Jerzy Engel

Who is Jerzy Engel?

Władysław Jerzy Engel is a Polish former footballer and coach. Engel began his career in football at an early age playing at local club Junak Wloclawek, before moving to Polonia Warsaw, Hutnik Warszawa and several other clubs.

Engel, nicknamed "Jurek", began playing in midfield or attack before, at the age of 22, being cruelly forced to cut his career short because of injury. With spirits dampened only slightly, he immediately turned to coaching and took over at Polonia Warsaw in the 1976/1977 season.

After a spell with third division teams, he came to the fore once more with his involvement in Poland's third-place finish in the 1982 FIFA World Cup Spain, helping then national coach, Antoni Piechniczek, choose the ideal squad.

In 1985 Jurek took over at Legia Warsaw, leading them to two second place finishes in the Polish Championship in three seasons. Just as he was becoming well known he made the strange decision to move to Apollon Limassol, in Cyprus, an island he stayed on for seven years.

He later returned to Legia before taking Polonia Warsaw to runners-up spot in 1998–99.

He became manager of the Polish national team in 1999 and after failing to achieve qualification for the UEFA Euro 2000, was instrumental in securing Emmanuel Olisadebe's naturalisation as a Polish national.