leaves behind an indelible trace in Marseille.
