Robert Warzycha
Encyclopedia
Robert Warzycha (ˈrɔbɛrt vaˈʐɨxa) (born August 20, 1963 in Siemkowice
) is a Polish
former professional association football player. He is currently the head coach
of Columbus Crew
in Major League Soccer
.
Warzycha had a long career in Europe, playing for teams in Poland, Hungary and England with Everton
in the Premier League. He won two Polish Ekstraklasa titles and a Polish SuperCup
with Górnik Zabrze
.
He moved to the United States in 1996 and subsequently spent seven seasons in Major League Soccer
with Columbus Crew
. Warzycha was also a regular member of the Poland national football team
throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, amassing 47 caps.
ex-player Gordon Watson
rated him as: "among the most talented wide-men to have played for us in the post-war years". He came to Everton for £500,000 in March 1991 from Polish club Górnik Zabrze
. He spent four years (1991–94) with Everton and also played in his native Poland and Hungary
.
He was one of only 13 foreign players to play on the opening weekend of the FA Premier League
along with Jan Stejskal
, Peter Schmeichel
, Andrei Kanchelskis
, Roland Nilsson
, Eric Cantona
, Hans Segers
, John Jensen
, Anders Limpar
, Gunnar Halle
, Craig Forrest
, Michel Vonk
and Ronnie Rosenthal.
After joining Columbus Crew
for the Major League Soccer
's inaugural year, Warzycha became a staple in the lineup for five seasons, and then a bit player in his final two, as he battled injuries. He retired as the Crew's all-time assist leader with 61 and also scored 19 goals in MLS league play. During his playing days in Columbus, Warzycha was known as "The Polish Rifle," in part because of his accuracy from free kicks. On March 25, 2000 Warzycha scored the first-ever regular-season "Golden Goal" in Major League Soccer
history to defeat the San Jose Earthquakes
2-1.
, Warzycha was capped 47 times, scoring seven goals between 1987 and 1993.
was fired in July 2005, Warzycha assumed interim head coaching duty. He went back to assisting after Sigi Schmid
was hired for the full-time job.
After spending several years as Schmid's assistant, Warzycha was promoted to the head coach position at Columbus Crew
for the 2009 MLS season, in which he coached the team to the Supporter Shield, awarded for the most points during the regular season. Warzycha signed a multi-year contract extension with Columbus on September 1, 2011.
Siemkowice
Siemkowice is a village in Pajęczno County, Łódź Voivodeship, in central Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Siemkowice. It lies approximately north-west of Pajęczno and south-west of the regional capital Łódź....
) is a Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
former professional association football player. He is currently the head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
of Columbus Crew
Columbus Crew
The Columbus Crew is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
in Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
.
Warzycha had a long career in Europe, playing for teams in Poland, Hungary and England with Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
in the Premier League. He won two Polish Ekstraklasa titles and a Polish SuperCup
Polish SuperCup
The Polish SuperCup in football is an annually held match between the champion of the Ekstraklasa and the Polish Cup winner. To this date the Polish SuperCup has been played out 21 times with the Polish Cup winner taking the trophy 13 times, while the Ekstraklasa champions had won the trophy 8 times...
with Górnik Zabrze
Górnik Zabrze
Górnik Zabrze is a Polish football club from Zabrze. The club has won numerous championships, and was a dominant force in the 1960s and 1980s. For now Górnik has the most titles in Poland. The club plays in white or dark blue - red kit, and is based at the Ernest Pohl Stadium...
.
He moved to the United States in 1996 and subsequently spent seven seasons in Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
with Columbus Crew
Columbus Crew
The Columbus Crew is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
. Warzycha was also a regular member of the Poland national football team
Poland national football team
The Poland national football team represents Poland in association football and is controlled by the Polish Football Association, the governing body for football in Poland...
throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, amassing 47 caps.
Club
Warzycha came to MLS in 1996 after a long career in Poland and England, where EvertonEverton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
ex-player Gordon Watson
Gordon Watson
Gordon William George Watson is a retired English football player whose career was almost ended when he suffered a double fracture in the right leg in a tackle with Huddersfield Town defender Kevin Gray on 1 February 1997....
rated him as: "among the most talented wide-men to have played for us in the post-war years". He came to Everton for £500,000 in March 1991 from Polish club Górnik Zabrze
Górnik Zabrze
Górnik Zabrze is a Polish football club from Zabrze. The club has won numerous championships, and was a dominant force in the 1960s and 1980s. For now Górnik has the most titles in Poland. The club plays in white or dark blue - red kit, and is based at the Ernest Pohl Stadium...
. He spent four years (1991–94) with Everton and also played in his native Poland and Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
.
He was one of only 13 foreign players to play on the opening weekend of the FA Premier League
FA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
along with Jan Stejskal
Jan Stejskal
Jan Stejskal is a retired Czech football goalkeeper. He played for Czechoslovakia and later the Czech Republic, for both he played a total of 31 matches, participating in the 1990 FIFA World Cup....
, Peter Schmeichel
Peter Schmeichel
Peter Bolesław Schmeichel MBE is a retired Danish professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper, and was voted the "World's Best Goalkeeper" in 1992 and 1993...
, Andrei Kanchelskis
Andrei Kanchelskis
Andrei Antanasovich Kanchelskis is a Ukrainian-born Russian football manager and former association footballer who played as a right winger. Kanchelskis is the only player in history to have scored in each of the Glasgow, Merseyside and Manchester local derbies.Currently, he is managing FC...
, Roland Nilsson
Roland Nilsson
Roland Nilsson is a Swedish football manager and the current manager of FC Copenhagen. As a player, Nilsson played 116 games for Sweden, making him second only to Thomas Ravelli in international appearances for Sweden...
, Eric Cantona
Eric Cantona
Eric Daniel Pierre Cantona is a French actor and former French international footballer. He played for Auxerre, Martigues, Marseille, Bordeaux, Montpellier, Nîmes and Leeds United before ending his professional footballing career at Manchester United, where he won four Premier League titles in...
, Hans Segers
Hans Segers
Johannes Segers is a Dutch goalkeeper, who spent most of his playing career in England.-Career:Segers was born in Eindhoven, Noord-Brabant. His early career was with home-town club PSV Eindhoven, before being signed for Nottingham Forest by Brian Clough during the 1983-84 season...
, John Jensen
John Jensen
John Jensen , nicknamed Faxe, is a former Danish international footballer who is unemployed. He is known for his temper and is often outspoken in interviews. His playing career lasted over a decade, during which he played most famously for Arsenal F.C...
, Anders Limpar
Anders Limpar
Anders Erik Limpar is a Swedish former footballer of Hungarian origin, who played as a winger...
, Gunnar Halle
Gunnar Halle
Gunnar Halle is a Norwegian football manager and former player. A right back, he played for many years professionally in England and for the Norwegian national team...
, Craig Forrest
Craig Forrest
Craig Lorne Forrest is a Canadian soccer commentator and a former goalkeeper.-Club career:...
, Michel Vonk
Michel Vonk
Michel Vonk is a football coach and former player from The Netherlands, currently in charge as head coach of Eerste Divisie club Sparta Rotterdam.-Playing career:...
and Ronnie Rosenthal.
After joining Columbus Crew
Columbus Crew
The Columbus Crew is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
for the Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
's inaugural year, Warzycha became a staple in the lineup for five seasons, and then a bit player in his final two, as he battled injuries. He retired as the Crew's all-time assist leader with 61 and also scored 19 goals in MLS league play. During his playing days in Columbus, Warzycha was known as "The Polish Rifle," in part because of his accuracy from free kicks. On March 25, 2000 Warzycha scored the first-ever regular-season "Golden Goal" in Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
history to defeat the San Jose Earthquakes
San Jose Earthquakes
The San Jose Earthquakes professional soccer team is located in the San Jose, California, United States suburb of Santa Clara, and participates in Major League Soccer , the top level soccer league in the United States and Canada....
2-1.
International
For PolandPoland national football team
The Poland national football team represents Poland in association football and is controlled by the Polish Football Association, the governing body for football in Poland...
, Warzycha was capped 47 times, scoring seven goals between 1987 and 1993.
Coaching career
After retiring as a player, he became an assistant coach with the Crew. After Greg AndrulisGreg Andrulis
Greg Andrulis is an American soccer coach, currently the head coach at George Mason University....
was fired in July 2005, Warzycha assumed interim head coaching duty. He went back to assisting after Sigi Schmid
Sigi Schmid
Siegfried "Sigi" Schmid is a German-American soccer coach. Born in Tübingen, West Germany, he moved to the United States with his family when he was a child. He played college soccer from 1972 to 1975 at the University of California, Los Angeles , where he was a starting midfielder in each...
was hired for the full-time job.
After spending several years as Schmid's assistant, Warzycha was promoted to the head coach position at Columbus Crew
Columbus Crew
The Columbus Crew is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
for the 2009 MLS season, in which he coached the team to the Supporter Shield, awarded for the most points during the regular season. Warzycha signed a multi-year contract extension with Columbus on September 1, 2011.