ian ▁Cro at ▁parents ▁in ▁Heil br onn , ▁Baden - W ür ttemberg ▁and ▁started ▁his ▁first - team ▁career ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁at ▁amateur ▁side ▁Sp V gg ▁ 0 7 ▁Ludwig s burg ▁from ▁the ▁nearby ▁Ludwig s burg ▁in ▁then ▁third - div ision ▁Ober liga ▁Baden - W ür ttemberg . ▁He ▁spent ▁two ▁seasons ▁with ▁the ▁third - div ision ▁side , ▁making ▁ 6 0 ▁league ▁appearances ▁in ▁which ▁he ▁scored ▁ 1 4 ▁goals . ▁In ▁July ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁he ▁signed ▁his ▁first ▁professional ▁contract ▁with ▁then ▁Bundes liga ▁side ▁Kar ls ru her ▁SC , ▁but ▁never ▁managed ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁regular ▁at ▁the ▁club , ▁making ▁only ▁four ▁Bundes liga ▁appearances ▁as ▁a ▁second - half ▁substitute ▁throughout ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 4 – 9 5 ▁season ▁of ▁the ▁league . ▁He ▁made ▁his ▁Bundes liga ▁debut ▁on ▁ 7 ▁October ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁in ▁K SC ' s ▁ 1 – 0 ▁defeat ▁away ▁against ▁E int racht ▁Frankfurt , ▁playing ▁as ▁a ▁substitute ▁in ▁the ▁last ▁five ▁minutes ▁of ▁the ▁match . ▁After ▁this ▁un success ful ▁season ▁with ▁K SC , ▁he ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁move ▁to ▁then ▁ 2 . ▁Bundes liga ▁side ▁S G ▁W att ens che id ▁ 0 9 ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 5 – 9 6 ▁season . ▁He ▁made ▁ 3 1 ▁appearances ▁and ▁scored ▁seven ▁goals ▁for ▁the ▁club ▁in