Pawel Janas
Encyclopedia
Paweł Janas (ˈpavɛw ˈjanas; born March 4, 1953 in Pabianice
) is a football manager and former footballer of Polish
nationality.
. Janas played at centre-back in all seven of Poland's games at the 1982 World Cup in Spain
where the team achieved an unexpected third place.
in 1988. He later ended his work at Legia Warszawa in 1990, and took up a post helping Władysław Stachurski
lead the Polish youth squad. He was assistant to Janusz Wójcik
at the 1992 Summer Olympics
in Barcelona
where Poland won the silver medal. In the same year he again became Wójcik's assistant, this time at Legia.
From 1994 to 1996, Janas was the head coach at Legia where he and his team won the Championship (1994, 1995), Polish Cup (1994, 1995), Polish Supercup (1994), as well as advanced to the quarter finals of the UEFA Champions' Cup
(1995–96 season).
From 1996 to 1999, Janas coached the Polish youth/Olympic squad, which advanced to the quarter finals of the European Championships. From 1999 he worked as the manager and vice-president of sport at Amica Wronki
until 2002.
On December 20, 2002, he officially took charge of the Polish national team. He was heavily criticized in the beginning of his national team spell, despite achieving good results. Nonetheless, under Janas the Poland team qualified for the 2006 World Cup
, finishing second in a qualifying group behind England
. They qualified as the best second placed team, scoring 27 goals in the qualifiers, 10 more than the group leaders England.
In the final tournament, Poland were drawn with Ecuador
, hosts Germany
and Costa Rica
. Their first game, against Ecuador in Gelsenkirchen
, ended in a disappointing 2–0 defeat, and Janas received criticism from the Polish press for his team selection and tactics, which involved leaving striker Maciej Zurawski
alone and unsupported up front. He played a 4–5–1 formation, which he said "safety first". Poland played well with 4–4–2 in the qualifers, which resulted in flowing football.
Poland played much better in their second game, against the Germans in Dortmund
, but again lost, this time 1–0 to a late goal by Oliver Neuville
, despite a magnificent performance by their goalkeeper Artur Boruc
. This meant that the third match, against Costa Rica
in Hamburg
, was meaningless; Poland won 2–1 with two goals by defender Bartosz Bosacki
. Janas was sacked from his post by the Polish FA after the tournament.
In 2008 he became manager of Ekstraklasa side GKS Bełchatów, leading them to a 5th place standing at the half-way point of the 2008–09 season but resigned during the winter break, citing lack of squad depth which would not allow the team to challenge for a higher position.
In January 2009, he accepted the managerial position at Widzew Łódź. In June, the club won the second division but was not allowed to advance by the PZPN. After winning the title again in 2010, Janas decided to leave the club in June.
In September, he became a manager at Polonia Warszawa
.
Pabianice
Pabianice is a town in central Poland with 69 648 inhabitants . Situated in the Łódź Voivodeship, it is the capital of Pabianice County...
) is a football manager and former footballer of 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...
nationality.
Club
He began his playing career for the Włókniarz Pabianice team in 1965, but later left the club in 1973.National team
From 1976 to 1984, he won 53 international caps 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...
. Janas played at centre-back in all seven of Poland's games at the 1982 World Cup in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
where the team achieved an unexpected third place.
Manager career
Janas' coaching career started as an assistant at Legia WarszawaLegia Warszawa
Legia Warszawa is a professional football club based in Warsaw, Poland. It was founded in March 1916 in the area of Maniewicze in Volhynia as the football club of the Polish Legions...
in 1988. He later ended his work at Legia Warszawa in 1990, and took up a post helping Władysław Stachurski
Władysław Stachurski
Władysław Stachurski is a retired Polish football player and manager.He played for Legia Warsaw. He capped eight times for Poland, scoring one goal....
lead the Polish youth squad. He was assistant to Janusz Wójcik
Janusz Wójcik
Janusz Marek Wójcik is a Polish politician and former football player and coach.-Playing Career:He played in several clubs at home and abroad, including Agrykola, Gwardia, Ursus and Hutnik Warszawa, Ravalpandi and the Toronto Falcons .-Coaching career:Wójcik also trained several Polish clubs like...
at the 1992 Summer Olympics
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
where Poland won the silver medal. In the same year he again became Wójcik's assistant, this time at Legia.
From 1994 to 1996, Janas was the head coach at Legia where he and his team won the Championship (1994, 1995), Polish Cup (1994, 1995), Polish Supercup (1994), as well as advanced to the quarter finals of the UEFA 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...
(1995–96 season).
From 1996 to 1999, Janas coached the Polish youth/Olympic squad, which advanced to the quarter finals of the European Championships. From 1999 he worked as the manager and vice-president of sport at Amica Wronki
Amica Wronki
Amica Wronki was a Polish football club based in Wronki, Poland.The history of SSA Amica Sport goes back to 1992 when the Amica company wanted to sponsor a football team in the town of Wronki where their factory was located. The company's increasing profits gave the new team tremendous financial...
until 2002.
On December 20, 2002, he officially took charge of the Polish national team. He was heavily criticized in the beginning of his national team spell, despite achieving good results. Nonetheless, under Janas the Poland team qualified for the 2006 World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
, finishing second in a qualifying group behind England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
. They qualified as the best second placed team, scoring 27 goals in the qualifiers, 10 more than the group leaders England.
In the final tournament, Poland were drawn with Ecuador
Ecuador national football team
The Ecuadorian national football team represents Ecuador in international football competitions and is controlled by the Ecuadorian Football Federation. They generally play official home matches at Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa in Quito, but often play friendlies in other stadiums around the country...
, hosts Germany
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
and Costa Rica
Costa Rica national football team
The Costa Rica national football team, nicknamed La Sele, is the national team of Costa Rica and is controlled by the Federación Costarricense de Fútbol. Costa Rica is the third most successful team in CONCACAF after Mexico and the United States...
. Their first game, against Ecuador in Gelsenkirchen
Gelsenkirchen
Gelsenkirchen is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the Ruhr area. Its population in 2006 was c. 267,000....
, ended in a disappointing 2–0 defeat, and Janas received criticism from the Polish press for his team selection and tactics, which involved leaving striker Maciej Zurawski
Maciej Zurawski
Maciej Żurawski is a Polish footballer. Żurawski has appeared 72 times and scored 17 goals for Poland. He has also scored 121 goals in Polish Ekstraklasa and has been the top league goalscorer twice.- Wisła Kraków :...
alone and unsupported up front. He played a 4–5–1 formation, which he said "safety first". Poland played well with 4–4–2 in the qualifers, which resulted in flowing football.
Poland played much better in their second game, against the Germans in Dortmund
Dortmund
Dortmund is a city in Germany. It is located in the Bundesland of North Rhine-Westphalia, in the Ruhr area. Its population of 585,045 makes it the 7th largest city in Germany and the 34th largest in the European Union....
, but again lost, this time 1–0 to a late goal by Oliver Neuville
Oliver Neuville
Oliver Patric Neuville is a retired German footballer who played as a striker.During an 18-year professional career, he played mainly for Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Mönchengladbach , amassing Bundesliga totals of 334 games and 91 goals.Neuville gained almost 70 caps for the German national...
, despite a magnificent performance by their goalkeeper Artur Boruc
Artur Boruc
Artur Boruc is a Polish footballer who plays for Serie A club Fiorentina as a goalkeeper. On 20 October 2008, Boruc was one of 55 players shortlisted for the FIFPro World XI Player Awards.-Pogoń Siedlce:...
. This meant that the third match, against Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, was meaningless; Poland won 2–1 with two goals by defender Bartosz Bosacki
Bartosz Bosacki
Bartosz Bosacki is a Polish footballer who plays as a defender.-International:On 22 May 2006, Paweł Janas called up Bosacki for the 2006 World Cup as a replacement for Damian Gorawski, after the latter failed medical tests upon being diagnosed with severe asthma...
. Janas was sacked from his post by the Polish FA after the tournament.
In 2008 he became manager of Ekstraklasa side GKS Bełchatów, leading them to a 5th place standing at the half-way point of the 2008–09 season but resigned during the winter break, citing lack of squad depth which would not allow the team to challenge for a higher position.
In January 2009, he accepted the managerial position at Widzew Łódź. In June, the club won the second division but was not allowed to advance by the PZPN. After winning the title again in 2010, Janas decided to leave the club in June.
In September, he became a manager at Polonia Warszawa
Polonia Warszawa
Polonia Warsaw is a Polish sports club with football and basketball teams, founded in 1911, and is the oldest such club in Warsaw, where it is based.- History :...
.