Austria's Garics determined to make his father proud
Monday, June 13, 2016
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"I can't put into words what the game means to me," said Austria's György Garics, who is following family orders to take on Hungary tomorrow despite his father's death on the eve of the finals.
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For a room usually such a hive of activity, the Austria media centre in Mallemort fell instantly into respectful silence on Sunday afternoon when György Garics walked into the mixed zone.
György Garics Sr, the defender's father, passed away on Thursday morning at the age of 62 after a ten-month battle with cancer, but his son has chosen to stay with the Austria squad for the remainder of UEFA EURO 2016.
"I asked him whether I should stay with him or go, but he thought I should definitely go," Garics Jr told the assembled press. "Of course I want to respect his final wish. I would like to give him a beautiful send-off. Papa would have loved to see me at the EURO and he would have been the first to be angry if I left the tournament.
"We both worked towards the aim of being at the EURO. Unfortunately he missed it by a few days, but I'm going to do everything I can to make him even prouder. Football was his life."
Garics Sr was also a professional footballer, representing several clubs in Hungary, the country where his son was born – in Szombathely, not far from the border with Austria. The full-back spent the first 14 years of his life there, before moving to Vienna to play for Rapid Wien and becoming fluent in German.
When the opportunity arose several years later, Garics Jr opted to represent his adopted nation – not Hungary – and made his Austria debut in 2006, the first of 41 caps. In the decade since, however, the Darmstadt right-back has never played against his homeland, as he will in Tuesday's Group F opener.
"It would have been complicated and special for me anyway," said Garics Jr, who admitted he will sing both national anthems before proceedings begin in Bordeaux. "But what happened with Papa makes it a lot more emotionally charged. It's about football, it's about my story, it's about his story, and it's about three points. I can't put into words what the game means to me.
"You experience something like this very rarely in life – and the way things have come together this time is unique. Thanks, Papa, for ensuring that this game will stay with me forever."