Józef Wandzik
Encyclopedia
Józef Wandzik is a former Polish
association football player, in the goalkeeper position. He was born in Tarnowskie Góry
.
He started his international career in the Polish under-18 team with which he reached the finals of the 1981 World Cup. He then went to achieve 3rd place at the Under-20 World Cup with Poland. He moved to the first national team in December 1985 and was the number one pick for the next decade. He won 52 caps for the Poland national football team
, the first coming on 9/12/1985 against Tunisia
, and the last on 25/4/1995 against Israel
. He has set the record for the Polish National team for no lost goals in 23 games, beating the record set by the legendary Jan Tomaszewski
. Despite his prowess, he only represented Poland at one major tournament, the 1986 FIFA World Cup
where he was third-choice behind Jozef Mlynarczyk
and Jacek Kazimierski
, and was unable to lead Poland to another tournament since.
Wandzik began his career at Rodlo Gorniki before moving to Ruch Chorzów
. After a couple of years playing there he transferred to rival club Górnik Zabrze
. With Gornik Zabrze he went on to win the Polish League in 1985-1988 and came third in 1989. His reliability earned him a transfer to Greek
club Panathinaikos FC
in the summer of 1990. With Panathinaikos he achieved much success reaching the semi-final of the Champions League in 1995, losing only to Ajax in the second game. He also went ahead and won the Greek League in 1991, 1995 and 1996, the Greek Cup in 1991, 1993, 1994 and 1995, the Greek League and the Greek Supercup in 1993 and 1995. At the same time Wandzik was unbeaten for 906 and 988 minutes, setting the third and fourth records in Greece. His performances have been memorable to the fans and he has earned the nickame of "Vouno" (translation "mountain") a nickname he has earned throughout the years for his tremendous presence in the goal.
After almost a decade at Panathinaikos, he had season-long stints at Apollon Athens and Athinaikos
before ending his career in 2001. He was awarded by the Greek Football Federation a Lifetime Achievement Award for his dedication and service to Greek Football. He has been considered by many as the greatest foreign goalkeeper of all times in Greece.
After his retiremment in 2001 Wandzik worked as a goalkeeping coach for Kallithea FC but has moved to being a coach for younger talents in different academies.
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...
association football player, in the goalkeeper position. He was born in Tarnowskie Góry
Tarnowskie Góry
Tarnowskie Góry is a town in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. Borders on the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of 2 millions. Located in the Silesian Highlands....
.
He started his international career in the Polish under-18 team with which he reached the finals of the 1981 World Cup. He then went to achieve 3rd place at the Under-20 World Cup with Poland. He moved to the first national team in December 1985 and was the number one pick for the next decade. He won 52 caps for 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...
, the first coming on 9/12/1985 against Tunisia
Tunisia national football team
The Tunisia national football team , nicknamed Les Aigles de Carthage , is the national team of Tunisia and is controlled by the Fédération Tunisienne de Football. They have qualified for four FIFA World Cups, the first one in 1978, but have yet to make it out of the first round...
, and the last on 25/4/1995 against Israel
Israel national football team
The Israel national football team is the national football team of Israel, controlled by the Israel Football Association .Israel National Football is the direct successor of the Eretz Yisrael National Team during British Mandate...
. He has set the record for the Polish National team for no lost goals in 23 games, beating the record set by the legendary Jan Tomaszewski
Jan Tomaszewski
Jan Tomaszewski is a retired Polish footballer , who was nicknamed "Tomek" and "The Man That Stopped England", named Best Goalkeeper in the 1974 World Cup in West Germany....
. Despite his prowess, he only represented Poland at one major tournament, the 1986 FIFA World Cup
1986 FIFA World Cup
The 1986 FIFA World Cup, the 13th FIFA World Cup, was held in Mexico from 31 May to 29 June. The tournament was the second to feature a 24-team format. Colombia had been originally chosen to host the competition by FIFA but, largely due to economic reasons, was not able to do so and officially...
where he was third-choice behind Jozef Mlynarczyk
Józef Mlynarczyk
Józef Młynarczyk is a retired Polish footballer who played as a goalkeeper.-Club career:Młynarczyk arrived at Widzew Łódź in 1980 aged 27, after playing for three modest clubs. During his four-year spell, in which he was equally first and second-choice, the club won two Ekstraklasa titles,...
and Jacek Kazimierski
Jacek Kazimierski
Jacek Kazimierski is a retired Polish football player.He began his career in Agrykoli Warsaw and later played for Legia Warsaw, Olympiakos Piraeus and KAA Gent. He won the Polish Cup twice in 1980 and 1981 with Legia Warsaw and appeared in 225 Polish league games...
, and was unable to lead Poland to another tournament since.
Wandzik began his career at Rodlo Gorniki before moving to Ruch Chorzów
Ruch Chorzów
Ruch Chorzów is a Polish association football club based in Chorzów, Upper Silesia. It is one of the most successful football teams in Poland: 14 time national champion, and 3 time winner of the Polish Cup. Currently the team plays in the top Polish league, the Ekstraklasa. Their stadium capacity...
. After a couple of years playing there he transferred to rival 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...
. With Gornik Zabrze he went on to win the Polish League in 1985-1988 and came third in 1989. His reliability earned him a transfer to Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
club Panathinaikos FC
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...
in the summer of 1990. With Panathinaikos he achieved much success reaching the semi-final of the Champions League in 1995, losing only to Ajax in the second game. He also went ahead and won the Greek League in 1991, 1995 and 1996, the Greek Cup in 1991, 1993, 1994 and 1995, the Greek League and the Greek Supercup in 1993 and 1995. At the same time Wandzik was unbeaten for 906 and 988 minutes, setting the third and fourth records in Greece. His performances have been memorable to the fans and he has earned the nickame of "Vouno" (translation "mountain") a nickname he has earned throughout the years for his tremendous presence in the goal.
After almost a decade at Panathinaikos, he had season-long stints at Apollon Athens and Athinaikos
Athinaikos
Athinaikos, officially known as Athinaikos AS FC , the Athenian Athletic Association, is a Greek association football club based in the city of Athens, Greece...
before ending his career in 2001. He was awarded by the Greek Football Federation a Lifetime Achievement Award for his dedication and service to Greek Football. He has been considered by many as the greatest foreign goalkeeper of all times in Greece.
After his retiremment in 2001 Wandzik worked as a goalkeeping coach for Kallithea FC but has moved to being a coach for younger talents in different academies.