Stefan Żywotko: Difference between revisions

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'''Stefan Żywotko''' ({{IPA|pl|ˈstɛ.fan ˈʐɨ.vɔt.ko|}}; 9 January 1920 – 10 February 2022) was a Polish [[Manager (association football)|football manager]] and [[CoachFootball (sport)player|coachplayer]]. He spent his entire coaching career in [[Polish People's Republic|Poland]] and Algeria. His fourteen-year tenure as manager of [[JS Kabylie]] led to seven Algerian league titles, two [[CAF Champions League|African Cup of Champions]] titles, and a reputation as one of the greatest Polish/Algerian football managers ever.<ref name="Dzair"/><ref name="FootAlgerie"/>

Żywotko was born on 9 January 1920, in Zniesienie, which was then a suburb of [[Lwów]] in the [[Second Polish Republic]], shortly following Polish independence.<ref name="InteriaBiog">{{cite web |last1=Przybycień |first1=Michał |title=102 lata polskiego trenera! Prowadził Barcelonę Afryki |url=https://sport.interia.pl/pilka-nozna/news-102-lata-polskiego-trenera-prowadzil-barcelone-afryki,nId,5756968 |website=Interia Sport |access-date=10 February 2022 |date=9 January 9, 2022|langlanguage=pl}}</ref> Near the end of [[World War II]], he left Lwów to join the 4th Reserve Cavalry Regiment in [[Hrubieszów]]. When the war ended, his unit moved first to [[Warsaw]], and then to [[Koszalin]] for [[demobilization]]. When Lwów was [[Curzon Line|assigned to the Ukrainian SSR]] at the end of the war, Żywotko found himself homeless, and eventually settled in [[Szczecin]], where he was joined by his parents. In Szczecin, Żywotko lived in a business flat, while working as a manager in a cold meat factory.<ref name="Przeglad">{{cite web |last1=Antoni |first1=Bugajski |title=NIE ŻYJE STEFAN ŻYWOTKO. BYŁ NAJBARDZIEJ UTYTUŁOWANYM POLSKIM TRENEREM ZA GRANICĄ |url=https://www.przegladsportowy.pl/ps-historia/nie-zyje-stefan-zywotko-byl-najbardziej-utytulowanym-polskim-trenerem-za-granica/1j4jq6m |website=Przeglad Sportowy |access-date=10 February 2022 |date=10 February 10, 2022|langlanguage=pl}}</ref>

Żywotko began playing football with three clubs from Lwów: LKS Zniesieńczanka, Garbarnia Lwów, and [[:pl:Spartak Lviv|Spartak Lwów]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Nie żyje Stefan Żywotko, były trener Arki Gdynia. Miał 102 lata |url=https://trojmiasto.wyborcza.pl/trojmiasto/7,35612,28097539,nie-zyje-stefan-zywotko-byly-trener-arki-gdynia-mial-102-lata.html |website=wyborcza.pl |access-date=11 February 2022 |date=February 10, February 2022|langlanguage=pl}}</ref>

While in the military, he began playing football with MilicyjnymMilicyjny KlubieKlub SportowymSportowy, which later moved to SzezecinSzczecin where it took the name Gwardia SzezecinSzczecin (today called [[Arkonia Szczecin]]).<ref name="InteriaBiog"/><ref name="Przeglad"/>

While still playing with Gwardia, Żywotko was given the opportunity to train the junior teams. Then, the senior team needed a manager and Żywotko took over, and under his management Gwardia was promoted to the [[Ekstraklasa|first division]] in 1961. However, an act was passed that stated that a coach could not be paid if they had previously played full-time for the team; this act banned Gwardia from paying Żywotko. AsSuch suchbeing the case, Żywotko switched to local rival [[Pogoń Szczecin]]; he managed them for four and a half years, which as of 2022 was the longest managerial tenure of any Pogoń manager. Żywotko quickly instituted changes, telling older players to retire, replacing them with younger players. Under Żywotko, Pogoń was promoted to the first division in 1966.<ref name="InteriaBiog"/><ref name="Przeglad"/>

After he left Pogoń, Żywotko returned to Arkonia, and then from there he moved to [[Warta Poznań]]. At Warta, Żywotko conflicted with a director who wanted his son to manage the club; rather than prolong the conflict, Żywotko resigned his position. From there, Żywotko moved to [[Arka Gdynia]] thanks to the influence of Bogdan Maślanka, who had played under Żywotko at Pogoń Szczecin; Maślanka became Żywotko's assistant, and under their leadership Arka was promoted to the first division in 1976. At Arka, Żywotko trained [[Janusz Kupcewicz]], who would play for the [[Poland|Poland national football team|Poland national team]] at the 1978 and [[1982 FIFA World Cup]]s, finishing third in 1982.<ref name="InteriaBiog"/><ref name="Przeglad"/>

The [[Polish Football Association]] put Żywotko on a list of managers who would be permitted to work overseas.<ref name="Przeglad"/> Initially he hoped to work in Kuwait with [[Kazimierz Górski]], but the move was blocked by the authorities.<ref name="InteriaBiog"/><ref name="Polsat">{{cite web |title=Zmarł trener Stefan Żywotko. Miał 102 lata |url=https://www.polsatsport.pl/wiadomosc/2022-02-10/zmarl-trener-stefan-zywotko-mial-102-lata/ |website=Polsatsport |access-date=11 February 2022 |date=February 10, February 2022|langlanguage=pl}}</ref>

In 1977, Żywotko was appointed manager of [[Algeria]]nAlgerian club [[JS Kabylie]]. ŻywotkoHe knew little of Algeria at the time, so he selected [[Mahieddine Khalef]] to co-manage the team with him.<ref>[http://www.lebuteur.com/reportage/actualites/stefan-zywotko-polonais-de-corps-algerien-de-coeur Stefan Zywotko, Polonais de corps, Algérien de cœur] {{in lang|fr}}</ref> Facing ethnic tensions in Algeria, Żywotko mainly chose players from the local [[Kabyle people]] who would be loyal to their local club. He initially faced distrust from the players and local journalists, but he won them over with success.<ref name="Przeglad"/>

During his time with the club, he won the [[Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1|Algerian League]] title seven times, the [[Algerian Cup]] once in 1986 and, the [[CAF Champions League|African Cup Of Champions Clubs]] twice, in [[1981 African Cup of Champions Clubs|1981]] and [[1990 African Cup of Champions Clubs|1990]] and the African Super Cup once in 1982.<ref>[{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesa/afr-club-friend-tourn82.html|title=Tournament of Fraternity 1982}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=16 July 2009 |title=Stefan Zywotko : "Mon regret : ne pas avoir gagné une Coupe d'Afrique pour la 3e fois" |url=http://www.lebuteur.com/reportage/actualites/stefan-zywotko-mon-regret-ne-pas-avoir-gagne-une-coupe-dafrique-pour-la-3e-fois Stefan Zywotko|url-status=dead |archive-url=https: «Mon regret //web.archive.org/web/20130815002354/http: //www.lebuteur.com:80/reportage/actualites/stefan-zywotko-mon-regret-ne -pas -avoir gagné -gagne-une Coupe d’Afrique -coupe-dafrique-pour -la -3e -fois»]? {{in|archive-date=15 August 2013 lang|frwebsite=Le Buteur |language=French}}</ref> Under Żywotko's management, JS Kabylie became the top club in Africa at the time, and remains the most successful club in Algeria.<ref name="InteriaBiog"/><ref name="TVP">{{cite web |last1=Chlebicki |first1=Przemysław |title=Piłka nożna. Stefan Żywotko nie żyje |url=https://sport.tvp.pl/58436726/pilka-nozna-stefan-zywotko-nie-zyje |website=TVP Sport |access-date=11 February 2022 |date=10 February 10, 2022|langlanguage=pl}}</ref> Żywotko's success in Algeria made him the most successful Polish manager who worked outside of Poland.<ref name="InteriaBiog"/><ref name="PZPN"/> He has been described as "one of the most influential coaches in Algerian football."<ref name="Dzair">{{cite web |last1=O. |first1=Nasrine |title=Algérie : Stefan Żywotko (JSK) décède à l’âgel'âge de 102 ans |url=https://www.dzairdaily.com/algerie-stefan-zywotko-jsk-decede-age-102-ans/ |website=Dzairdaily |access-date=11 February 2022 |date=10 February 10, 2022|langlanguage=fr}}</ref><ref name="FootAlgerie">{{cite web |last1=R |first1=Adam |title=Le légendaire entraineur de la JS Kabylie Stefan Żywotko est mort |url=https://foot-algerie.com/2022/02/10/football-en-algerie/le-legendaire-entraineur-de-la-js-kabylie-stefan-zywotko-est-mort/ |website=Football Algerie |access-date=11 February 2022 |date=10 February 10, 2022|langlanguage=fr}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Nie żyje Stefan Żywotko |url=https://weszlo.com/2022/02/10/nie-zyje-stefan-zywotko/ |website=Weszlo |access-date=11 February 2022 |date=10 February 10, 2022}}</ref>

In 1991, although JS Kabylie offered Żywotko another contract, Żywotkohe decided that after 14 years in Algeria, and at his advanced age of 71, it was time for him to retire, and he returned to Szczecin, Poland.<ref name="Przeglad"/>

He preferred a careful tactical approach to managing, rather than motivating the players emotionally on the sidelines; he criticized coaches thatwho did not focus on tactics.<ref name="Przeglad"/><ref name="Polsat"/>

In retirement, Żywotko regularly attended Pogoń Szczecin matches, as; he had a free entry card due to his previous management of the club.<ref name="Przeglad"/>

Żywotko [[centenarian|turned 100]] in January 2020.<ref>[https://sport.se.pl/pozostale/najstarszy-polski-trener-obchodzi-setne-urodziny-jest-w-doskonalej-kondycji-aa-NuMf-fbZ4-Vkzc.html Najstarszy Polski trener obchodzi setne urodziny! Jest w doskonałej kondycji] {{in lang|pl}}</ref> His wife died shortly before his 100th birthday, at the age of 94; his wifeshe was also from Lwów.<ref name="Przeglad"/>

In 2021, Michał Zichlarz wrote a biography about Stefan Żywotko titled ''Stefan Żywotko. Ze Lwowa po mistrzostwo Afryki''.<ref name="TVP"/>

Żywotko died on 10 February 10, 2022, a month after his 102ndaged birthday102.<ref>{{cite news |title=Stefan Żywotko nie żyje |url=http://www.90minut.pl/news/317/news3176299-Stefan-Zywotko-nie-zyje.html |access-date=10 February 2022 |publisher=90 Minut |date=10 February 2022|langlanguage=pl}}</ref>

* Won the [[Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1|Algerian Championnat National]]: seven[[1979–80 timesAlgerian withChampionnat National|1979–80]], [[JS1981–82 KabylieAlgerian Championnat National|1981–82]], in[[1982–83 1980,Algerian 1982,Championnat 1983National|1982–83]], 1985[[1984–85 Algerian Championnat National|1984–85]], 1986[[1985–86 Algerian Championnat National|1985–86]], 1989[[1988–89 Algerian Championnat National|1988–89]], 1990[[1989–90 Algerian Championnat National|1989–90]]<ref name="PZPN">{{cite web |title=ZMARŁ STEFAN ŻYWOTKO |url=https://www.pzpn.pl/federacja/aktualnosci/2022-02-10/zmarl-stefan-zywotko |website=Polish Football Association |access-date=11 February 2022 |date=10 February 10, 2022|langlanguage=pl}}</ref>

* Won the [[Algerian Cup]] once with: [[JS1985–86 KabylieAlgerian Cup|1985–86]] in 1986<ref name="PZPN"/>

[[Category:Polish men centenarians]]

[[Category:ExpatriatePolish footballmen's managers in Algeriafootballers]]