Jerzy Engel Explained

Jerzy Engel
Fullname:Władysław Jerzy Engel
Birth Date:1952 10, df=y
Birth Place:Włocławek, Poland
Position:Striker
Youthyears1:1966–1969
Youthclubs1:Junak Włocławek
Years1:1969–1971
Clubs1:Kujawiak Włocławek
Years2:1971–1973
Clubs2:AZS-AWF Warsaw
Years3:1973–1974
Clubs3:Polonia Warsaw
Manageryears1:1975–1976
Managerclubs1:Polonia Warsaw II
Manageryears2:1976–1977
Managerclubs2:Hutnik Warszawa
Manageryears3:1977–1978
Managerclubs3:RKS Błonie
Manageryears4:1978
Managerclubs4:Polonia Warsaw
Manageryears5:1979–1981
Managerclubs5:Polonia Bydgoszcz
Manageryears6:1982–1984
Managerclubs6:Hutnik Warszawa
Manageryears7:1985–1987
Managerclubs7:Legia Warsaw
Manageryears8:1988–1990
Managerclubs8:Apollon Limassol
Manageryears9:1990–1991
Managerclubs9:APOP Paphos
Manageryears10:1991–1995
Managerclubs10:Nea Salamis
Manageryears11:1996
Managerclubs11:Nea Salamis
Manageryears12:1997
Managerclubs12:Aris Limassol
Manageryears13:1997–1999
Managerclubs13:Polonia Warsaw
Manageryears14:2000–2002
Managerclubs14:Poland
Manageryears15:2005
Managerclubs15:Wisła Kraków
Manageryears16:2005–2006
Managerclubs16:APOEL

Władysław Jerzy Engel (pronounced as /pl/; born 6 October 1952) is a Polish former footballer and coach.

Biography

[1]

Playing career

Engel began his career in football at an early age playing at local youth club Junak Wloclawek, before being promoted to local senior team Kujawiak Włocławek which allow him to move to the likes of Polonia Warsaw and several other clubs.

Engel, nicknamed "Jurek", began playing in midfield or attack before, at the age of 22, being cruelly forced to cut his career short because of injury.

Coaching and managerial career

First spell in club football

With spirits dampened only slightly, he immediately turned to coaching and took over at Polonia Warsaw reserves in the 1975/1976 season.

After a spell with third division teams, he came to the fore once more with his involvement in Poland's third-place finish in the 1982 FIFA World Cup Spain, helping then national coach, Antoni Piechniczek, choose the ideal squad.

In 1985 Jurek took over at Legia Warsaw, leading them to two second-place finishes in the Polish Championship in three seasons. Just as he was becoming well known he made the strange decision to move to Apollon Limassol, in Cyprus, an island he stayed on for seven years.

He later returned to Legia before taking Polonia Warsaw to runners-up spot in 1998–99.

National team spell

He became manager of the Poland national team in 1999 and after failing to achieve qualification for the UEFA Euro 2000, was instrumental in securing Emmanuel Olisadebe's naturalisation as a Polish national.

With the side lacking firepower when he took charge, Engel saw the qualities in Nigerian-born Olisadebe who was already playing his league football in Poland. He asked the president to speed Olisadebe's papers through and as a result, had a talented forward available for World Cup qualifying. Olisadebe rewarded his coach with eight goals in ten qualifying matches.

Engel steered Poland to their first World Cup finals tournament since 1986, when he oversaw their participation at the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan.[2]

The World Cup did not go well and Poland were eliminated in the first round. The opening two games provided two resounding defeats, losing to South Korea and Portugal. After being knocked out of the tournament and now without any pressure to perform, Poland beat the United States in their final group game for a famous victory.

Second spell in club football

His most recent vocation was at Wisła Kraków where he was trainer until late-October 2005 and he has also been sports director of Legia Warsaw. In December 2005, he moved back in Cyprus and headed the coaching team of APOEL. He led the team into the third place of the Cypriot Championship, just two points from the top, and won the Cypriot Cup as well.

Directorial career

On 25 June 2015 "Polonia Warsaw Co." under the leadership of Jerzy Engel took over the senior team from the MKS Polonia Warsaw Academy, which helped to reinstate Polonia Warsaw back from nonexistence, to the bottom-half of the 4th tier (third league) of professional football in Poland. Under "Engel's Co." the club returned to the emblem, and the sponsor from the Polish Title winning season (1999/2000).

Honours

Manager

Polonia Warszawa

APOEL

2005–06

Individual

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Jerzy Engel - Oficjalna Strona WWW . 2010-02-14 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100204064916/http://www.jerzyengel.pl/cv . 4 February 2010 . dmy-all .
  2. Web site: BBC SPORT | WORLD CUP | Poland | Engel blames his players.
  3. Web site: Laureaci . pilkanozna.pl . 21 June 2024 . pl.