 |
Janusz Marek WojcikPolish footballer, coach and politician
Date of Birth: 18.11.1953
Country:  Poland |
Content:
- Janusz Wójcik: Legendary Polish Footballer, Coach, and Politician
- Coaching Career
- Olympic Success and Poland National Team Coach
- Controversy and Coaching Poland
- Later Coaching Career and Return to Poland
- Political Career
- Legal Troubles
- Personal Life
- Death and Legacy
Janusz Wójcik: Legendary Polish Footballer, Coach, and Politician
Early Life and Football CareerJanusz Wójcik was born in Warsaw, Poland on March 11, 1953. As a footballer, he played for several clubs in the Polish capital, including "Gwardia" (1970-1974), "Urus" (1974), and "Hutnik Warszawa" (1975-1976). Wójcik also had stints abroad with Pakistan's "Rawalpindi" (1976-1977) and Canada's "Toronto Falcons" (1979-1980).
Coaching Career
In 1979, Wójcik obtained a coaching license from the Academy of Physical Education in Warsaw. He started his coaching career at "Hutnik" while still playing for the club. Subsequent coaching roles included assistant coach of the Poland U-16 national team and head coach of "Pogoń Grodzisk Mazowiecki," "Huragan Wołomin," the Poland U-21 national team, "Hutnik Kraków," and "Jagiellonia Białystok." In 1987, he led "Jagiellonia" to promotion to the top flight but resigned after a poor start to the following season.
Olympic Success and Poland National Team Coach
Wójcik became coach of the Poland U-18 national team and, from February 1989, the Poland U-23 and Olympic teams. He guided the Olympic team to the 1992 Summer Games in Barcelona, where they won the silver medal. This success made Wójcik a top candidate to replace Andrzej Strejlau as coach of the Poland national team. However, he instead became coach of "Legia Warsaw."
Controversy and Coaching Poland
In his first season with "Legia," Wójcik won the league title. However, after an investigation, the Polish Football Association deducted points from the club for match-fixing, awarding the title to "Lech Poznań." Wójcik remained with "Legia" until the winter break of the 1993/94 season before moving to the UAE, where he coached youth teams and clubs "Haur Fakkan" and "Al-Khaleej." In July 1997, he was appointed coach of the Poland national team. He led the team for two years, stepping down after failing to qualify for the 2000 European Championship.
Later Coaching Career and Return to Poland
After leaving the national team, Wójcik managed "Pogoń Szczecin," "Śląsk Wrocław," Cyprus' "Anorthosis Famagusta," and the Syria national team. He returned to Poland in 2004 as coach of "Świt Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki." From 2004 to 2007, he was a member of the Polish Football Association's Coaching Development Department. He subsequently coached "Znicz Pruszków," "Widzew Łódź" (briefly in 2008), and "Al-Nahda Oman" (in 2010).
Political Career
Wójcik was a member of the communist Polish United Workers' Party. After the fall of communism, he became an advisor to the Chief of the Office for Physical Culture and Sport, Jacek Dębski. He later joined the left-wing Democratic Left Alliance (SLD), serving in the party's sports consultative group. In 2005, Wójcik was elected to the Parliament (Sejm) on the ticket of the Self-Defense of the Republic of Poland. He served as chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Physical Culture and Sport.
Legal Troubles
Wójcik was arrested for drunk driving in January 2006 and subsequently sentenced to a fine and driving ban. In October 2008, he was charged with corruption related to match-fixing during his time as coach of "Świt" in 2004. He spent time in detention and was later sentenced to a four-year coaching ban by the Polish Football Association. In 2014, he was found guilty of corruption offenses and sentenced to two years in prison with a suspended sentence.
Personal Life
Wójcik was married to Krystyna and had a son, Andrzej. He was a keen golfer and published an autobiography in two parts, "Wojtek. Pójdziemy z przegranymi! Całe moje życie" (2014) and "Wojtek. Jak goliłem frajerów. O piłce, kasie i kobietach" (2016).
Death and Legacy
Janusz Wójcik passed away in Warsaw on November 20, 2017. He is remembered as a talented footballer and coach who made a significant contribution to Polish football. His exploits with the Poland Olympic team and his time as national team coach remain highlights of his career.
