Career
By winning 15 major titles he is one of the most successful association football coaches in the history of the game. Kovács will be foremost remembered for his outstanding successes with Ajax in the early 1970s. Born in Timișoara, Romania, Kovács was an average midfielder, although having both individual technique and tactical intuition.
After this he succeeded Rinus Michels as the head of Ajax in 1971, continuing and expanding on his "total football" philosophy.
Further to that he led Ajax to the double of cup and championship in 1972 and another national championship in 1973. After he left Ajax in 1973, he was called up by the French football federation to take the reins of the national side.
In this position he raised the young generations of French talents. Journalists of France Football asked him when he arrived how long it would take to make the France team a great team, he replied visionary with structures in eight years, ten years, we can make a good national team
Michel Hidalgo, his deputy and successor, took advantage of this work and continued to lead the team of France to its victory at Euro 84.
After this episode he returned to Romania becoming its national team coach. Later he had further successes with Panathinaikos and Monaco. Steaua București:
Divizia A (1): 1967-1968
Romanian Cup (2): 1968-1969, 1969-1970
Ajax:
Eredivisie (2): 1971-1972, 1972-1973
KNVB Cup (1): 1971-1972
European Cup (2): 1971-1972, 1972-1973
European Super Cup (1): 1972
Intercontinental Cup (1): 1972
Panathinaikos:
Greek Cup (1): 1981-1982.
