mark b wrote:
Internationally, Igloi's runners would have peaked at the 1956 Olympics - but politcs, in the shape of the Russian invasion of Hungary, intervened. Some of his great athletes never arrived in Melbourne, all of them ran well below their best. British great Gordon Pirie says in his autobiography that Kuts could have been beaten by one of them (forget which one, sorry).
If this had happened Igloi's reputation would stand considerably higher today than it does. This despite the fact that he produced world class runners in two very different countries with totally different cultures.
Also, the lack of any published work by Igloi has hurt his legacy, compared to, say, his contemporaries Stamphl, Cerutty and Lydiard who all left books still widely read today.
I think that is generally an accurate assessment. One should remember that part of Igloi's background was also the time he spent in a Soviet prison camp (Hungary fought along side Germany in WWII). I do think Igloi was more inner directed in a sense. He derived a great deal of enjoyment in coaching people. Sure Coach Igloi had his methods that he believed in, but I believe he cared less about promoting his ideas.