Co – Host Nation
Coach- Franciszek Smuda
One to Watch-Robert Lewandowski
As we approach the summer of 2012 all of our minds, well most of them at least, will turn away from the domestic football competitions within our own countries, towards the International arena for the eagerly awaited European Championship Finals, to be held in Poland and the Ukraine. Within a fortnight from now, the world will know the names of the last four teams/countries, which will join the 12 nations already guaranteed a place at Euro 2012. Over the next three weeks I shall be profiling each of the 16 finalists who will bid to become the champions of Europe until 2016.
Where better to start than with one of the co-hosts, Poland. The Poles have a proud history in International competition, winning gold at the Munich Olympics of 1972, taking silver at the subsequent games, and qualifying for the World Cup finals on no fewer than 6 occasions. The 1970s and early 1980s saw the “golden era” of Polish football. Under coach Kazimierz Gorski, they qualified for four successive World Cup Finals. Finishing third in 1974 they defeated, amongst others Argentina and Italy, only narrowly losing 1-0 to host nation and eventual winners West Germany in awful conditions in the semi-final . Poland repeated this magnificent feat eight years later in Spain, this time being beaten in the semi by tournament winners Italy with 2 goals from the winner of the Golden Boot, Paolo Rossi. The defeat didn’t stop this wonderful team from going on to defeat the France of Tigana and Platini 3-2 to clinch 3rd spot.
In view of all this success in World Cup Finals and Olympic Games, it is surprising to note that Poland have managed to qualify only once for the European Championship Finals. This success came in the most recent tournament to be staged in 2008. However, as with the World Cup campaigns of 2002 and 2006, an impressive qualification campaign was let down badly by poor performances in the competition itself. The Polish team failed to win a match and were eliminated at the end of the group stage having scored only once in three matches.
The jury is out on the current Polish team. Undoubtedly they have some talented players, for example, Robert Lewandowski, an exciting attacking midfielder with a knack for scoring goals, currently plying his trade with Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga. Another that may catch the eye in the summer is his Dortmund teammate Jakub Blaszczykowski or “Kuba” as he’s known in Germany, a pacey winger who can test defenders. One area that the Poles would appear to have covered is between the posts, where they can call on Boruc of Celtic, Kuszczak of Man. Utd. or Szcesny of Arsenal, amongst others. They will also have the benefit of being a host nation, with great home support which is usually good for a couple of extra points in a major tournament. However having played no competitive matches in the last 18 months, and after their dismal showing in qualifying for the 2010 World cup, it is difficult to judge where they are now in terms of quality as a team and it is believed that current coach Franciszek Smuda is unsure of his best eleven. This is, however, an enormous chance for the current crop of Polish players to update the annals of the Polish football story and make their mark in front of Europe on home soil. The tournament will be tough for Poland, but a favourable draw in the group stage and the atmosphere in the grounds may just help them to reach the knockout stages.
Neil Patterson
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Tags: domestic football, euro 2012, football competitions, golden boot, host nation, kazimierz gorski, magnificent feat, munich olympics, paolo rossi, platini, polish football, polish team, poor performances, proud history, qualifying for the world cup, robert lewandowski, smuda, tigana, tournament winners, world cup finals
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