1.02.2022Bayer 04

Miscellaneous: Willibert Kremer 15.10.1939 – 24.12.2021

Willibert Kremer was a child of the Bundesliga. Back in 1964, in its second year, he played for Hertha Berlin for a season. He then signed for MSV Duisburg where he made 91 Bundesliga appearances. After his playing career, he was assistant coach there and also coach of the U19s, who he took to the final of the German U19 championships in 1972. The title was secured with a 2-0 win against VfB Stuttgart. That team included Klaus Bruckmann who went on to be one of our promotion heroes in 1979.

As head coach of the senior team, Kremer leads MSV to the DFB Cup final in 1975 that ends in a 1-0 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt. He comes to Leverkusen in April 1976 and puts together a team that secures surprising promotion to the Bundesliga with ease in 1979.

I first met Willibert Kremer at my trial at Leverkusen on 9 March 1981. Two days after the brilliant 3-0 win against Bayern (with three Ökland goals), he was sat in a car in pouring rain behind the goal on training pitch 1 with Reiner Calmund and general manager Heinz Heitmann. Assistant coach Gerd Kentschke shot ball after ball at my goal and I must have somehow done a good job. Willibert Kremer is also jointly responsible for my decision to sign for Leverkusen.

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Unfortunately, I didn’t get to know him properly as a coach as the situation under the Bayer Cross was so tense six months later that the club parted company with Kremer. His five plus years as coach at Leverkusen was over – only Theo Kirchberg’s seven years was longer for a head coach at Bayer 04.

The coach Kremer will always have his place in our history as the man that took Bayer 04 Leverkusen up to the Bundesliga. Willibert Kremer closed his eyes for the last time in the early hours of 24 December. We will never forget you, coach, rest in peace.

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