John Toshack

John Toshack, born on March 22, 1949, is a distinguished Welsh former professional football player and manager. He began his career at Cardiff City, where he made history as the youngest player to debut for the club in 1965. Over his time there, he made more than 200 appearances and netted 100 goals, forming a formidable striking partnership with Brian Clark.

In 1970, Toshack transferred to Liverpool, where he became part of a celebrated forward trio alongside Kevin Keegan and Steve Heighway. This partnership was instrumental in securing multiple titles for the club, including two league championships, the European Cup, and the FA Cup. His time at Liverpool was marked by injuries, leading him to take on the role of player-manager at Swansea City in March 1978. Under his leadership, Swansea achieved three promotions in four seasons, a remarkable feat that earned him the admiration of former Liverpool manager Bill Shankly, who hailed him as the 'manager of the century.'

After resigning from Swansea in 1984, Toshack's managerial journey took him abroad, where he managed clubs such as Sporting CP in Portugal and Real Sociedad in Spain, winning the Copa del Rey in 1987. His tenure at Real Madrid began in 1989, where he led the team to a record fifth consecutive La Liga title. However, a poor start to the next season led to his dismissal in November 1990, prompting a return to Real Sociedad.

In 1994, he briefly managed Wales while continuing his role at Real Sociedad but resigned after just one match due to political tensions within the team. His subsequent managerial stints included Deportivo La Coruña during their 'Super Depor' era and a return to Real Madrid, which ended after ten months due to a fallout with players. In 2004, Toshack took the reins of the Welsh national team for a second time, overseeing six years of qualifying campaigns. His career later took him to Macedonia, Azerbaijan, and clubs in Morocco and Iran, marking a diverse and impactful journey in football.