George Pakos

George "Teddy" Pakos (born August 14, 1952) is a Canadian former soccer player who played as a second striker. His goals were crucial in the Canada national team qualifying for the 1986 FIFA World Cup.

Club career

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-meter technician 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. Pakos did play briefly professionally in the Western Soccer Alliance in 1985 with the Victoria Riptides and in the Canadian Soccer League with the Victoria Vistas in 1989.

International career

Spotted by coach Bob Bearpark while playing for the Vancouver Island Selects amateur team, Pakos made his debut with the Olympic team at age 30. He also played for Bearpark in two 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 Olympics.

The midfielder Pakos scored five times in 23 'A' internationals, all of which he earned from age 31 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 came on for the last 21 minutes of Canada's third match in the finals versus the Soviet Union in his final full international appearance.

Post-retirement

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.

Career statistics

Scores and results list Canada's goal tally first.

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	11 December 1983	Estadio General Francisco Morazán (San Pedro Sula, Honduras)	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Honduras	flag alias = Flag of Honduras (2022-).svg	flag alias-1839 = Flag of Honduras (1839-1866).svg	flag alias-1866 = Flag of Honduras (1866-1898).svg	flag alias-1898 = Flag of Honduras (1898-1949).svg	flag alias-1949 = Flag of Honduras (1949-2022).svg	flag alias-naval = Naval Ensign of Honduras.svg	link alias-naval = Honduran Navy	link alias-air force = Honduran Air Force	link alias-army = Honduran Army	flag alias-army = Flag of the Honduran Army.svg	flag alias-navy = Naval Ensign of Honduras.svg	link alias-navy = Honduran Navy	link alias-military = Armed Forces of Honduras	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = 1949 }} || || 1–3 || Friendly match
2	4 April 1985	Civic Stadium (Portland, Oregon)	{{safesubst: Template:Yesno	alias = United States	flag alias = Flag of the United States.svg	flag alias-1776 = Flag of the United States (1776–1777).svg	flag alias-1777 = Flag of the United States (1777–1795).svg	flag alias-1777-Ross = Betsy Ross flag.svg	flag alias-1795 = Flag of the United States (1795-1818).svg	flag alias-1795FM = Flag of the United States (1795–1818).svg	flag alias-1818 = Flag of the United States (1818-1819).svg	flag alias-1819 = Flag of the United States (1819-1820).svg	flag alias-1820 = Flag of the United States (1820-1822).svg	flag alias-1822 = Flag of the United States (1822–1836).svg	flag alias-1836 = Flag of the United States (1836-1837).svg	flag alias-1837 = Flag of the United States (1837-1845).svg	flag alias-1845 = Flag of the United States (1845-1846).svg	flag alias-1846 = Flag of the United States (1846-1847).svg	flag alias-1847 = Flag of the United States (1847-1848).svg	flag alias-1848 = Flag of the United States (1848-1851).svg	flag alias-1851 = Flag of the United States (1851-1858).svg	flag alias-1858 = Flag of the United States (1858-1859).svg	flag alias-1859 = Flag of the United States (1859-1861).svg	flag alias-1861 = Flag of the United States (1861-1863).svg	flag alias-1863 = Flag of the United States (1863-1865).svg	flag alias-1865 = Flag of the United States (1865-1867).svg	flag alias-1867 = Flag of the United States (1867-1877).svg	flag alias-1877 = Flag of the United States (1877-1890).svg	flag alias-1890 = Flag of the United States (1890-1891).svg	flag alias-1891 = Flag of the United States (1891-1896).svg	flag alias-1896 = Flag of the United States (1896-1908).svg	flag alias-1908 = Flag of the United States (1908-1912).svg	flag alias-1912 = Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg	flag alias-1959 = Flag of the United States (1959–1960).svg	flag alias-1960 = Flag of the United States (Web Colors).svg	flag alias-pantone = Flag of the United States (Pantone).svg	flag alias-yacht = United States yacht flag.svg	flag alias-air force = Flag of the United States Air Force.svg	flag alias-coast guard-1799 = Ensign of the United States Revenue-Marine (1799).png	flag alias-coast guard-1815 = Ensign of the United States Revenue-Marine (1815).png	flag alias-coast guard-1836 = Ensign of the United States Revenue-Marine (1836).png	flag alias-coast guard-1841 = Ensign of the United States Revenue-Marine (1841).png	flag alias-coast guard-1867 = Ensign of the United States Revenue-Marine (1867).png	flag alias-coast guard-1868 = Ensign of the United States Revenue-Marine (1868).png	flag alias-coast guard-1915 = Ensign of the United States Coast Guard (1915-1953).png	flag alias-coast guard-1953 = Ensign of the United States Coast Guard.svg	flag alias-coast guard = Flag of the United States Coast Guard.svg	link alias-coast guard = United States Coast Guard	flag alias-army = Flag of the United States Army.svg	link alias-naval = United States Navy	flag alias-navy-1864 = Flag of the United States Navy (1864-1959).svg	flag alias-navy = Flag of the United States Navy (official).svg	link alias-navy = United States Navy	link alias-marines = United States Marine Corps	flag alias-marines-1914 = Flag of the United States Marine Corps (1914-1939).png	flag alias-marines = Flag of the United States Marine Corps.svg	link alias-merchant marine = United States Merchant Marine	flag alias-merchant marine = Flag of the United States Merchant Marine Higher Resolution.jpg	flag alias-space force = Flag of the United States Space Force.svg	link alias-military = United States Armed Forces	link alias-football = United States men's national soccer team	link alias-Australian rules football = United States men's national Australian rules football team	flag alias-23px = Flag of the United States (23px).png	empty = USA Selects	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	altvar = football	variant = }} || || 1–1 || Friendly match
3	25 August 1985	Estadio Tiburcio Carías Andino (Tegucigalpa, Honduras)	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Honduras	flag alias = Flag of Honduras (2022-).svg	flag alias-1839 = Flag of Honduras (1839-1866).svg	flag alias-1866 = Flag of Honduras (1866-1898).svg	flag alias-1898 = Flag of Honduras (1898-1949).svg	flag alias-1949 = Flag of Honduras (1949-2022).svg	flag alias-naval = Naval Ensign of Honduras.svg	link alias-naval = Honduran Navy	link alias-air force = Honduran Air Force	link alias-army = Honduran Army	flag alias-army = Flag of the Honduran Army.svg	flag alias-navy = Naval Ensign of Honduras.svg	link alias-navy = Honduran Navy	link alias-military = Armed Forces of Honduras	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = 1949 }} || 1–0 || 1–0 || 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification
4	14 September 1985	King George V Park (St. John's, Newfoundland)	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Honduras	flag alias = Flag of Honduras (2022-).svg	flag alias-1839 = Flag of Honduras (1839-1866).svg	flag alias-1866 = Flag of Honduras (1866-1898).svg	flag alias-1898 = Flag of Honduras (1898-1949).svg	flag alias-1949 = Flag of Honduras (1949-2022).svg	flag alias-naval = Naval Ensign of Honduras.svg	link alias-naval = Honduran Navy	link alias-air force = Honduran Air Force	link alias-army = Honduran Army	flag alias-army = Flag of the Honduran Army.svg	flag alias-navy = Naval Ensign of Honduras.svg	link alias-navy = Honduran Navy	link alias-military = Armed Forces of Honduras	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = 1949 }} || 1–0 || 2–1 || 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification
5	2 February 1986	Orange Bowl (Miami, Florida)	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Uruguay	flag alias = Flag of Uruguay.svg	flag alias-1828 = Flag of Uruguay (1828-1830).svg	link alias-naval = National Navy of Uruguay	flag alias-army = Flag of Uruguayan Army.svg	National Army of Uruguay	link alias-air force = Uruguayan Air Force	flag alias-air force = Flag of the Uruguayan Air Force.svg	link alias-navy = National Navy of Uruguay	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || 1–1 || 1–3 || Miami Cup

Honours

Player

Victoria London Boxing Club

• Canadian Amateur Championship (Challenge Trophy) winner (1975)

Canada

• CONCACAF Championship: 1985

Individual

• Pacific Coast League Rookie of the Year, 1972–73
• Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame, 2001
• BC Soccer Award of Merit, 2004
• VISL Team of the Half Century, 2015

External links

• Template:Canada Soccer