There is a nice story about Joachim Streich, the details always tell a lot about the whole. Well, after an international match between the GDR and England, Streich swapped his jersey with his opponent, others then hang something like that on the wall in a frame or have a trophy cabinet for it. But Streich used the exchanged jersey as a work shirt when he painted his bungalow.
The instinctive striker Streich didn’t take himself too seriously, nor did the relics he’d collected during his career. Record goalscorer in the Oberliga (229 goals), record goalscorer in the GDR national team (55 goals), record national player, Olympic bronze medal in 1972. But at the same time a man of the people, grounded, trained switchgear fitter. Similar to Gerd Müller, who was a trained weaver and always a man of the people. Joachim Streich, goalgetter in Rostock and Magdeburg, was called “Gerd Müller of the East”, which should be praise, but at the same time – speaking from a Wessi mouth – it also sounded a bit condescending. Why can’t one be who he is? In the GDR, however, they were convinced anyway that it was the other way around. miller? The prank of the west.
Joachim Streich (centre) scored East Germany’s first World Cup goal against Australia: it was a dream goal.
(Photo: Werek/Imago)
In the FRG, other GDR footballers have burned themselves even more into the collective memory, especially one: Jürgen Sparwasser, who scored the only goal in the 1974 World Cup in Hamburg in the GDR’s victory in the only international match between the two Germanys. A historic game, also important for the course of the tournament. Without this warning shot, the already fed-up Beckenbauer squad might never have become world champions. Ironically, in this game Joachim Streich sat on the substitute bench. But he had previously scored East Germany’s first World Cup goal against Australia, half falling he hit the corner, a dream goal for the man who could also kick the ball into the box with maximum vehemence: Streich’s stroke was legendary. Experts said he was lazy on the run, which he compensated for with his nose for goals. Twice GDR footballer of the year, according to those in the know, he would have had what it takes to be Europe’s footballer of the year, but football in East Germany was not dazzling enough for that, the league too insignificant. Streich was a hero and stayed in the shadows, which he didn’t dislike in principle. A straight man from the north, you hear it in the old interviews: no chatterbox, no poser. People loved him.
The coach Streich was not as happy as the player Streich
As soon as the playing time was over in 1985, Streich immediately and without transition became a coach in Magdeburg, on orders from above. He didn’t want to, at least not this early. After reunification, he ended up as the first east coach in German professional football, at Eintracht Braunschweig. But the trainer Streich wasn’t as happy as the player Streich, and the move to the west wasn’t easy, the Bundesliga wasn’t the show business of today, but it was on the way there. Streich only trained Braunschweig for nine months. His balance sheet was bitter: “We East trainers were too decent, too quiet – being technically good is not enough, you have to be able to sell yourself.” A certain parallel to Hans-Jürgen “Dixie” Dörner, whom they called “Beckenbauer of the East”. He didn’t make it as a coach at Werder Bremen.
Streich went back east, but he didn’t find happiness as a coach, and then he quit and went back to the base. He worked in a sporting goods store until he retired. A man who was one of the best enforcers in Europe, an idol of East German sports, sold soccer shoes.
In his life after his football career, Joachim Streich sells sporting goods.
(Photo: DPA)
When a nice documentary about pranks was broadcast years ago in the NDR report series “Sportclub-Story” and later shown on YouTube, one commented below: “Years ago I was in the sports shop with my little daughter to buy inline skaters. Suddenly we were served Joachim Streich, I don’t think I’m seeing things correctly. He was extremely polite and patient with my daughter’s wishes. I was very impressed by that.”
Surely he would have liked that. Joachim Streich died on Saturday night after a long illness, he was 71 years old. A man who was much more than the miller of the east. The Cologne coach and native of Rostock Steffen Baumgart said on Sky on Saturday, sad and live: “When we used to play on the soccer field, I was Achim Streich.”