Legendary Ajax football coach Kovacs revealed as communist secret police informant

“I voluntarily undertake to promptly report to the State security organs everything I know about the subversive work carried out by hostile elements,” the engagement reads, according to the documents. Kovacs promised absolute secrecy under threat of criminal prosecution.

Lieutenant Noros Iacob, who recruited Kovacs for the Surveillance and Investigation Service, described him as having “a fairly high political and cultural level” and being “an element attached to the regime.”

Reports indicate Kovacs was valued for his extensive contacts within athletic circles, particularly for monitoring athletes seeking to travel abroad. The recruitment took place during one of European football’s darkest periods, when communist governments across Eastern Europe used security services to control citizens, including sports figures. Romania was then a Soviet satellite state under Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej’s leadership.

According to surveillance reports, Kovacs met with handlers two to three times monthly at various locations including his workplace, streets, parks, and eventually conspiratorial safe houses. He submitted 34 briefing notes during his collaboration, though the notes themselves are not included in the archived file.

Internal assessments described him as punctual, objective, and committed. Notably, Kovacs refused any payment for his services. One officer wrote that he “demonstrated sincerity in the materials provided” and showed “keen interest” in completing assigned tasks.

The file contains one specific reference to information Kovacs provided about someone named Jenei, likely legendary Romanian footballer Emeric Jenei. However, a report noted this particular information appeared influenced by “old personal disagreements” rather than objective observation.

Kovacs’ cooperation ended in 1963 when he moved to Bucharest to join Romania’s national federation structure. A final report stated he could “no longer attend meetings punctually” due to frequent travel with teams, making organized contact impossible. Authorities formally abandoned him as an agent that year.

Following this period, Kovacs achieved remarkable success in football. He won Romania’s championship with Steaua Bucharest in 1968, then took charge of Ajax in 1971. There, coaching Johan Cruyff and other Dutch masters, he captured consecutive European Cups in 1972 and 1973, along with three Dutch league titles. He later managed France’s national team, Greek powerhouse Panathinaikos, and Monaco before his death in Cluj in 1995 at age 74.

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