Kazimierz Górski

Kazimierz Klaudiusz Górski (March 2 1921 – May 23 2006) was a legendary coach of Poland national football team and honorary president of Polish Football Union (Polski Związek Piłki Nożnej, PZPN). He was also a football player, capped once for Poland.

Footballer: forward

He was born in Lwów, now Ukraine. He played as a forward in several Polish football teams: RKS Lwów, Spartak Lwów, Dynamo Lwów, Legia Warszawa. Football nickname: "Sarenka" ("Roe-deer"). His glorious career was broken by World War II. In 1948 he participated in his only international match Poland-Denmark (0-8).

Team coach in Poland

He graduated in football training from Higher School of Physical Education in Kraków (Wyższa Szkoła Wychowania Fizycznego, today Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego w Krakowie) and Physical Education Academy in Wrocław (Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego we Wrocławiu) in 1980. He was the coach of Legia Warszawa (3 times), Marymont Warszawa (first independent training job started in 1954), Gwardia Warszawa, Lublinianka Lublin, ŁKS Łódź.

Polish national team coach 1970-1976

He started as a coach of Polish national junior team from 1956 to 1966, Polish U-23 national team from 1966 to 1970, and finally the first Poland national football team from 1970 to 1976. His first international match was held on 5 May, 1971 in Lausanne with Switzerland. His major successes were winning gold medal in the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich; bronze medal for 3rd place in the 1974 World Cup held in Germany; and another silver medal for 2nd place in the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal. Kazimierz Górski was the coach for the Polish national team in 73 matches (with 45 wins).

Team coach in Greece

After resigning his position in Polish national team, he went to Greece and was a successful coach of Panathinaikos Athens, Kastoria FC Olympiakos Piraeus and Ethnikos Piraeus.

PZPN activist

Since 1976 Kazimierz Górski is the honorary member of Polish Football Union (Polski Związek Piłki Nożnej, PZPN).

When he finished his coaching career he became an activist of PZPN in 1986. Since 1987 he was a vice-president and in 1991–1995 the president of PZPN. Since July 3 1995 he was the honorary president of PZPN.

He died from cancer following a long illness on May 232006, aged 85, in Warsaw.

Awards

* Order of Merit in Ruby - UEFA award (after his death)
* Gold Medal of Merit - FIFA award
* Commander's Cross of Polonia Restituta
* Commander's with Star of Polonia Restituta
* Grand Cross of Polonia Restituta

The famous quotes

* "A game can be won, lost, or drawn"
* "The ball is round and there are two goals"
* "Football is a simple game. One team just needs to score more goals than the other"
* "If football was ruled by money, the UAE would win the World Cup"