He held in the national league, but there was this very special year in the district class.
Buch / Markt Schwaben - Florian Leininger is a goalkeeper.
One with passion.
Someone who has a knack for teams.
One who celebrated many successes and also experienced the dark side of football.
The 35-year-old, now the player-coach at the district classists SV Buch, is someone who has gained a lot of experience for his career as a cross-border commuter.
Leininger originally comes from Oberneuching, played and learned in the offspring of SE Freising, in the U19 even in the Bavarian League.
After two years of apprenticeship at FC Moosinning (district league) and FC SF Eitting (district league), he became a regular goalkeeper at Sportfreunde in the 2011/12 district league season.
The brief appearance in the national league at VfB Hallbergmoos then “didn't work”, as he says, so that the goalkeeper finally moved to league rivals FC Falke Markt Schwaben prematurely.
In the Ebersberg district, Leininger felt right at home right away: “It was nice from the people and teammates.” However, the sporty aspect was another aspect.
“The problem was the many departures in the previous season, so that the team was ultimately not suitable for the national league.
There were many youth players who were still missing a little something. "
What he will remember forever and which also helped him in his further career as a player and coach was the type of training.
Darius Kampa was the trainer for the goalkeepers in Markt Schwaben.
“Getting the basics freshened up by an experienced ex-professional was awesome.
Especially in amateur sports, where mistakes creep in over time.
You can't get such a good guy in this area, "enthuses Leininger, then 27, still today about the units with the ex-Bundesliga goalkeeper who once kept the box clean at Borussia Mönchengladbach and 1. FC Nürnberg:" That was my personal highlight of the year, and I drank it for a long time. "
But Falke trainer Vitomir Moskovic also impressed him at the time: “It was amazing how meticulously he prepared for the games.
He knew all the strengths and weaknesses of the other teams, analyzed them down to the smallest detail and actually always prepared us as a team in an outstanding manner. "
But: “We just couldn't do it as a team,” says Leininger with a laugh.
The result was the market Swabian farewell from the regional league with just 18 points.
It was also Leininger's farewell from the Ebersberg district, back across the border.
He went back to Eitting.
It is important for the 35-year-old to emphasize that the descent of the falcons was not at all the reason for his departure.
“I had completed my training and had my own sweeping district in Wartenberg.” The master chimney sweeper faced a labor-intensive task with which the constant commuting to Markt Schwaben was no longer compatible.
Leininger built up a professional existence and therefore moved.
“That's why I canceled there for the district league.” In retrospect, it was a good decision from a purely sporting point of view.
In the end, FC Falke also had to withdraw from the district league and start over at the district level.
Of course, Leininger is still following the ex-club on the sidelines, but there is no longer any direct contact, “except through various social media channels”, such as with ex-teammates Alex “Moro” Mrowczynski (now with the regional division SC Kirchasch) or the Hödl brothers.
After moving to the north of the district of Erdingen, the goalkeeper, nicknamed "Leines", indulged his sporting passion at the nearby FC Eitting, which he supported with his parades in advancing from the district to the district league.
After two years it went to FC Lengdorf, which he also heaved up, but in a new role.
"All the climbs were nice," emphasizes Leininger, but the one with the FCL was "gigantic".
It was just his first position as a player-coach.
From the district class it went straight up to the district league in 2016/17.
Undefeated, with 18 wins and eight draws.
“There is nothing better than a novice when you have such success right away.
We only conceded 15 goals all season. "
This was followed by a year without responsibility as a coach - as the second goalkeeper for Bayern league club FC Ismaning, and after relegation with FC Lengdorf.
“I actually just wanted to keep fit there,” admits Leininger, “but I was gone every weekend”.
The burden was too great, both professionally and in the family, because he is now also challenged as a father.
Three children, two boys and a girl, keep him busy.
Florian Leininger didn't want to stop playing football.
In 2019 he switched to the district classists SV Buch as a player-coach.
“I didn't retrain there, I'm still a goalkeeper and not a striker,” he says with a laugh.
"I feel good here." The club management is great, but the squad is too thin.
“With 15 men you can't make big jumps.
And when top performers are injured, it becomes difficult. "
The many passionate derbies fascinate him: “There weren't many at Falke in the regional league, but there were in Erding.
Everyone here knows everyone, regardless of whether it is a district league, district or A-class.
The boys sometimes play against each other for 15 years. "
Florian Leininger was also lucky in his career.
He was largely spared from injuries: “Apart from three broken metacarpals, nothing worse.” He draws on his eventful years through all classes and circles, knows about the highs and also the lows.
Descents like the one with the falcon "are not nice, but they are also part of it".
With the SV book he fights to stay in the district class (7th / 27th points).
He is happy to pass on his experience from seven clubs and as a cross-border commuter.
Our series: Cross-border commuters
Different circles, different customs - or maybe not?
The district of Erding belongs to the BFV district of Donau / Isar, Ebersberg mainly to the BFV district of Munich.
In a loose sequence, we present active and alumni who have kicked on both sides.