Former Bundesliga professional Rainer Ulrich is dead. The long-time player, assistant and head coach of the second division soccer team Karlsruher SC died at the age of 73, as a club spokesman with reference to Ulrich’s family confirmed on Monday evening. “We express our heartfelt condolences to all of Rainer Ulrich’s relatives and will keep him and his services to the KSC in honorable memory,” the association wrote in a statement. First, the “Badische Latest News” reported on Ulrich’s death.

The native of Mannheim, who also played for the local VfR, made 273 competitive appearances for KSC. With Karlsruhe, the defender rose to the Bundesliga. Due to injury, he ended his active career in 1983.

As a head coach, he looked after not only KSC but also the amateurs at FC Bayern, VfR Mannheim, 1. FC Schweinfurt and SSV Ulm. He also supported the current coach of Hamburger SV, Tim Walter, at Holstein Kiel and at VfB Stuttgart.