Football player, trainer.
He was born in Timisoara. In the specialty literature Kovács István is considered one of the best trainers in the world. He is the only Romanian trainer who had contributed to the victory of the two European Championships. The Ajax Amsterdam team is grateful to Kovács István as due to his support the club enjoys the most successful season. Managed by him, the Ajax team obtains the yearly BEK victory in 1972 and 1973, the European Super Cup in 1972 and 1973, the Intercontinental Cup in 1972, and the Dutch Championship in 1972 and 1973.
When he is appointed as the Ajax team’s trainer, Kovács István is already an experienced professional. He starts his sport career at the age of 11 at the „Youth Athletic Club” in Timisoara, and plays in the TAC’s colours between 1931 and 1934. In 1934 he moves to Oradea where he plays football in the NAC Youth Team until 1937, and in the NAC Adult Team between 1937 and 1938. His elder brother, Kovács I. Miklós, born in 1911, is also a member of the team, he belongs to the Romanian group of selected players and is a member in one Hungarian match.
The next stations in Kovács István’s sport career: 1938-1941: Olympique Charleroi (Belgium); 1941: Ripensia Timisoara; 19411942: CFR Turnu Severin; 1942-1944: Atlétikai Klub (The Athletic Club) (KAC) Cluj; 1944-1947: Ferrar Cluj; 1947-1950: CFR Cluj; 1950-1953: Universitatea Kolozsvár (Cluj University).
In 1953, when he stops being a football player, he is appointed as the football trainer of the University Cluj team and here he remains the specialized leader until 1959. Between 1959 and 1962 he deals with the CSM in Cluj. In 1962 he is appointed as a federal trainer, and his task is to direct the national logistics and the activities regarding the B-selected ones. Between 1965 and 1967 he is the second trainer of the A-selected group. As a professional leader he is successful between 1967 and 1971, as the leader of the „Steaua” football team from Bucharest. Due to him, Steaua wins the national championship in 1968, and in 1967, 1969 and 1970, for three times, they win the Romanian Cup.
In summer 1971 he belongs to the Ajax team in Amsterdam, where he enjoys the most professional stage of his career as a football trainer. Here he completes the work of his predecessor, Rinus Michels. Between 1973 and 197, as the trainer running the French selected football team, and as the technical manager of the Association of French Football Players, he creates a powerful selected basis: in Clairefontaine he founds a football centre, which later initiates and promotes outstanding figures in the domain.
In January 1976 he returns to Bucharest where, until 1980, he works as the vice-president of the Association of Romanian Football Players; he approaches his experience as the technical manager of the national team and its trainer. Between 1981 and 1983 he is the trainer of the Panathinaikosz team in Athens; due to his skills, they win the Greek Cup in 1982. Between 1986 and 1987, he drives the AS Monaco team towards success.
What one might tell about him: he can complete any task successfully, no matter what. During the last years of his life, he is the international board member of the Romanian Football Players’ Association, and the instructor of the UEFA team.
He dies on May 12, 1995, at Cluj.
