Uwe Rösler
A Bundesliga striker turned resilient manager, he battled cancer to lead clubs with a signature brand of passionate, direct football.
Born 1968 (age 58)·German association football manager·Birthday: November 15·Generation X
Biography
Uwe Rösler scored 11 goals for Manchester City across three seasons, becoming a fan favorite through relentless work ethic. Born in 1968, he developed in the East German football system before playing for Dynamo Dresden. After retiring, he moved into management. In 2003, he was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer; he fought it aggressively and returned to the touchline within a year. As a manager, Rösler instills discipline and a high-pressing, physically demanding style. He has taken charge of clubs across Scandinavia, England, and Germany, including Molde, Brentford, and Leeds United. His return to the Bundesliga with VfL Bochum in 2018 demonstrated his personal tenacity translating into team identity.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Uwe was born in 1968, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Uwe Was Born
The biggest hits of 1968
#1 Movie
2001: A Space Odyssey
Best Picture
Oliver!
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Uwe's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1968Born
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1973Started school
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1981Became a teenager
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1984Could drive
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1986Could vote
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Turned 21
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1998Turned 30
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 40
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 50
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 58 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Scored 64 goals in 203 appearances for Manchester City, becoming a cult hero at the club.
- Led Brann to the Norwegian Cup title in 2004 shortly after returning from cancer treatment.
- Managed Fleetwood Town to the 2014 League Two play-off final in his first season in England.
- Achieved promotion to the Bundesliga with VfL Bochum in 2021, securing their top-flight status.
Did You Know?
He was the first East German to play in the English Premier League.
His son, Colin Rösler, is also a professional footballer who has played in Norway.
During his cancer treatment, he received a personal phone call of encouragement from Formula 1 legend Niki Lauda, who had also survived a serious health crisis.
“I learned that you have to enjoy every day. Football is important, but it's not everything.”
