Iosif Petschovsky

Iosif Petschovsky (also: Iosif Petschovschi) (born July 2, 1921 - died October 6, 1968), was a Romanian football player, one of the best Romania ever produced. His nickname was "Peci". He could play in any position on the pitch, he was even goalkeeper once.

Petschovsky played 273 games in Divizia A, scoring a massive 86 goals. For Romania he won 32 caps, scoring 11 goals.

Petschovsky made his debut in Divizia A at the age of 16,as player of Chinezul Timişoara.

Petschovsky played in the Hungarian Football Championship between 1941 and 1944 under the name of "József Perényi", winning the Hungarian title with CA Oradea, and played three times for Hungary.

His fame was such that in 1946 a Hungarian footballer tried, and even did so for a short while, to steal Petschovsky's identity, when he recommenced himself as the real Petschovsky in order to sign a contract with RC Strasbourg of France.

Petschovski was suspended in October 1947 for a period of three months because before an international game between Romania and Poland he bet on the Polish team.

In 1952 he became the first footballer to receive the title of "Master of Sport". He was also the first Romanian footballer to be ever called to play for a "World Team" alongside the biggest names of football.

In 1953 he moved to CCA Bucharest for three years, before returning to Arad to play for UT Arad until 1961 when he retired from professional football.

Petschovsky coached UT Arad during the 1962-63 season.

His former club, UT Arad made him a statue, which can be found at the main entrace of the UTA Stadium.

References

*Oroszhegyi Károly: Pecsovszky – das blonde Wunder, Neue Banater Zeitung, 1978.
*Oroszhegyi Károly: Csala, a Szőke Csoda, Jelenkor kiadó, 2000.