[nas] FW: CREW GREAT ROBERT WARZYCHA RETIRES, JOINS GREG ANDRULIS'COACHING STAFF

[<big_dog@fastmail.fm>]

nday, December 16, 2002  JWuerth@mlsnet.com
> 
> CREW GREAT ROBERT WARZYCHA RETIRES,
> JOINS GREG ANDRULIS' COACHING STAFF
> The Polish International Retires After 16 professional Seasons, Including
> Six-Plus Years In Columbus;
> The Crew's All-Time Assist Leader Will Remain With The Organization As An
> Assistant Coach 
> 
> COLUMBUS, Ohio - Columbus Crew President/General Manager Jim Smith
> and Head Coach Greg Andrulis announced today that Crew great Robert Warzycha
> has retired and will remain with the organization as an assistant coach.
> "I am looking forward to moving into coaching full-time and I am
> excited to be able to do so in Columbus with The Crew," Warzycha said. "The
> city of Columbus and the Crew organization have become home to my family
> over the last six years. I will definitely miss playing, but I am fortunate
> to be able to look back on a long, rewarding career that ended with a
> championship."
> A native of Poland, he joined The Crew during its inaugural 1996
> season and is the club's all-time assist leader (61), while ranking second
> in games played (160), and third in points (99).  He ended his career with
> 19 goals and 61 assists in regular season play and two goals and nine
> assists in 17 playoff games.  One of the most successful foreign
> acquisitions ever for Major League Soccer, the 39-year-old Warzycha was
> known for his deadly free kicks.  He also had a flair for the dramatic when
> he scored the first regular season golden-goal in league history when he
> buried a free kick in stoppage time of overtime to defeat San Jose 2-1 in
> the 2000 home opener.    
> Warzycha played the 2002 season as a player/assistant coach, lending
> his expertise both on and off the field.
> "Robert is truly one of the legendary figures of The Crew's early
> history," Smith said. "He ranks highly in virtually every offensive
> statistical category, but that tells only part of the story. His
> international experience and veteran leadership have been important,
> invaluable assets both on the field and off, and we are fortunate that he
> will remain a part of The Crew family."
> "I can not say enough about Robert Warzycha, as a player, a coach
> or, most importantly, a person," said Andrulis.  "He has been a consummate
> professional and a leader, both on and off the field, and he also proved
> himself to be a very capable coach last season. Now he will be devoting his
> time and energy to coaching full-time, following a long and distinguished
> playing career, and we are thrilled that it will be in Columbus."
> 
> ROBERT WARZYCHA      
> Position:  Midfielder Born:  August 20, 1963 (Wellun, Poland)  
> Height:  5-8 Citizenship:  Polish (Possesses Green Card)  
> Weight:  160 lbs. Hometown:  Siemkowice, Poland 
> How Acquired:  Signed as The Crew's first Discovery player on June 4, 1996
> Pro Outdoor Experience: Columbus Crew, MLS (1996-Present), Kispest-Honved
> F.C., Hungarian First Division (1995-96); PMSC Fordan, Hungarian First
> Division (1994-95), Everton, English Premier League (1991-94), Gornik
> Zabrze, Polish First Division (1987-91), Polish National Team (1988-95)
> 
> NOTE: Robert and Jim Smith will be available for interviews today at Crew
> Stadium from 2-3 p.m.
> 
> - TheCrew.com -
> 
> 
> 


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