Gyula Lóránt

Football manager infobox
playername = Gyula Lóránt


fullname = Gyula Lóránt
dateofbirth = birth date|1923|2|6|mf=y
cityofbirth = Kőszeg
countryofdeath = Thessaloniki, Greece
countryofbirth = Hungary
dateofdeath = death date and age|1981|5|31|1923|2|6
height = 1.85m
position = Midfielder / Defender
youthyears = 1939-1941
youthclubs = Kõszeg SE
years = 1942-43
1943-44
1944
1945-46
1946-47
1947-50
1951-56
1956
1956-57
clubs = Szombathely FC
Nagyváradi AC
Nemzeti Vasas
Nagyváradi Szabadság SK
UT Arad
Vasas SC
Honvéd
Budapest Spartacus
Váci Vasas
caps(goals) =
nationalyears = 1949-1955
nationalteam = Hungary
nationalcaps(goals) = 37 (0)
manageryears = 1962-63
1963
1964
1965-67
1967-68
1969-71
1971-72
1972-74
1974
1975-76
1976
1977-79
1979
1980-81
managerclubs = Honvéd
Debreceni VSC
SV Rheydt
1. FC Kaiserslautern
MSV Duisburg
1. FC Kaiserslautern
1. FC Köln
Kickers Offenbach
Freiburger FC
PAOK Thessaloniki FC
Eintracht Frankfurt
FC Bayern Munich
FC Schalke 04
PAOK Thessaloniki FC|

Gyula Lóránt (February 6 1923, Kőszeg, Hungary – May 31 1981, Thessaloniki, Greece), also referred to as Gyula Lipovics or Lóránt Gyula, was a Hungarian football player and manager. He played as a defender and midfielder for, among others, Vasas SC, Honvéd and Hungary.

During the 1950s, he was a prominent member of the legendary Hungarian national team known as the "Mighty Magyars", which also included Ferenc Puskás, Zoltán Czibor, Sándor Kocsis, József Bozsik and Nándor Hidegkuti.

After retiring as a player, Lóránt became a coach, most notably with Honvéd, FC Bayern Munich and PAOK Thessaloniki FC. While at PAOK, he guided them to a Greek Championship title in 1976. On May 31 1981, while still working as coach, he suffered a heart attack, watching PAOK play Olympiacos CFP and died at the game.

Early career

Lóránt began his career as a youth with his hometown club, Kõszeg SE, after encouragement from a local trainer. He then played for Nagyváradi AC and UT Arad, two Hungarian clubs now in modern Romania. It was while at Vasas SC, where his team mates included Ladislao Kubala, that his career prospered. However in January 1949, as Hungary became a communist state, Kubala fled the country in the back of a truck and formed his own team "Hungaria" to play exhibition friendlies. The team was made up of fellow refugees fleeing Eastern Europe. Lóránt also attempted to escape and follow Kubala, but was captured and ended up in a detention camp.

Hungarian international

Lóránt was released from detention after the intervention of Gusztáv Sebes, the national team coach, who regarded him as pivotal to his plans. Lóránt then made his debut for Hungary on October 19 1949 in an away game against Austria. Sebes personally guaranteed the country’s Interior Minister and future Prime Minister, János Kádár, that Lóránt would not abscond while in Vienna. Kádár agreed and Lóránt responded with a superb performance as Hungary won 4-3. He subsequently joined Honvéd where together with six of his fellow internationals, he helped the team win three Hungarian League titles. As one of the legendary "Mighty Magyars", he helped Hungary become Olympic Champions in 1952, Central European Champions in 1953, defeat England twice and reach the 1954 World Cup final.

Honours

"Player"

Hungary

*Olympic Champions: 1
**1952
*Central European Champions: 1
**1953
*World Cup
**"Runner-up": 1954

Honvéd

*Hungarian Champions: 3
**1952, 1954, 1955

"Manager"

PAOK Thessaloniki FC

*Greek Champions: 1
**1976

External links

* [http://www.uefa.com/news/newsId=135784,printer.htmx Bio at www.uefa.com]
* [http://www.sportmuzeum.hu/aranycsapat/labdarugo.php?id=52 Hungary Stats]

ources

*"Behind The Curtain - Travels in Eastern European Football": Jonathan Wilson (2006) [http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0752869078]
* [http://www.eintracht-archiv.de/lorantg.html Gyula Lóránt at eintracht-archiv.de]