From: gaborzinho
Subject: Re: Who is Gaborzinho? Was: World Cup upsets
Date: 02/01/2002

Carramba! What is this flurry of activities all of a sudden? Speculating 
about my "true identity" and reading something sinister into me not naming
the 17-year-old in a post. You guys don't even let me rest on New Year's
Day! Let me summarize below responses to several posts, and hopefully
dispelling some (truly flattering) rumors about who I may or may not be.
None of this is secret though, I just did not think it would be appropriate
to list it here. I already disclosed to some of you via e-mail my football
background. Sorry to disappoint those who were after some juicy tidbits.

In article , "Futbolmetrix"
 wrote:

> Now we only have to find out why Gaborzinho didn't
> want to reveal the player's name.

It was Lajos Tichy, as Florian Albert was a life-long Ferencvaros player,
and only 11 years old in 1952. The post was not about him, though, I didn't
mean to make it a mystery. For all you amateur sleuths out there, let me
also provide a clarification before someone charges me with inaccuracies.
The scrimmage between Honved and (then) second division club BVSC took place
in Nov. 1952. I said that the following day Honved signed Lajos Tichy. This
is correct, however BVSC insisted that Lajos stay with them until the end of
the season and Honved agreed. Thus Lajos did not officially become a Honved
player until mid-1953 and he debuted for their first team on a snow covered
pitch on Jan. 12, 1954. Yes, he did score a goal, as well as upon his debut
with the national team.


In article <1f5c79u.18oiq7q173lixoN%sven_mischkies@magicvillage.de>,
sven_mischkies@magicvillage.de (Sven Mischkies) wrote:
>
> Maybe it was Gaborzinho himself. ;))
>
Obviously, you have never seen me play! :-(


In article , "Futbolmetrix"
 wrote:

> OK, so that settles it: the 17-year old described in the post was
> Lajos Tichy. But the question still looms unanswered: who is
> Gaborzinho?

The tension is building! Read on.

>
In article , "Futbolmetrix"
 wrote:

>
> Now, you'd think that Gaborzinho's first name is Gabor,
> not Florian or Lajos. But that doesn't really mean anything, does it?

Very good, Sherlock! But again, it may or may not be so. Clever people give
clues, but the cleverest don't. Read on.

>
> Now, from Gaborzinho's various posts over the years, we
> know he was closely associated with the mythical Hungarian
> team of the early '50s. Unless he's making it all up, and
> I have no reason to believe this is the case, he was part of
> the 1954 WC expedition. Was he a player? An assistant manager?
> The ball boy? He could very well have been one of the players:
> in those times I guess that national teams would not send
> very large expeditions to the WC: the players, the manager,
> a few accompanying guys from the FA, not much more. He must
> have been relatively young in 1954, so it's unlikely he was
> a high ranking officer in the Hungarian FA.

A little bit of all the above, except for the "high ranking" part. Actually
I was associated with the club Kispest, later renamed Honved. I had an early
injury that ended my career as a player. (Today it would result in a 6-month
rest and rehab.) I didn't think I wanted to be a coach or manager, assistant
manager or ballboy. So I became a scout. It was a semi-official job then, I
was reimbursed expenses, that was about all. But it did protect me and my
family from some of the political purges of that time. I had a day job as a
translator for Hungary's official news agency. The head of that agency was
none other than the head of the Hungarian Football Association, so he was
very forgiving when it came to punching the clock. I spent lot of my time
watching lower division matches, most often accompanied by some of the
Honved players. Puskas was almost always there, as he said it: "What's a
football player to do in his spare time?" (More accurately: "What's a f#$&ng
football player f#$&ng to do in his f#$&ng spare time?") The players liked
me, the club officials, who were army people, not as much. The feeling was
mutual. As a reward for my accomplishments (I'd like to think) I was
included in the delegation to 1954 WC, which was actually quite large by all
standards. Besides the sizable contingent (appr. 25!) of AVH (the Hungarian
KGB) officers, it even included several players who were not part of the
roster and many coaches as well. Officially I was an interpreter, but spent
most of my time hanging around the team. I was asked to observe the
practices of Uruguay and Brasil and I could not have been more delighted. It
was largely due to my clever observations that Hungary won against both -
NOT! Initially I was also asked to attend the Uruguay - England match, but
they could not provide an AVH officer to accompany me (what the hell were
they busy with?) so someone else went instead, the son of one the FA
officials, apparently he was more trustworthy.

>
> But then, from other posts, we know that he was in Brazil
> in the early '60s. He has some great posts about Garrincha
> and other Brazilians of that time.
> I also understand that at some point he
> left Hungary as a dissident. So I think that rules out
> Albert, who kept on playing for Hungary until 1974.
>
I left during the Revolution of 1956. I travelled with the touring Honved
team and I was with them until after returning from the South American tour.
Then most players went home, some did not. I went to Italy, where I had some
friends. When Puskas joined Real Madrid I visited him. From that visit I was
offered a job scouting players. Much travel followed, mostly 3rd class,
fleabag hotels, cheap restaurants, but it was fun. When a job opened up in
South America, more specifically in Rio, I applied for it and got it. My
host club there was Botafogo, and what a marvellous team that was. In 1967 I
moved to the US to join the old NASL. I was by then somewhat into coaching
as well, but mainly at the youth level. And it was a good thing, the league
folded 2 years later, but by then I had a full-time coaching job. I moved
around a bit, and was in Wash DC, when Jimmy Carter returned St. Stephen's
1000-year-old crown to Hungary. The reason this was significant, because as
one of the conditions attached to this deal was the recognition of foreign
citizenships by the Hungarian government. This made it possible for many
people who left in '56 to return for visits. I had not seen my parents since
'56, so I was one who took advantage of this new situation and booked a trip
for the Christmas holidays. Unfortunately my mother passed away quite
suddenly at the end of Nov., but my father and sister were still there and
we spent a not quite joyous Christmas together. It was also the first time
they met my Brasilian wife. I hooked up with some of my old friends, and
they asked that I return in the summer for participating in a youth soccer
camp at my old club. I agreed and returned in Jun. 77. The camp was a huge
success with about 1500 kids participating from ages 8-16. One of the
participants was a skinny, blond 14-year-old kid by the name of Lajos
Detari. He was a player in Honved's youth system, and his abilities were
already recognized. I talked to the u16 coach, and suggested that they move
Detari up to the u16 age group, so he will be challenged more. Club
officials were a little apprehensive, but finally agreed. I also accepted
their invitation to stay on with that team until the end of the fall season.
The coach was delighted, since I was no threat to his job, knowing that I
will eventually leave, but in the meantime he had the chance to work with
me. It turned out great, and Lajos Detari really developed tremendously
during those few months. (When Hagi had his farewell match last April in
Bucharest, Detari asked me to travel with him there. He had his ups and
downs during his playing career, and we talked a lot about life in general.
He was named the head-coach for Honved just 2 days ago. I don't think he is
ready, but called to wish him luck.) I also found out, that football in
Hungary was not for me. The system was corrupt, disorganized, broke and not
forward-looking compared to what I was used to. So I returned to the US and
took a job in California. It was OK, but after a while I got tired of
dealing with the parents and working within a system where money seemed to
buy playing priviledges. I am not being critical, just that I lost my drive
to work within guidelines which I disagreed with. In 1988 we moved to
Florida. Here I met some old friends, and returned to youth coaching again.
Then in 1995 I retired for good. I do still train teams, youth and local
SunCoast League (amateur), and just a few days ago I worked as a scout for a
college during the Sun Bowl youth tournament. So the circle has now been
closed. I equally divide my time among Florida, Brasil and Europe. In Europe
I stay mainly in Hungary, but Spain, Italy, Germany and Romania
(Transylvania) as well. I escorted a local u12 youth team last year to
Hungary. The Hungarian team reciprocated the visit, they had a great time in
the Florida winter. So I may do this more often, time and my health
permitting. And yes, I am still in touch with Honved, or whatever little is
left of the club.


> Instead, Tichy, who ended his international career in 1964...hmmm

The president of the Hungarian FA blacklisted him from the national team. He
was put on the WC 66 roster by overwhelming popular demand. But was not
allowed to play. Actually, his passport was revoked for some time after the
EC '64 finals in Spain. (The reasons for this was that he allegedly entered
into negotiations with foreign clubs, which was tantamount to treason in
those days. What really happened was, that the president of Juventus, Sr.
Agnelli, invited him for dinner. Agnelli gave him a blank check in 1962 and
told him to name his price. Tichy, who was offered 200 kg of gold by Real
Madrid in 1956, turned it down. Players back then were not allowed to play
for Western clubs, or else risk severe punishment back home. These were
often applied against remaining family members. This time Agnelli was just
trying to be civil, he knew Tichy's situation well.) He continued playing
for Honved until '71 and participated in many UEFA and CWC matches with the
club.

>
> Gaborzinho-Lajos Tichy, we have unmasked you!
>

Ah, but you are wrong!!!! I am really Rue Paul!


In article , "Victoria Barrett"
 wrote:

>
> Okay, since Gaborzinho (supposedly a fellow Floridian -- which I believe
> entirely, as we have a huge -- 20,000? -- but secretive Hungarian community
> in South Florida) interests me immensely, I'll throw my sleuthing pork-pie
> hat into the ring.
>
> I think Gaborzinho is Dori Kurschner...but I won't tell you how I got to
> that conclusion.
>
> Just look it up. :)
>
> Victoria "No sh*t Sherlock" Barrett

Secretive Hungarian community in South Florida? I only know a handful of
Hungarians in and around Sarasota. But those are all old farts. :-)
Actually, two of my ex-teammates happen to live there. One became national
team goalkeeper for both Hungary and later the US. He also was the head
coach of the US national team for awhile. The other guy owns a motel there
and for years was the coach of the local amateur team.
Dori Kurschner, heh? I am not that dead yet!