{{Short description|Hungarian football manager (born 1900)}} {{cleanup|date=September 2024|reason=References need to be cleaned up}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2026}} {{Infobox football biography | image = Imre Hirschl.jpg | caption = | full_name = Imre Hirschl | birth_date = {{Birth date|1900|06|11|df=yes}} | birth_place = Apostag, Kingdom of Hungary | death_date = {{death date and age|1973|09|23|1900|06|11|df=yes}} | death_place = Buenos Aires, Argentina | height = 1.72 m | position = | youthyears1 = 1910-20s? | youthclubs1 = Húsos | years1 = ?? | clubs1 = ?? | caps1 = ?? | goals1 = ?? | manageryears1 = ?? | managerclubs1 = Palestra Itália | manageryears2 = circa 1933 | managerclubs2 = Gimnasia La Plata | manageryears3 = 1933–1938 | managerclubs3 = River Plate | manageryears4 = cira 1939 | managerclubs4 = Rosario Central | manageryears5 = Pre-1943 | managerclubs5 = Banfield | manageryears6 = 1943 | managerclubs6 = San Lorenzo | manageryears7 = 1945–1946 | managerclubs7 = Cruzeiro-RS | manageryears8 = 1946–1948 | managerclubs8 = Marte | manageryears9 = 1949–1952 | managerclubs9 = Peñarol | manageryears10 = 1956 | managerclubs10 = Peñarol | manageryears11 = 1961 | managerclubs11 = River Plate }}
'''Imre Hirschl''', also known as '''Emérico Hirschl''', or '''Emérico Hirsch''',<ref>[https://www.futebolportenho.com.br/2014/07/18/homenagem-a-amia-conheca-os-judeus-do-futebol-argentino/ Homenagem à AMIA: conheça os judeus do futebol argentino]</ref> (11 June 1900{{spnd}}23 September 1973) was a Hungarian professional football and manager.
== Early life == It is often claimed that Hirschl was an important player for Ferencváros.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rivermillonarios.com.ar/wiki/entrenadores_emerico_hirschl|url-status=dead|archive-date=22 April 2016 |title=Hirschel bei Budapest|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160422092311/www.rivermillonarios.com.ar/wiki/entrenadores_emerico_hirschl}} </ref> It is also claimed that he also played in Yugoslavia, Austria and France. However, there is no evidence for any of these claims.
The lesser-known second-division Hungarian side Húsos FC, (who were forcibly relegated due to bribery around that time) is the only club that, it is claimed, actually has any records of him as a player.
From his daughter Gabriela, a psychoanalyst in Buenos Aires, it is asserted here that he fought on the British side in World War I and in Post-WWI Palestine, activities which reportedly left Hirschl with scars on his hip and wrist. She also claims that he came from a wealthy family and also played football in Czechoslovakia. Unfortunately, the veracity of these claims is unknown.
Otherwise, very little is known about Hirschl's early life.
== Career == In 1929, while Ferencváros embarked on a tour to South America,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesf/fradi-zam29.html|title=Ferencváros South American Tour 1929|website=www.rsssf.org}}</ref> Hirschl is said to have met wealthy Brazilian businessman and president of Palestra Italia (now known as Palmeiras), Eduardo Matarazzo, in Paris while attempting to procure a visa to New York. They later reunited in São Paulo, where it is said that Matarazzo's commitment to his club led Hirschl to agree to work there as an assistant coach, and later as head coach, for two games in 1931.<ref>Hie und da werden eine gegen Portuguesa gewonnene und eine gegen Corinthians verlorene Partie aufgeführt. Das Meisterschaftsspiel gg. Portuguesa ging allerdings 2:2 aus.</ref>
In the early 1930s, New York City side Hakoah All-Stars<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesh/hakoah-satrip30.html|title=South American Trip of Hakoah All-Stars 1930|website=www.rsssf.org}}</ref> undertook a tour of South America. This led him to cross paths with Béla Guttmann, who is said to have employed him as a masseur. This continued until, whilst on the Argentine leg of their tour, the American side was forced to terminate his contract as they could no longer afford to pay him.
Hirschl then offered his services to the different clubs in the Buenos Aires area, under the spurious claim that he was the ex-coach of Hakoah All-Stars, and successfully acquired the coaching job at Gimnasia La Plata in 1932. With Gimnasia, he lost the first three games and won only three in the first half of the season, but in this era the club generated the nickname "El Expreso Platense". He guided them to a seventh-place finish in the Argentine Championship that season. He gained the nickname "El Mago" ("The Wizard") from fans and media.
In 1933, Gimnasia was involved in a close title race, but two highly controversial referee decisions in the final phase of the season in games against Boca Juniors and San Lorenzo put an end to hopes. Gimnasia finished sixth, within four points of the title, scoring 90 goals. In his time at Gimnasia, Hirschl introduced some major players in the club's history, notably Arturo Naón who would go on to become Gimnasia's record goal scorer.
At the beginning of 1935 he took the coaching position at Argentine club River Plate, with whom he won back-to-back league titles in 1936 (two titles were won that year{{Cref|a}}) and 1937. Hirschl also led River Plate to a domestic cup and two continental trophies during his tenure. In 1938 he was replaced by Renato Cesarini.<ref>Luciano Álvarez: Historia de Peñarol, 3. Auflage 2010, S. 325</ref>
In 1939 he took the coaching position at Rosario Central.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rosariocentral.com/la-previa-de-central-boca/|title=La Previa de Central – Boca}}</ref>
thumb|left|Hirschl (bottom furthest left) with his 1936 title-winning River Plate side
After reportedly spending the early 1940s with Gimnasia whilst they toured South America, he moved to Buenos Aires club Banfield before, in 1943, switching to San Lorenzo. There, however, he was brought before the sports courts in December 1943 where he was one ten individuals who were suspended from footballing activity in connection with a cheating scandal at Banfield.
This severely damaged his reputation in Argentina.
In August 1944, the Brazilian Sporting Council gave Hirschl permission to coach the local club Cruzeiro-RS in Porto Alegre.<ref>''O C.N.D. Fez A Communicação Oficial A C.B.D.'' Jornal dos Sports, 1 September 1944.</ref> He took up the position there in early 1945 and remained at Cruzeiro until his resignation in June 1946, when he decided to coach the first division club Marte in Mexico City, where he signed a two-year contract. His successor at Cruzeiro-RS was Telemaco Frazaeo de Lima, a former Grêmio player.<ref>''Telemaco Para O Cruzeiro: Hirschl Vai Atuar No México'', Jornal dos Sports, 14 June 1946. S. 3</ref>
In March 1949, Hirschl signed with Uruguayan club Peñarol. It is reported that his first training session gained a crowd of 1,500 spectators.<ref>Luciano Álvarez: Historia de Peñarol, 3. Auflage 2010, S. 326, 368</ref>
Hirschl, who went by the name ''Emérico Hirsch'' in Uruguay, coached the capital side until at least 1951.<ref>Marcos Silvera Antúnez: Club Atlético Peñarol – 120, "Directores Técnicos", Ediciones El Galeón, Montevideo 2011, S. 192f – ISBN 978-9974-553-79-8</ref><ref>Luciano Álvarez: Historia de Peñarol, 3. Auflage 2010, S. 337ff</ref> Hirschl continued his predecessor Randolph Galloway's usage of the WM Formation<ref>Luciano Álvarez: Historia de Peñarol, 3. Auflage 2010, S. 326</ref> and won the Uruguayan Championship in 1949 and 1951 as well as three domestic cups. According to Luciano Álvarez, he remained Peñarol manager until 1953, returning in either 1955 or 1956 for a brief second spell.<ref>Luciano Álvarez: Historia de Peñarol, 3. Auflage 2010, S. 368</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://campeondelsiglo.com/web/futbol/planteles-historicos/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101214603/campeondelsiglo.com/web/futbol/planteles-historicos/ |archive-date=1 January 2016 |title=Planteles Históricos}} {{in lang |es}}</ref>
In January 1961 he returned to Buenos Aires and River Plate for a short period of time.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/sacups/sa-summer-club61.html|title=South American Summer International Tournament 1961|website=www.rsssf.org}}</ref>
== Achievements ==
'''River Plate''' *Argentine Primera División: 1936 Copa Campeonato, 1936 Copa de Oro,{{Cref|a}} 1937 *Copa Ibarguren: 1937 *Copa Aldao: 1936, 1937
'''Peñarol''' *Uruguayan Primera División: 1949, 1951 *Torneo Competencia: 1949, 1951 *Torneo de Honor: 1949, 1950, 1951
'''Notes''' {{Cnote2 Begin|liststyle=disc}} {{Cnote2|a|'''1936 Title Controversy:''' The 1936 season was divided into two single round-robin tournaments, "Copa Campeonato" (won by River Plate) and "Copa de Honor" (won by San Lorenzo). At the end of the season, both teams played the "Copa de Oro", a single match won by River. In its ''Memoria y Balance'' (Annual Report) published by the AFA that year, River Plate is mentioned as "1936 Champion" while San Lorenzo is only mentioned as "Copa de honor winning team".<ref name="memoria36">{{Cite book |url=https://biblioteca.afa.org.ar/libros/libro_13/#page/36 |title=Memoria y Balance 1936 |pages=36}}</ref> In its 100th anniversary book published in 1993, the AFA listed River Plate as the only 1936 champion.<ref>''100 Años con el Fútbol'' (hardcover edition) – Argentine Football Association</ref> In 2013, the AFA included three 1936 championships on its website, mentioning River Plate as Copa de Oro and Copa Campeonato winner and San Lorenzo as Copa de Honor winner, therefore both clubs added one league title to their honours.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.clarin.com/deportes/afa-reconocio-san-lorenzo-river_0_HJ7mgt8owXe.html|title=La AFA les reconoció otro título a San Lorenzo y a River|first=Redacción|last=Clarín|date=6 July 2013|website=Clarín}}</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20131216002759/http://cronica.com.ar/diario/2013/07/05/50257-san-lorenzo-y-river-campeones.html 77 años después: San Lorenzo y River, campeones!]</ref> Moreover, some historians consider Copa de Oro a national cup instead of a league championship, stating that it was only contested to qualify an Argentine representative to play the Copa Aldao against the Uruguayan champion.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.clarin.com/deportes/futbol/titulo-80-anos-despues-sigue-generando-controversia_0_BkRS8JdNl.html|title=Un título que 80 años después sigue generando controversia|first=Oscar|last=Barnade|date=21 December 2016|website=Clarín}}</ref>}} {{Cnote2 End}}
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * [https://estadisticasderiver.com/director-tecnico/?id=89 Statistik] auf estadisticasderiver.com, retrieved 22 April 2016 * Leandro D'Ambrosio: [https://mundoazulgrana.com.ar/sanlorenzo/noticias/18941/los_tecnicos_extranjeros_de_san_lorenzo.html Los técnicos extranjeros de San Lorenzo], Mundo Azulgrana, 23 June 2016
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hirschl, Imre}} Category:1900 births Category:1973 deaths Category:Footballers from Bács-Kiskun County Category:SE Palmeiras non-playing staff Category:Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata managers Category:Club Atlético River Plate managers Category:Rosario Central managers Category:Club Atlético Banfield managers Category:San Lorenzo de Almagro managers Category:Esporte Clube Cruzeiro managers Category:Peñarol managers