RIP Bernd Meier

[GarethRDR]

Heart attack at the age of 40.

Welt.de"]Ex-Bundesliga goalie Bernd Meier dies at age 40

Bernd Meier, former goalkeeper for TSV 1860 Munich, has died at the age of 40 from a heart attack. Meier passed away on Thursday.

For 1860, Meier made a total of 93 league appearances from 1993 to 1999. He gainied notoriety through a crucial error in the Münchner Derby of April 1998, when he played the ball to Bayern striker Carsten Jancker who was left with a simple tap-in to an empty net (Bayern won the game 3:1). Following this, Meier was unable to regain his place in goal for Die Löwen and subsequently transferred to Borussia Mönchenlgladbach in 1999. Most recently, Meier had been coach of the U-17 national team for the German Football Federation.

Friends and colleagues were shocked by the news of his death. Werner Lorant, former coach of 1860 was quoted on 'dieblaue24.de': "It hits me, he was still so young. He was a very good guy, always gave his all at 1860 and was an outstanding person. You never had trouble with him. Of course, I willl be attending his funeral".

"The news of his sudden death is a great shock to me," said Borussia Mönchengladbach's director Max Eberl. "I had a great appreciation for Bernd both as a human and as an accomplished athlete. Our sympathies go out to his family." Eberl and team co-ordinator Steffen Korell had both played alongside Meier at Borussia.

Michael Hofmann (who succeeded Meier in Die Löwen's goal in 1999) paid tribute to the deceased as a "super-colleague". Hofmann is set to play against 1860 Munich for his current team SSV Jahn Regensburg on the 2.Liga's opening round this Saturday.

Cult Löwe Thomas Miller who had played alongside Meier also expressed his shock at the news to 'dieblaue24.de': "Bernd was such a happy person, always positive. This is terrible news, he was a wonderful colleague and a safe pair of hands who knocked on the door of the national team."

RIP.

[BOF]

Wowzers. No age at all RIP.