Stefan Kovacs
Encyclopedia
Ştefan Covaci was a Romania
n football player and coach. By winning 15 major titles he is one of the most successful association football coaches in the history of the game. Kovács will be foremost remembered for his outstanding successes with Ajax Amsterdam in the early 1970s.
, Romania of Hungarian ethnicity, Kovács was an average midfielder, although having both individual technique and tactical intuition. He was never selected to play for Romania
unlike his older brother Nicolae Covaci, who was one of the five players who participated at all three World Cups
before the Second World War.
Kovács had his first major coaching successes at the helm of Steaua Bucureşti, where he won between 1967 and 1971 once the championship and three times the cup of Romania.
After this he succeeded Rinus Michels
as the head of Ajax
in 1971, continuing and expanding on his "total football
" philosophy. With Ajax he achieved in 1972 and 1973, two consecutive European Champions Cup
s. In 1972 he even won the Intercontinental Cup
and also the first edition of European Supercup (1973). Further to that he led Ajax to the double of cup and championship in 1972 and another national championship in 1973.
After he left Ajax in 1973, he was called up by the French football federation to take the reins of the national side
. In this position he raised the young generations of French talents. Journalists of France Football
asked him when he arrived how long it would take to make the France team a great team, he replied visionary with structures in eight years, ten years, we can make a good national team. Michel Hidalgo, his deputy and successor, took advantage of this work and continued to lead the team of France to its victory at Euro 84.
After this episode he returned to Romania becoming its national team coach. Later he had further successes with Panathinaikos
and AS Monaco.
He died on 12 May 1995, twelve days before Ajax would win their fourth European Cup.
Ajax:
Panathinaikos
:
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n football player and coach. By winning 15 major titles he is one of the most successful association football coaches in the history of the game. Kovács will be foremost remembered for his outstanding successes with Ajax Amsterdam in the early 1970s.
Career
Born in TimişoaraTimisoara
Timișoara is the capital city of Timiș County, in western Romania. One of the largest Romanian cities, with an estimated population of 311,586 inhabitants , and considered the informal capital city of the historical region of Banat, Timișoara is the main social, economic and cultural center in the...
, Romania of Hungarian ethnicity, Kovács was an average midfielder, although having both individual technique and tactical intuition. He was never selected to play for Romania
Romania national football team
The Romania national football team is the national football team of Romania and is controlled by the Romanian Football Federation.Romania is one of only four national teams, the other three being Brazil, France, and Belgium, that took part in the first three World Cups.However, after that...
unlike his older brother Nicolae Covaci, who was one of the five players who participated at all three World Cups
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
before the Second World War.
Kovács had his first major coaching successes at the helm of Steaua Bucureşti, where he won between 1967 and 1971 once the championship and three times the cup of Romania.
After this he succeeded Rinus Michels
Rinus Michels
Marinus Jacobus Hendricus Michels OON was a Dutch association football player and coach...
as the head of Ajax
Ajax Amsterdam
Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax , also referred to as AFC Ajax, Ajax Amsterdam or simply Ajax , is a professional football club from Amsterdam, Netherlands...
in 1971, continuing and expanding on his "total football
Total Football
"Total Football" is the label given to an influential tactical theory of association football in which any outfield player can take over the role of any other player in a team. It was pioneered by Dutch football club Ajax from 1969 to 1973, and further used by the Netherlands National Football...
" philosophy. With Ajax he achieved in 1972 and 1973, two consecutive European Champions Cup
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
s. In 1972 he even won the Intercontinental Cup
Intercontinental Cup (football)
The European/South American Cup, commonly referred to as the World Club Championship, Intercontinental Cup or Toyota Cup, was a football competition endorsed by UEFA and CONMEBOL, contested between the winners of the European Cup and the South American Copa Libertadores...
and also the first edition of European Supercup (1973). Further to that he led Ajax to the double of cup and championship in 1972 and another national championship in 1973.
After he left Ajax in 1973, he was called up by the French football federation to take the reins of the national side
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
. In this position he raised the young generations of French talents. Journalists of France Football
France Football
France Football is a French bi-weekly magazine containing football news from all over the world. It's one of the most reputable sports publications in Europe, mostly because of their photographic reports and accurate statistics of the big European Cup matches, and extensive coverage of the European...
asked him when he arrived how long it would take to make the France team a great team, he replied visionary with structures in eight years, ten years, we can make a good national team. Michel Hidalgo, his deputy and successor, took advantage of this work and continued to lead the team of France to its victory at Euro 84.
After this episode he returned to Romania becoming its national team coach. Later he had further successes with Panathinaikos
Panathinaikos FC
Panathinaikos Football Club is a Greek professional football club based in Athens. Founded in 1908, they play in the Super League Greece and are one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Greek football history. They have won 20 Greek Championships and 17 Greek Cups.Panathinaikos is the most...
and AS Monaco.
He died on 12 May 1995, twelve days before Ajax would win their fourth European Cup.
Managerial honours
Steaua Bucureşti:-
- Romanian LeagueLiga ILiga I, or in full, due to sponsorship reasons, Liga I Bergenbier, is the top division of the Romanian football league system. Before the 2006/2007 season, it was called Divizia A, but the name had to be changed following the discovery that someone else had registered the trademark "Divizia A"...
: 1967–68 - Romanian CupRomanian CupThe Cupa României is a football competition which was held annually since 1933-34, except during the World War II. It is the country's main cup competition, and it is open to all clubs affiliated with FRF and the county football associations regardless of the league they belong to...
: 1968–69, 1969–70, 1970–71
- Romanian League
Ajax:
-
- Dutch LeagueEredivisieThe Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
: 1971–72, 1972–73 - Dutch CupKNVB CupThe KNVB Cup is a competition in the Netherlands organized by the Royal Dutch Football Association since 1899. It was based on the format of the English FA Cup. Outside of the Netherlands, it is often referred to as the Dutch Cup...
: 1971–72 - European Cup: 1971–72, 1972–73
- European Super CupEuropean Super CupThe UEFA Super Cup is an annual football game between the reigning champions of the two cup competitions organized by UEFA: the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League...
: 1972 - Intercontinental CupIntercontinental Cup (football)The European/South American Cup, commonly referred to as the World Club Championship, Intercontinental Cup or Toyota Cup, was a football competition endorsed by UEFA and CONMEBOL, contested between the winners of the European Cup and the South American Copa Libertadores...
: 1972
- Dutch League
Panathinaikos
Panathinaikos FC
Panathinaikos Football Club is a Greek professional football club based in Athens. Founded in 1908, they play in the Super League Greece and are one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Greek football history. They have won 20 Greek Championships and 17 Greek Cups.Panathinaikos is the most...
:
-
- Greek Cup: 1981–82
External links
- French Football Federation Profile
- Stefan Kovacs at WeAreFootball