Werner Lorant, famed for leading 1860 Munich to Bundesliga success, has died at 76. Renowned for his tough coaching style, he left a lasting legacy in German football.

The renowned German football coach Werner Lorant has passed away at the age of 76, as confirmed on Sunday by both his family and his former club, TSV 1860 Munich.

Lorant had a noteworthy playing career throughout the 1970s and 1980s, representing several prominent German clubs. Among them were Borussia Dortmund, Rot-Weiss Essen, 1. FC Saarbrücken, Hannover 96, Schalke 04, and Eintracht Frankfurt. During his time at Eintracht Frankfurt, he achieved considerable success by winning both the German Cup and the UEFA Cup.

However, it was his managerial career—particularly his time at 1860 Munich between 1992 and 2001—that truly cemented Lorant’s legacy in German football. As head coach, he guided Die Löwen (The Lions) from the obscurity of the third division all the way up to the Bundesliga, Germany’s top football league.

Lorant’s most notable accomplishment came in the year 2000 when he led the team to a fourth-place finish in the Bundesliga. That impressive result earned 1860 Munich a place in the qualification play-off round for the Champions League, where they ultimately lost to English Premier League club Leeds United.

The club officially announced Lorant’s passing on Sunday after a prolonged illness, describing him as “one of the most successful coaches in the club’s 125-year history.”

In a heartfelt comment shared with the 1860 fan website dieblaue24, Lorant’s sister expressed the depth of his passion for football: “Football meant the world to him. When he no longer had football, he was no longer well. He loved Die Löwen. They were close to his heart.”

Over the years, Lorant developed a reputation for being a tough and uncompromising manager. His no-nonsense approach was reflected in both his actions and his words. In one memorable instance, after being asked by a journalist why he hadn't substituted a clearly injured player while leading 5-1 against Nuremberg, Lorant famously responded: “Players are only subbed if their leg falls off.”

In another incident, after being sent off during an away match against Werder Bremen for insulting the referee, he commented afterward that the official “can be happy that I didn’t slap him.” That remark earned him a fine of 8,000 Deutsche Marks, equivalent to about €4,000 or $4,560 at the time.

As the game evolved with the rise of new technologies, Lorant remained firmly old-school. He once banned the use of mobile phones among his players, famously stating: “If a phone goes off on the team bus, they can get off and use the phone to call a taxi.”

His coaching philosophy could be summed up in one of his most quoted mottos: “Everyone is entitled to an opinion — but only mine counts.”

Today, 1860 Munich—Bayern Munich’s less-decorated city rivals—find themselves back in the third division. This downturn followed a forced relegation to the fourth tier in 2017, the result of a complex and troubled relationship with a controversial investor.

Jordanian billionaire Hasan Ismaik acquired a 60% stake in the club back in 2011, helping to rescue it from financial collapse. However, he failed to grasp the implications of German football’s 50+1 ownership rule, which prohibits private investors from holding a controlling stake in clubs.

Following the club’s relegation to the third division in 2017, Ismaik reportedly tried to use financial leverage to gain full control. He withheld the funding necessary for the club to secure a league license unless his demands were met—a demand that the club could neither agree to nor legally fulfill. This impasse led to 1860 Munich being automatically relegated to the fourth division, though the team eventually managed to work its way back up to the third tier.

The relationship between the club and Ismaik has remained tense ever since. However, in a surprising statement made just last Sunday, Ismaik indicated a willingness to move on. Speaking to German public broadcaster ARD, he declared: “I think 1860 needs someone new, they don’t need Hasan. I want to sell the club and just be an 1860 fan,” referring to himself in the third person.