 Smuda in 2013 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1948-06-22)22 June 1948 | ||
| Place of birth | Lubomia,Poland | ||
| Date of death | 18 August 2024(2024-08-18) (aged 76) | ||
| Place of death | Kraków, Poland | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1962–1967 | Unia Racibórz | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1967–1969 | Odra Wodzisław Śląski | ||
| 1970 | Ruch Chorzów | ||
| 1970–1971 | Stal Mielec | ||
| 1971–1974 | Piast Gliwice | ||
| 1975 | Vistula Garfield | ||
| 1975 | Hartford Bicentennials | 20 | (3) |
| 1975–1977 | Legia Warsaw | 33 | (0) |
| 1978 | Los Angeles Aztecs | 10 | (0) |
| 1978 | Oakland Stompers | 13 | (0) |
| 1978 | San Jose Earthquakes | 2 | (0) |
| 1979–1982 | SpVgg Fürth | 17 | (1) |
| 1982 | VfR Coburg | ||
| Managerial career | |||
| 1983 | VfR Coburg | ||
| 1984–1987 | ASV Forth | ||
| 1988 | FC Herzogenaurach | ||
| 1989 | Altay | ||
| 1992 | Konyaspor | ||
| 1993 | FV Wendelstein | ||
| 1993–1995 | Stal Mielec | ||
| 1995–1998 | Widzew Łódź | ||
| 1998–1999 | Wisła Kraków | ||
| 1999–2001 | Legia Warsaw | ||
| 2001–2002 | Wisła Kraków | ||
| 2002 | Widzew Łódź | ||
| 2003 | Piotrcovia Piotrków Trybunalski | ||
| 2003 | Widzew Łódź | ||
| 2004 | Widzew Łódź | ||
| 2004 | Omonia | ||
| 2004–2005 | Odra Wodzisław Śląski | ||
| 2005–2006 | Zagłębie Lubin | ||
| 2006–2009 | Lech Poznań | ||
| 2009 | Zagłębie Lubin | ||
| 2009–2012 | Poland | ||
| 2013 | Jahn Regensburg | ||
| 2013–2015 | Wisła Kraków | ||
| 2016–2017 | Górnik Łęczna | ||
| 2017–2018 | Widzew Łódź | ||
| 2018–2019 | Górnik Łęczna | ||
| 2021–2022 | Wieczysta Kraków | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Franciszek Smuda (Polish pronunciation:[fraɲˈt͡ɕiʂɛkˈsmuda]; 22 June 1948 – 18 August 2024) was a Polishfootball player andmanager.
As a player, he spent his career playing for clubs in Poland, the United States and Germany.[1] In 1983, he turned to coaching, becoming the manager ofWidzew Łódź,Wisła Kraków,Legia Warsaw andLech Poznań, among others. He has won threePolish Ekstraklasa titles. From 2009 he was the manager of thePoland national team,[2] but resigned on 16 June 2012, following their elimination from Euro 2012.[3]
Smuda was born inLubomia,Wodzisław County, Poland, as a son of Gerard, a railway worker, and Marta.[4]
As a player, Smuda played as adefender.[5] He began his career at Unia Racibórz and later played forOdra Wodzisław Śląski. He got his debut in theEkstraklasa playing forStal Mielec during the 1970–71 season. He also played forPiast Gliwice, followed by a short spell at Vistula Garfield in the USA. He also participated in the NASLHartford Bi-Centennials. In 1975 Smuda returned to Poland to play forLegia Warsaw.[4] In 1978, he returned to the USA again to play for three other NASL clubs.[6] He finished his career as a player in Germany before turning his attention to managing.[citation needed]
Smuda began his coaching career successfully in the lower leagues in Germany. During the late 1980s, he was appointed a manager in Turkey. He coachedAltay Izmir andKonyaspor for a total of four years. In 1993, Smuda returned to Poland to help saveStal Mielec from relegation. During the seasons in Mielec, he managed to maintain the team in the Ekstraklasa.[citation needed]
In May 1995, Smuda was appointed the manager ofWidzew Łódź and finished in second place behind Legia Warsaw in the 1994–95 season. The following season, Smuda managed not losing a single game in the league. The 1995–96 season was another successful one with Widzew'sMarek Koniarek scoring the most goals in the league at 29. Widzew qualified for theUEFA Champions League competition for the 1996–97 season. Smuda managed the team to eliminate the Danish champions,Brøndby IF and advanced to the group stage. Widzew were drawn into a group containingAtlético Madrid,Borussia Dortmund andSteaua Bucharest. Widzew finished the group in third place. The team from Łódź were able to repeat their feat of winning theEkstraklasa again. The next season was not as promising as Widzew's management sold some of their key players and were eliminated in the qualifying phases of the Champions League. Widzew finished in 4th place that year and were unable to qualify for any European competitions. Shortly thereafter, Smuda moved to Wisła Kraków where he had much success.[7]
Smuda was appointed the manager ofWisła Kraków after the 1997–98 season. His goal was to build a team that would be not only be successful in Poland but also in European competitions. Smuda won the Polish League the following season, however, Wisła was ejected from European tournaments due to a fan throwing a knife atDino Baggio during a UEFA Cup match againstParma. In September 1999, Smuda was dismissed as manager after team's first defeat in the 1997–98 season.[citation needed]
After leaving Wisła in September 1999, Smuda was hired as manager of Legia Warsaw, replacingDariusz Kubicki. However, he did not win any trophies or qualify for any European competitions. After a 4–0 defeat toZagłębie Lubin in March 2001, Smuda was sacked.[citation needed]
In June 2001, Smuda was re-hired as a coach ofEkstraklasa championsWisła Kraków. He failed to defeatFC Barcelona in the third qualifying round of theUEFA Champions League. After losing two league matches toPolonia Warsaw andLegia Warsaw in March 2002, he was sacked and replaced byHenryk Kasperczak.[citation needed]
Subsequently, Smuda managedWidzew Łódź,Piotrcovia Piotrków Trybunalski as well as the Cypriot teamOmonia.[citation needed]
In 2004, Smuda re-joinedOdra Wodzisław, it was a return to his homeland. Smuda successfully helped the side stave off relegation. A year later, he finished third in the league withZagłębie Lubin earning a spot in theUEFA Cup for the 2006–07 season.[citation needed]
In May 2006, Smuda was hired as the manager ofLech Poznań following the club's merger withAmica Wronki. He led the club to a sixth-place finish in the2006–07 season and fourth thefollowing season. He also qualified for2008–09 UEFA Cup round of 32 with Lech. In the2008–09 Ekstraklasa season, Lech Poznań managed to reach the top of the league table by the winter break, but a series of draws during the spring round resulted in a third-place finish at the end of the season. His contract with the club was not extended.[citation needed]
After several seasons with Lech Poznań, he returned toZagłębie Lubin in September 2009.[citation needed]
On 29 October 2009, Smuda was chosen as the new manager of thePoland national team.[2][8] After a disappointingUEFA Euro 2012 tournament in which Poland finished last in their group behindRussia,Greece and theCzech Republic, Smuda left his post as manager directly after the final defeat of the campaign.[3]
Smuda was married to Małgorzata.[9] He held a German passport.[5] He died on 18 August 2024, at the age of 76.[10]
Widzew Łódź
Wisła Kraków
Zagłębie Lubin
Lech Poznań
Wieczysta Kraków
Individual
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