Seven seasons ago, in the autumn of 1991, Oliver Bierhoff struggled. When he turned up for training with Ascoli, he was booed off the pitch. Bierhoff, however, stood his ground and refused to go. A former German under-21 international, Bierhoff moved to Italy when he was 23 after a successful season with Austria Salzburg where he scored 23 goals. His strike rate and record with Bayer Uerdingen, Hamburg and Borussia Moenchengladbach in Germany had attracted the attention of Inter Milan who eventually bought him for a modest £400,000.
Like many before him, however, Bierhoff found the initial days in Italy very tough. Remarkably, Inter quickly decided that he was not "officer material" and despatched him to Ascoli. Ascoli failed to avoid relegation and the fans began to call for his head.
After a period of bad press Bierhoff met with team coach, former Italian international Giancarlo De Sisti, who was able to reassure him.
European Championship winner, Udinese folk hero, Germany's main man for France 98, university student, fashion model, stock market speculator - these days the 29-year-old, Karlsruhe-born Bierhoff is many things. One thing he is definitely not, however, - an overnight sensation.
Bierhoff's climb to the top has been slow in a profession where 10 years can represent a lifetime.
Yet, when he won his first under-21 cap as 20-year-old in 1988, he looked like the logical successor to the mighty Horst Hrubesch, a key figure in attack for West German sides of the 80s. Injuries and keen competition for team places meant he played little over the following two seasons, mainly with Hamburg. Demoralised, he opted for a move to Austria Salzburg. Back in first team football he scored 23 goals - enough to attract the attention of Inter.
Then, however, came the move to Ascoli. Despite the fans' protests, telephone death threats and relegation, Bierhoff refused to move, persuading the club that he would score. Bierhoff scored 46 goals in the following three seasons with Ascoli. Finally, he aroused Udinese's interest. That was in the summer of 1995. One year later, fans knew exactly who [N O]Oliver Bierhoff was. Udinese had, by their standards, an excellent season finishing mid-division.
Bierhoff did even better, ending the season with 17 Serie A goals and forcing a seemingly reluctant Berti Vogts to draft him into the German side for Euro 96. Even then, however, Vogts seemed to have misgivings, leaving Bierhoff on the substitutes bench for all but an opening round game against Russia. The rest, of course, is history. Bierhoff came on in the 69th minute of the final against the Czech Republic at Wembley. Within three minutes, he scored Germany's equaliser and he went on to win the tournament with his 95th minute "Golden Goal". Two years later and at almost 30, Bierhoff is still at Udinese, inspiring the Friuli club to their best season in Serie A. This, though, will be the German's last year at Udinese. After France 98, he intends to move on. As for France '98? "This will be my first and probably last World Cup. I don't want to fail and I'm hoping Germany will give me a hand." No doubt, they will. No doubt, he will succeed.
