Helmut Senekowitsch

Helmut Senekowitsch ( born October 22, 1933 Graz, † September 9, 2007 in Klosterneuburg ) was an Austrian football player and football coach. He participated with the Austrian national team at the World Cup 1958 in Sweden and was successful at Real Betis was the first Austrian in the Spanish Primera División foothold. As a coach, he led among other VÖEST to a surprising championship and made the national team for the 1978 World Cup in Argentina, where the famous 3-2 victory over defending champion Germany succeeded.

Career

Helmut Senekowitsch became famous in his active career as a prolific striker in particular, at the beginning and especially at the end of his career he played but also in midfield. His nickname " Zeki " - following a tick that bites into the opponents - testifies to his great fighting spirit as a footballer. Senekowitsch began his professional career with the ESV Austria Graz. In 1952 he moved to first division Grazer SC. His first year in the highest Austrian league ended with relegation to the second stage game. With local rivals SK Sturm Graz, who also played in the B league, he went in 1956 and again in the A- League. For several years the club was in danger of renewed decline that eventually took place in 1959. However Senekowitschs performance earned him a regular place in the national team.

His national team debut had Senekowitsch in the World Cup qualifiers in 1958. His first goals in countries Matches on 25 September 1957, the Styrian against Luxembourg or Czechoslovakia in the following two games. As a striker, he played in all parts of the Austrians during the World Cup 1958 in Sweden. The future world champions Brazil, who later became European champion Soviet Union and England, however, was too strong opponents in a serious group. After the World Cup and the descent storm Senekowitsch went to Club Vienna. Here he had in 1960 with 25, respectively in 1961 with 23 goals his strongest seasons, was runner-up, reached the OFB Cup final and was part of the " Decker teams ". Among the victories over Spain ( 3-0) and, in front of a record crowd of 92,000 spectators at the Prater Stadium, England (3:1), he contributed with one goal.

1961 moved Senekowitsch to Betis in the Spanish Primera División, where he played for three years. The best result in this period was the third place in the table. Then he returned to Austria and ran for Wacker Innsbruck. Crowning the highlights of his long career as a player were there winning the Austrian Championship in his last pro season 1970/71 and the OFB Cup a year earlier - its only title in his playing career. The beginning of his coaching career concluded Helmut Senekowitsch seamlessly to his resignation as a player in 1971. His first club was the first division GAK, where he created a new club record with the third place. In its second station SK VÖEST Linz he was surprisingly already in 1973/74 Austrian champion. So Senekowitsch also rose soon became one of Austria's most famous trainers on and took over after an engagement at FC Admira / Wacker finally in 1976 the Austrian national team.

With the national team managed right away to qualify for the 1978 World Cup in Argentina. The team was able to reach the 3-2 over world champions Germany the good seventh place there after victories over Spain and Sweden as well. After this, probably the biggest success of his career, he was responsible for numerous other teams at home and abroad. He worked again in the Spanish Primera Division at Athletic Bilbao, Betis and FC Cadiz, was years of trainer in Mexico with UAG Tecos, stand with Panathinaikos, Olympiakos and AEK all three major Greek clubs on the sidelines and was at Eintracht Frankfurt in the German Bundesliga active. On the night of 8 to September 9, 2007 Helmut Senekowitsch died of his longtime esophageal cancer.

Coach stations

Achievements

• 2 × Austrian Champion: 1971 (player ) 1974 ( coach )
• 3 × Austrian Vice Champion: 1961, 1967, 1968

• Participation World Cup 1958: Group stage ( top 16 ) ( Players)
• Participation World Cup 1978: 7th place ( coach )
• Participation Championship 1960: Quarter Final ( player)
• 18 caps and 5 goals for the Austrian national football team from 1957 to 1968

Awards (excerpt)

• Silver Medal for Services to the Republic of Austria: 2003
• In 2011 ( 22nd District ) was named after him in the Senekowitschgasse Vienna Danube City