Euro 2008 Team Preview: Poland

Boruc Poland Euro 2008 FOOTBALL – Euro 2008 Team Preview – POLAND
50/1 with totesport to win Euro 2008.

8/1 with skybet to win Qualifying Group B (includes Germany, Croatia and Austria).

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Past Championships

Despite finishing third in the World Cups of 1974 and 1982, Poland have failed to qualify for the European Championships in twelve attempts. As co-hosts for the 2012 finals, failure to qualify for the 2008 finals would have proved a major embarrassment.

Coach

The appointment of a foreigner, namely Dutchman Leo Beenhakker, as coach to the Polish national side was greeted with immediate hostility from the press and ex-international players. A much-travelled manager, Beenhakker won the La Liga title three times with Real Madrid. Previously, he managed the 1990 Dutch World Cup side, along with Trinidad and Tobago in 2006. Foreigner or not, Beenhakker has taken Poland to the European Championships, a feat which no Polish coach has previously achieved. One sign of Leo Beenhakker’s popularity in his adopted homeland was Polish president Lech Kaczynski presenting the Dutch journeyman with the Cross of the Order of the Rebirth of Poland for successfully leading the team to Euro 2008. He is already contracted to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Qualification

Early home disappointments against Finland (lost 3-1) and Serbia (1-1) in qualifying Group A inspired the Polish side to a twelve game rampage of 8 wins, 3 draws and 1 loss (to Armenia), winning the group by a single point from Portugal. Taking 5 points off Portugal (won at home, drew away) and beating Belgium 1-0 away helped coach Beenhakker placate a hostile Polish press. The Poles are drawn in a qualifying group with Austria, Croatia and Germany, which while tricky, affords them a decent chance of progressing.

Key Players

Celtic goalkeeper Artur Boruc has some strong competition for the number one jersey from Jerzy Dudek and Tomasz Kuszczak but some eye catching displays in the Champions’ League have made Boruc a wanted man by some top European clubs and looks odds-on to keep goal for the Poles this summer.

While he may struggle for playing time at club level, Jacek Krzynowek is still one of Poland’s main midfield inspirations. A strong tackler, creative going forward and an excellent dead-ball striker, he must surely play a big part in the Poles’ quest to progress.

Ebi Smolarek has always been earmarked as a high achiever in his homeland with the qualifying campaign in many ways his coming of age. The Spanish-based forward, who joined Racing Santander from Borussia Dortmund during the qualifying stages scored nine times in the group phase. However, the striker’s reliability against the better sides was a decisive factor in Poland’s qualification, scoring both goals in the wins over both Portugal and Belgium, along with a hat-trick against Kazakhstan. He was named Poland’s "Player Of The Year" in 2007 for the third successive season.

Pacy winger Jakub Blaszczykowski thrives in Leo Beenhakker’s straightforward system and offers cover on the right side of defence if required. The 22-year-old, one season through a lucrative four-year contract with Borussia Dortmund, is the nephew of Jerzy Brzeczek, a former Polish team captain.

All odds correct at time of writing. Please click here for the latest odds



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    • Written by John Lamerton · Filed Under Euro 2008, Football 

    Comments

    One Response to “Euro 2008 Team Preview: Poland”

    1. Kasia on May 25th, 2008 9:52 pm

      How is Dudek competition for Boruc when he’s not in the squad, or even on the reserve list?

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