Eddie Wolecki | |
Fullname: | Edward Wolecki Black |
Birth Date: | 1965 3, df=y |
Birth Place: | Dundee, Scotland |
Position: | Forward |
Years1: | 1986–1990 |
Years2: | 1991–1992 |
Years3: | 1992–1993 |
Years4: | 1993–1994 |
Years5: | 1994 |
Clubs1: | Dundee St Joseph's |
Clubs2: | Montrose[1] |
Clubs3: | Deveronvale |
Clubs4: | Montrose |
Clubs5: | Deveronvale |
Caps2: | 16 |
Goals2: | 1 |
Caps4: | 15 |
Goals4: | 3 |
Manageryears1: | 2005 |
Managerclubs1: | Lochee United |
Manageryears2: | 2005–2006 |
Managerclubs2: | Montrose |
Manageryears3: | 2011–2015 |
Managerclubs3: | Glasgow City |
Manageryears4: | 2015 |
Managerclubs4: | Edusport Academy |
Manageryears5: | 2015–2016 |
Managerclubs5: | Airdrieonians |
Manageryears6: | 2017–2018 |
Managerclubs6: | Motherwell Ladies |
Manageryears7: | 2018–2019 |
Managerclubs7: | Celtic Women |
Managerclubs8: | Motherwell Women |
Manageryears8: | 2020–2021 |
Managerclubs9: | Tayport |
Manageryears9: | 2021–2022 |
Managerclubs10: | Forfar West End |
Manageryears10: | 2023–2023 |
Managerclubs11: | Lossiemouth |
Manageryears11: | 2024– |
Edward Wolecki Black (born 13 March 1965)[2] is a Scottish football player and manager. He was director of football at West of Scotland Football League club Gartcairn Juniors and has also previously managed Forfar West End, Lochee United, Montrose, Edusport Academy and Airdrieonians in men's football, and women's teams Glasgow City, Motherwell and Celtic.
Wolecki was a player in the lower leagues of Scottish football, before becoming a coach at Dundee United under the management of both Jim McLean and Tommy McLean.[3]
After coaching stints with Brechin City and Arbroath, Wolecki became manager of Lochee United.[3] Wolecki guided Lochee to the east super league title and theScottish Junior Cup Final in 2005,[4] which they lost to Tayport.
He was appointed manager of Montrose in December 2005,[5] but David Robertson was then brought in as co-manager in June 2006.[6] Wolecki was unhappy with this arrangement and left the club in September 2006 after agreeing a settlement with the club.[7]
Wolecki joined women's club Glasgow City as coach for the start of the 2007–08 season.[8] He was later appointed to a full-time position with Glasgow City, becoming the first salaried coach of a women's football team in Scotland. Wolecki took sole charge of football affairs at City at the start of the 2011 season, when former manager Peter Caulfield refused an upstairs role. Caulfield subsequently joined rivals Celtic.[9]
Wolecki left Glasgow City in July 2015, having guided the team to eight consecutive league championships and on the brink of a ninth title.[8] After a brief spell at Edusport Academy, he joined Airdrieonians as the Youth Academy Director of Coaching in September 2015. After Gary Bollan left the club in December 2015, Wolecki was appointed head coach of Airdrieonians.[10] He suffered a stroke in March 2016, having fallen ill during a match between Airdrie and Cowdenbeath.[11] Danny Lennon was appointed acting head coach at Airdrieonians until the end of the 2015–16 season.[12]
For the 2016–17 season, Kevin McBride was promoted to first team coach with Wolecki Black making a "staged return to work".[13] However, in October 2016 both Wolecki Black and McBride left the Excelsior Stadium, with the Airdrie board looking to progress with a "more formal structured footing".[14] During November 2016 it was announced in the press that Wolecki Black would be suing former club Airdrie for loss of income.[15]
Wolecki Black returned to management in November 2017 when he was appointed manager of Motherwell Ladies.[16] [17] He moved to a similar position with Celtic Women in July 2018.[18] After just one season at Celtic, Wolecki Black then made a return to Motherwell ahead of the 2020 season.[19] He left again in March 2021, to concentrate on a degree course,[20] but within days was appointed as director of football at West of Scotland League club Gartcairn Juniors, with performance responsibility for their men's, women's, youth and academy teams.[21]
In May 2024 Wolecki Black took over as manager of Lossiemouth F.C., marking a return to the Highland League after being a player in this league during the 1990s at Deveronvale F.C. and Huntly F.C..[22]
Wolecki Black is married to former Scotland international defender Emma Fernon. They met when she was a player under him at Glasgow City.[23]