Birthday boy of the month I: Herbert Waas turns 60

He became a youth European Champion in June 1981 with the Germany U18 team – and that as a player from a younger age group. On matchday two in the Bundesliga 2 South his coach Wenzel Halama brings him on against VfL Osnabrück on the hour mark. Three weeks later, Herbert scores his first goal in the 2-1 win against Waldhof Mannheim as a substitute. The striker played 35 games for the Lions and scored eleven goals. His strike partner in many matches is a certain Rudi Völler who ends up as the top scorer in Bundesliga 2 with 37 goals before moving north to join Werder Bremen.

Herbert moves to the West under the Bayer Cross. Coach Dettmar Cramer is able to persuade the fast and skilful striker to come to Leverkusen. A transfer fee of one million Deutschmarks makes Waas the first 'million signing' at Bayer 04. Over seven years he makes 209 Bundesliga appearances scoring 72 goals along the way. He was also above average in the DFB-Pokal with 13 goals in 19 games for Bayer 04. He was unable to make his mark on the European stage. In his 14 UEFA Cup games for the Werkself Herbert did not score but he did contribute to winning the UEFA Cup on 18 May 1988 with his attacking runs down the right after coming on as a substitute in the second half.

On 7 June 1983 he came off the bench in the international against Yugoslavia to be the first international player for Bayer 04. Two years later he is the first Werkself player to score a goal for Germany. Herbert levelled at 1-1 on 61 minutes in the 2-2 draw against Spain on 15 October 1986.

Bayer 04 and Herbert Waas part company in 1989. Bologna sign him up and he plays in Serie A for two years. He ends his playing career after a year in the Bundesliga at Hamburg SV, two years in Switzerland at FC Zürich and his final club in Germany Dynamo Dresden.

Today he lives in Munich and celebrates his 60th birthday in September. I wish you many happy returns, dear Herbert. Stay healthy and have a good one.