Josef Bican

Born September 25, 1913.
Countries Austria / Czechoslovakia
. Position Striker
. Clubs: Hertha Vienna (1925-1927), . Shustek Vienna (1928-1929), . Farbenlutts Vienna (1929-1930), . Rapid Vienna (1931-1935), . Admira Vienna (all Austria) (1935-1937), . Slavia Prague (1937-1948, . 1953-1956), . Vitkovice Zhelezarny (1949-1952), . Spartak Hradec Kralove (all of Czechoslovakia) (1952-1953).,
. Coached: Dynamo Prague (1955-1956), Slovan Liberec (1956-1957), Spartak Brno (1957-1958), Bannik Pribram (1958-1959), Kladno (all of Czechoslovakia) (1959-1960), Tongeren (Belgium)
. Games / Goals: Results in the top division had 341 game and scored 518 goals in Ligovo matches (1.52 per game), including:
. -71 in the Austrian league goal in 75 games,
. -in chehoslavatskoy - 206 goals (national record) in 151 games,
. -in the championship of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia - 241 goal in 115 matches.
. Record-holder Slavia on congested Gholam - 447
. Titles: Champion of Austria 1935, . 1936, . 1937, . Champion of the Czech Republic 1940, . 1941, . 1942, . 1943, . Champion of Czechoslovakia 1947, . 1948, . Cup Mitropa 1938, . Top scorer of Austria 1934, . Top scorer Czech Republic and Czechoslovakia (during the Nazi occupation 1939-1944 Bican performed in competitions of Czech-Moravian League protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia) 1938 (22 goals), . 1939 (29), . 1940 (50), . 1941 (36), . 1942 (42), . 1943 (38), . 1944 (57), . 1946 (31), . 1947 (43), . 1948 (21), . 1950 (22),
.
Austria squad 1933-1936: held 19 matches and scored 14 goals.
Czechoslovakia 1938-1949: held 14 matches and scored 12 goals.
Died Dec. 12, 2001.

World Football lost one of the greatest legends. On December 12, 2001, at age 88, died one of the best players of the world - Josef Bican. The last two months of his life he spent in hospital in Prague in Vinohrady. According to his wife, no one could believe that it was Pepi, as everyone called him, has a bad heart. Already last week, the heart of the famous footballer refused, but doctors managed to save him. Second time fighting for his life were unsuccessful.

Among the Czechs no unequivocal opinion, who should be considered the best player of the nation of all time - Masopust or Bican. The first perfectly realized, becoming the vice-world champion and holder of the Golden Ball. Second had to live during hard times. In his career, of course, left a greasy mark turbulent political and military events of 30-50-ies. But Bican - it я?п°п?п°пҐя?п?я?п?, football player, obviously sustained a loss of a piece of glory, a variant of our Streltsov. Therefore worth to restore historical justice and to tell about it more in detail.

Professional with 11 YEARS

Bican was born in the "ten" - in the 10 th quarter of favorite, near the southern edge of Vienna. In Favoritene worshiped the football, and at the beginning of last century there were at least a dozen football teams. Family Bitsanov lived, by the way, quite far from the house of another superstar - Matthias Shindelarzha.

All parents and grandparents of Pepi (such reduction, on behalf of Joseph was taken in Vienna) were Czechs. My father fought in the First World War and in wartime superintending home once or twice a year. Unfortunate fact: he died in 1921, not from wounds sustained in war, but from a football injury. Speaking for "Gert" (there was a club in Vienna, speaking in the top division), he got in the match with "Rapid" a strong blow to the kidneys. Pepi "replaced" in "Hertha" father, speaking for the teenage team. When he was 15 years, the situation is more complicated: the death of his elder brother Franz. It had to be the way that his football talent became evident at that time for the whole neighborhood. Pepi offered a good job in the shoe firm Shustek "with the obligation spelled out in the contract to play for its football team.

At the time, every self-respecting company felt obliged to start his team. A year later, in 1929-meters, the firm "Farbenlutts", which, like "Shustek, based in Favoritene, suggested Joseph even more favorable (on his mother, who was also taken to work).

. Almost every game attended as an observer Roman Shramzays, very well known throughout Europe defender of the "Rapida"
. "I liked him, and he invited me to the youth team" Rapida ", - says Bican. - Together with me was invited by my friend, Ferdinand. Not rich enough to pay for travel on public transport, we walked the entire path of the favorites to walk Hyutteldorfa. We got to train enthusiasts Rapid, saw how talented players there who do not even consist of a contract, and frankly truhanuli, thinking that it is unlikely we will find here a place. In general, returned to the favorites and in this weekend and came out to play, as usual, for a team of firm. Shramzays again was right there. He demanded an explanation from me and promise that I'll come back in the "Rapid" - right in the locker room. I played in a training match for the boys against amateurs. We won 7:5, and I scored all seven goals, but absolutely did not know partners. "

. At that time, was accepted as graduate teams - junior, then an amateur, backup, and finally, the first professional (in Austria professionalism was legalized in the 20-ies)
. For each level there was a championship. Bican quickly jumped step by step. A week after his appearance in "Rapid" Bican was supposed to play for the boys, but the field played havoc with the rain and grass-roots team matches canceled because of fears that a major duels, it will become worthless. Pepi sat on the podium, but he was unexpectedly summoned and asked to play for reserves. He made a double, and "Rapid" won 3:1.

After that, he appeared three times in the amateurs, and the rest of sezona-30/31 again conducted among reservists. With five attacks Kirbesh - Kaburek - Bican - Binder - Pesser (the latter two are European stars, too), reserve "Rapida" a phenomenal number of goals scored - 263. Bitsanu happened score and seven, and nine.

In the main the same team affairs, by contrast, were not going well. "Every Thursday after a workout trainer Sheneker arranged disassembly - recalls Bican. - One day before the match against FK Austria Wien "he said to me: Kaburek now in such bad shape that you're hardly going to play worse."

So, on Sept. 3, 1931 Bican first played for the "Rapid" at the highest level. Odd "Austria" journalists quoted above. They proceeded from the fact that, on the one hand, the attack is headed by famed Shindelarzh, on the other hand - a kind of debutante.

Pepi denied all forecasts, sending the opponent to one after the other three balls. With 4:2 in a clash with Karl Galle he broke his arm. "I said this Shenekeru. He demanded that I keep playing. "It's impossible," - tell him. - "I do not care, play!" After that I scored from 20 meters of another goal. We won 5:3, "- says Bican.

He was fully endowed with equal success played on any of the five attacking positions and goals scored in all possible ways. But his "crown" were solo passages. The fans demanded it from him, chanting: "Pepi, solo! Pepi, solo! Bican easily run away from defenders, because it was the fastest football player of his time (and maybe not only his). He ran stometrovku for 10.8 seconds!

.

"Relative" MAYZLYA

Hugo Mayzl first included it in its "Wunderteam" 29 November 1933 for the match against Scotland (2:2), where he played right insiders between Charles and Tsishekom Shindelarzhem
. The second meeting with Holland (1:0) held his first goal for the team: Bican used cut through a pass Shindelarzha.

Then there was the match with Italy in Rome on February 11, 1934, in which the Austrians have achieved spectacular victories - 4:2. Experimental central entirely "rapidovskaya troika attack Kaburek - Bican - Binder manifested itself in all his glory. But the world championship of them took one Mayzl Bican. His partners were under the pressure of the press had to be replaced by a more well-known, but is in worse shape Shindelarzha and Clifford Shull. Italians were most surprised by this choice. In the semifinal mundialya them, though with great assistance of the Swedish judges Eklinda, took revenge - 1:0. On account Bican in this game - hit the bar.

After the championship in the life of Pepi was the turn of strange stories. Prague Slavia had the presidium of the very rich, but know nothing about football, people - says Bican. - They sent a representative to Vienna, so he recruited them Binder. In the match, after which he watched from the sidelines, I have not scored a five, not something more balls. Apparently, it made a strong impression on him because when he returned to Prague and he was asked: "Well, where is thy Binder?" - He replied: "What a Binder when they have Bican! He is young and speaks Czech. That someone should buy!

But the "Rapid" was opposed to its sale, and this has complicated relations between him and Slavia. Sam Bican, which leapt Bohemian roots, it is sought in the Prague team, but this could be achieved only by roundabout ways. He agreed with Admira, "which she played for two years on condition that she then let him free in the" Slavia ". The agreement was secret, and when the summer of 1935 Bican joined "Admira, nobody else knew about his secret background. But Joseph had to endure a nine-month disqualification imposed upon him "Rapid".

Despite the lack of club gaming practices Mayzl and during the disqualification took Bican in team. Partly, perhaps, of: kindred feelings. Once he intimidated by Joseph: "You know, Pepi, because we are with you family! My wife - a native of Moravia, and her maiden name - Bitsanova.

They have developed a trust relationship, and Bitsanu Mayzl allowed more than other players. In April 1936, before the match with England, he called him to his home. "This had never happened before, so he invited players to his house - tells Bican. - "I want to, Pepi, that you played center forward," - he said to me. "And what Herr Shindelarzh?" - Say. "Shinde is not, you better, we must beat England!" - "No, Herr Mayzl, I think it would be better if I played left insiders". I insisted and promised him victory if he accepts my plan. As a result, Shinde played in the center, I left, we won 2:1. Later I confessed to him that will go to the Slavia. Incidentally, he was a fan of this club. He said: "Okay, but play for us last time". In November 1936, I played his last match for Austria - against the Swiss. "

Difficulties meanwhile continued. Under an agreement reached with Admira, Bican had the right to freely move in the Slavia in 1937. But "Admira" suddenly began to refuse his words. "They just do not want to lose the best player - tells Bican. - They realized that without me would have with each foreign friendly game at 15-20 thousand shillings less. "

Nevertheless, in April 1937 Joseph managed to make the transition to which he sought. In the "Slavia" he immediately got his hands on 150 thousand kroons. This money could buy three expensive cars. "With the money was there all right, - said Bican. - In 1938, Slavia beat Juventus 4:0, and I got a prize for winning 8000 CZK. In addition, the director of the bank told me that would pay a thousand for each of my goal. Because I scored all four of my income from this match was 12000 EEK. Highly paid worker received while 800 per month. "

Worse was the case with the paperwork. Bican applied for Czech citizenship, but it was considered crazy for a long time. By the 1938 FIFA World Cup, he had no time to become a Czech, that it was terribly annoying, because he was at peak form and would probably have shone in France. "In Germany or Italy, the naturalization process took a few days. We have the same officials were so far removed from football that drew him many months. I got a passport only two weeks after the championship, "- remembers Bican.

.

Thorn in the flesh COMMUNISTS

He made his debut in the national team of Czechoslovakia August 7, 1938 - three goals in Sweden Gate
. And in the course sezona-38/39 Czechoslovakia ceased to exist, since Germany occupied the Czech part of the country and announced its "Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia of the Third Reich.

. Championship of the Czech Republic (under the new name) continue to play and during the war, although Slavia and other teams had had opportunity to speak abroad.

. Throughout the war Bican played football, always becoming the league's top scorer
. Along the way he served as an employee at a steel plant. He is not appealed to the front, that certainly would have happened to him, stay in Austria it.

The greatest evil in the life Bican was the communist regime came to power in the restored Czechoslovakia in 1948. Communists took away from him, his wife, Jarmila, whom he married in 1943, and her rich parents, all property - home, factory, hotel. A total of $ 50 million kroons. In addition, and most of Joseph kicked out of the "Slavia", which was turned into a police command and renamed the Dynamo.

As in early childhood, Bican once again in complete poverty. True, the name and enormous prestige among the people. Former defender of Czechoslovakia Ladislav Zhenishek handed him a helping hand. He coached the company in Vitkovice, which played in the second division, and dreamed out in the first. With Bican, who scored 76 (!) Goals in 22 games, the goal was immediately implemented.

In 1952, he received an order to release an apartment in Prague, where he lived. Then the authorities agreed to keep it to him, but on condition that he would live in it. Since Vitkovice was quite far from Prague, Bitsanu had to part with the team Zhenisheka and go to "Spartacus" from located closer to the capital of Hradec Kralove.

. A year later, 39-year-old Bican unexpectedly once again in his former club
. The fact that "Dukla" - Army team - for one night and took away from Dynamo's top three players, calling them the army. This undermined the forces of ex-Slavia, put it on the brink of departure, and she went to pay homage to the "monster" which, of course, saved her. Over the next two years he served in the Dynamo player-coach role. In the last official match against Liberec "Iskra" (7:2) Bican, . almost 42-year-old, . made poker - exactly the same, . a quarter of a century ago in the first match of his career! He would have played and continue, . if not another stupid ruling Communists, . prohibiting coaches go on the field.,

. Bican led Dynamo to 1956, . then Slovan Liberec (1956-57), . Spartak Brno (1957-58), . "Banik Pribram (1958-59), . "Kladno" (1959-60), . Spartak Hradec Kralove (1960) and the Belgian "Tongeren" (1969-72), . which he for two years, raised two battalions,
. Some of the Czech team also raised under his leadership.

In Kladno this was the case. Bican not want to go to a May Day demonstration, but conceded the request of his wife, petitioned its possible trouble. People, . duty chanting slogans such as "Long live the General Secretary of our party!", . seeing him, . suddenly shouted "Long live Bican Long live Bican!" And then began to collect signatures for, . to street, . adjacent to the stadium, . was renamed in his honor,
. Local authorities, who feared his popularity, ordered to leave the city.

. In the Austrian league Bican scored 71 goal in 75 matches in the Czechoslovak - 206 of 151 (not counting the second division) in the championship of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia - 241 of 115
. As a result a 518 goals in 341 matches. On average - 1.52 per match! Only one football player in world history - Portuguese Peyroteu - this figure was higher (1.68).

World record holder in goals scored in the first division is Ferenc Puskц?s, who has their 511. Bican, as we see, outdid his. But MFISF took a rather controversial decision not to take into account on an equal footing with the other goals scored in the championships of the countries occupied or colonized. And in this he was cheated!