George Pakos

George Pakos
Personal information
Date of birth (1952-07-14) 14 July 1952
Place of birth Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Playing position Second striker
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1989 Victoria Vistas
National team
Canada
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

George "Teddy" Pakos (born August 14, 1952 in Victoria, British Columbia) is a former Canadian international soccer player. His goals were crucial in Canada qualifying for its only FIFA World Cup finals to date, in 1986.[1]

An amateur player with the Victoria Athletic Association men's soccer team for much of his playing days, the midfielder Pakos scored 5 times in 22 'A' internationals, all of which he earned from age 29 on. In 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification as a 33-year-old who had been cut from the team after the first round of qualifying, Pakos was recalled and scored the lone goal in a vital away win at Honduras. He also scored the first goal in a 2-1 home victory against Honduras that clinched Canada's berth in their only finals appearance.

Pakos won Rookie of the Year honours in the final Pacific Coast League season, helping Victoria West United finish second overall in the 1972-73 league standings. He later played for Victoria's London Boxing Club (which later became the VAA) and won Canada Soccer's The Challenge Trophy in 1975. He began work at the same time as a water-metre tecnnician for the city of Victoria, a job he continued for over 25 years. The third son of Polish immigrants, George's father Zenon played professionally in Poland before being displaced by the war.

Spotted by coach Bob Bearpark while playing for the Vancouver Island Selects amateur team, Pakos made his team Canada debut at age 29. He also played for Bearpark in 2 Olympic qualifying matches in 1983 against Bermuda, scoring once in each game. He was however left off the team that reached the quarterfinals of the games.

Pakos did play briefly professionally in the Western Soccer Alliance in 1985 with the Victoria Riptides.

Pakos was head coach of V.A.A.'s Division 2 men's team of the Vancouver Island Soccer League in 2005-06.

In 2001, Pakos was inducted into the Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame.[2]

References

  1. ↑ "The unlikely tale of a World Cup hero". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2015-03-16.
  2. ↑ GVSHOF (2001). "George Pakos". GVSHOF. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
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