Although this year has marked 50 years since the bronze medal in the FIFA World Cup won by the Polish national team, “Orły Górskiego” is still the most famous team in the history of our football. However, it was created not only by players such as Grzegorz Lato, Andrzej Szarmach or Kazimierz Deyna and coach Kazimierz Górski. Much more people worked behind the scenes for that success. And one of them was Janusz Garlicki.
Janusz Garlicki – a symbol of the best period
He cooperated with our national team for 12 years and it was the best period in the history of national football. Bronze at the World Cup in 1974, gold (Munich 1972) and silver (Montreal 1976) at the Olympics, another bronze at the World Championships in 1982. All these successes are connected by the figure of Dr. Garlicki, who took care of the players' health during his term, among others. Kazimierz Górski and Antoni Piechniczek. It was not without reason that he was called the “Doctor of Polish Eagles”.
Brother confirms the death of “Doctor of Polish Eagles”
Garlicki has been fighting cancer in recent years, which he finally lost on Thursday, December 26. He was 88 years old. His death was confirmed by his brother Marek Garlicki in an interview with TVP Sport. – He followed the path of his father, who was one of the greatest Polish orthopedists. He was his student, and later continued his work and educated many sports doctors himself. He loved sport, and together with Kazimierz Górski and Antoni Piechniczek he celebrated the greatest successes in the history of Polish football. During the Olympics, he treated not only football players, but also other athletes. Above all, he served people and that's how I will remember him, said Marek Garlicki.
For his numerous contributions to Polish sport, Janusz Garlicki received, among others, Officer's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta. He was also an honorary member of the Polish Football Association and received the Polish Football Association's Diamond award.