Tom Starke

Tom Peter Starke (born 18 March 1981) is a German former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

He played for six German Bundesliga clubs throughout his career that lasted for 18 seasons.

Starke is currently working as a goalkeeper coordinator and goalkeeping coach for the Bayern Munich's youth teams.

Despite not being a first choice goalkeeper throughout his career at Bayern Munich, Starke was a member of the club's squad, winning six Bundesliga titles, the DFB-Pokal and the UEFA Champions League.

Born in Freital, East Germany, Starke did not play football at an early age; instead played handball as a goalkeeper.

In addition, he also participated as a long-distance runner in the Spartakiad.

It was not before August 1988 that Starke began playing football after Stahl Freital were looking for players.

He was assigned as a goalkeeper by the club's trainer.

He then joined Dynamo Dresden and Bayer Leverkusen.

Starke made his Bayer Leverkusen debut on 25 August 2000, playing the whole game, in a 2–1 loss against St. Pauli in the first round of the DFB-Pokal, which was his only appearance for the club.

Although he spent most of the 2000–01 season playing for the reserve side, Starke was called up to the first team, appearing as an unused substitute for the rest of the season.

Despite not appearing in the squad for the UEFA Champions League Final against Real Madrid, Starke revealed that he was given a runner–up medal and said: "Maybe it was simplistic political reasons that I never got used."

For the rest of his career at Bayer Leverkusen, Starke continued to remain as a cover behind Hans-Jörg Butt, appearing as an unused substitute and at the same time, he appeared regularly for the Bayer Leverkusen II.

By the time he left the club at the end of the 2003–04 season, Starke made two appearances for Hamburger SV.

In January 2004, Starke was loaned out to Hamburger SV for the rest of the 2003–04 season.

After the club's first choice goalkeeper Stefan Wächter suffered an injury, he made his Hamburger SV debut on 13 March 2004 against Hertha BSC and helped the side keep a clean sheet, in a 2–0 win.

Two months later on 1 May 2004, Starke made his second appearance for Hamburger SV, as they lost 6–0 against Werder Bremen.

After the match, Uli Hoeneß criticised his performance.

This also cost him a chance to be in the Germany U21 squad for the UEFA European Under-21 Championship.

At the end of the 2005–06 season, Starke had made seventeen appearances in all competitions.

It was announced that Starke joined Paderborn 07 on 6 January 2006, signing a two–year contract, with Bayer Leverkusen including a buyback clause.

Starke made his Paderborn 07 debut, playing the whole game, in a 1–1 draw against SpVgg Unterhaching on 20 January 2006.

He then helped the side keeping four clean sheets in the next four matches.

Stark quickly became the first choice goalkeeper for the side and made an impression.

He was booked once for giving away a penalty during a match against Alemannia Aachen on 21 April 2006, in which he failed to save a penalty despite winning 3–1.

Starke started the 2006–07 season well when he kept a clean sheet in the first two league matches against Eintracht Braunschweig and FC Augsburg.

Starke continued to be a first choice goalkeeper for the side for most of the 2006–07 season.

Since the start of the season, Starke started in every match as a first choice goalkeeper until he suffered a knee injury that saw him missing three matches.

He later regained his first choice goalkeeper role for the rest of the 2006–07 season.

In that season, Starke made thirty-two appearances in all competitions.

Starke returned on 11 March 2007 to the starting line–up and played the whole game in a 3–2 win against Rot-Weiss Essen.

It was announced on 1 June 2007 that Starke joined MSV Duisburg.

Starke made his MSV Duisburg debut, in a 4–0 win against SV Babelsberg 03 in the first round of the DFB-Pokal.

Seven days later on 12 August 2007, he made his league debut for the club, in a 3–1 win against Borussia Dortmund in the opening game of the season.

Starke quickly became first choice goalkeeper.

In the next two matches against 1.

FC Nürnberg and FC Bayern Munich he kept two clean sheets.

Starke started in every match since the beginning of the 2007–08 season until he suffered a foot injury that kept him out for a month.

On 23 February 2008, Starke returned to the starting line–up and helped the side keep a clean sheet, in a 2–0 win against Arminia Bielefeld.

Since returning from injury, he regained his place as the club's first choice goalkeeper for the rest of the season.