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Poland
Poland-Slovakia 0:1. Dancing On Ice.
Comments(24)An empty Stadion Slaski was a witness of the Bialo Czerwoni’s last World Cup qualifying game. We lost to Slovakia 0-1 due to Seweryn Gancarczyk’s own goal, an “effort” that best summarizes our campaign. Just as in Bratislava and Belfast it was our own player that cost us points in the game. No we’re in for two and a half years of friendly games.
Poland-Slovakia 0:1 (Gancarczyk og 3’)
Poland: Dudek- Gancarczyk, Bieniuk, Glowacki, Rzezniczak- Obraniak, M.Lewandowski, Roger (Peszko 60’), Blaszczykowski- Brozek (86’ Janczyk), Jelen (68’ R.Lewandowski)
Sorry, but I’m not able to carry out a comprehensive analysis of this game. First of all, it wasn’t a game of football but a game of snowball. Secondly, it was really hard to see the ball in these circumstances, I only knew where it was due to the players’ movement. The ball was yellow; there were red balls prepared but apparently they were not FIFA approved. Professionalism at its best and one more proof that football is for the fans to watch. Everyone who ever played on snow knows how hard it is so I won’t be harsh for the players, especially Seweryn Gancarczyk. It was one of the most stupid goals I’ve ever seen, but a one that wouldn’t be conceded in normal conditions. Slovaks played better in the first half, while we were a lot better in the second. Honestly, we should’ve at least drawn the game, a win would also be justified. Mariusz Lewandowski hit the crossbar, there were good chances for Ireneusz Jelen (twice), Ludovic Obraniak or Dawid Janczyk but the Slovak defenders together with Jan Mucha did enough to stop us. We also should’ve been awarded a penalty for the foul on Robert Lewandowski, but I think that the referee just didn’t want to ruin the Slovak party. The players showed enough ambition in the second half for me not to criticize them. Taking the circumstances into consideration (even to watch the game was cold, or was it my beer?), we were able to construct a couple of nice moves in the second half. If I’m to praise anyone it would be Jelen, Obraniak and Peszko who brought a lot of fire onto the field. Mariusz Lewandowski also tried really hard to apologize on the pitch for his stupid pre-game comments. I’m also sure about one thing: none of the centre backs tested in the last couple of games should be given an extended run in the team. Other than that, I wouldn’t write off any of the players taking part in the Slovakia game. Next friendlies take place in November during the European qualifying play offs, our opponents are yet to be announced (I heard something about Romania).
The game’s boycott was clearly visible to everyone watching. It was the main talking point of a majority of the news bulletins and was widely covered by the most influential webpages in the country. One of the sponsors, Compensa, resigned from playing in the same team with PZPN. The other one (BZWBK) took off their pitch banners so as not to piss off the fans. The supporters showed their strength and proved that they have to be taken into consideration when discussing the future of the Polish football. Any other effects? We can’t really count on any sort of intelligent reflection from Grzegorz Lato who said that the fans didn’t turn out due to the weather. The PZPN board won’t fire themselves, we need someone else to do it for them. One of the options are the sponsors (though their power is limited), the other is the ministry of sport (the new sport’s minister said that the problem has to be dealt with). I think the boycott will have an influence on the choice of our permanent manager. So as not to add fuel to the fire PZPN just can’t choose a coach that has no fans’ support (Stefan Majewski, Pawel Janas). I hope that the race for the post is now between Franz Smuda, Henryk Kasperczak and possibly Piotr Nowak. The decision should be made as fast as possible, the new coach must start his work before the next month’s friendlies.
Highlights:
With Polish commentary here.
Sorry dude, this looks like the most interesting Qualifier played last night, its probably 100X more interesting than the garbage Uruguay vs Argentina match, Argentina attacks the Uruguay once and scores and all because of a player ejection. The crowd got treated to a funeral, at least in Poland no one saw their team lose.
BTW do you have this match on DVD? I’d be interested in watching it.
Posted from 
United States
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pCqA7Ac1kc – Szpakowski seems to be saying what we’re all thinking.
Can someone explain who Janusz Atlas is? What is wrong with this man? http://www.rdc.pl/index.php?/pol/sport/sport/kibice_to_terrorysci_i_chuligani
@Fernando
I’m not sure but you can probably find it online, maybe on a football forum. I wouldn’t recommend watching it.
From the way Szpakowski talks, I don’t think anything is gonna change. If the people at the head don’t see that changes need to take place, then there will be no changes. They don’t understand what this is about. Thanks for the link to the vid marcin. I’m really interested to see where this is going. After all, even friendlies don’t mean anything to us right now.
Shit, I just read the today’s Gazeta Wyborcza which claims that there is a big possibility of Stefan Majewski and Pawel Janas working as a duet of coaches for the national team. Franz Smuda also gave an interview today in which he says that he’s sure he won’t be picked. This would just be a big middle finger from Piechniczek and co towards the fans and public opinion.
…and it will also result in the fence sitting fans to get on board the boycotting train, increasing the number of boycotters, so the pzpn will just shoot itself in the foot even more. The invisible ball was also a major screw up by the pzpn.
Why can’t the Polish gvt. intervene and form a new Polish football body, which would render the pzpn obsolete? I have no idea what the structure of the pzpn vis-à-vis the Polish gvt. is like, but surely there must be someone with higher authority than the pzpn that can force the pzpn to dissolve. Where does pzpn get their money from, other than the sponsors, fifa, uefa and ticket sales?
Posted from 
Canada
This is too depressing. Tomasz, could we maybe look more at the U 17,18,19,21 teams and see what our future is like and what potential some players have? All this talk about the senior team is hurting my heart.
Posted from Canada
Woot Poland on 53th place in FIFA Rankings, way to go!
Posted from 
Netherlands
Down to the 56th place on the FIFA rankings, we haven’t been as low since 1998
Posted from 
Iceland
Our U-19 is nothing to write home about, lost to Azerbaijan and tied Israel, so eliminated from further UEFA Championship play, but the U-17 team had some ok results this week, which earned them a qualification to the Uefa Championship. I believe this U-17 team is being coached by the same guy who coached the junion team which qualified for the U-20 WC in Canada a couple years ago, correct me if I am wrong.
Posted from Canada
If the pzpn wishes to ignore the boycott and punish it by installing majewski and janas as coaches then this will be War.
We will not surrender and in the end all those old commie bastards will lose.
There is no place in modern Poland for this tyranny to survive.
With two losses under his belt, how can the pzpn possibly rationalize keeping majewski?
Lato really showed what an asshole he is to blame the empty seats on the snow!
Regarding the game..I was not expecting how often we attacked. Was it our fire or a weak Slovak defense?
I can’t help bit think that Ebi could of put a clean finish on many of those near net balls.
So how much does it have to snow before a game is cancelled? That was a bit ridiculous.
I understand the slipping and sliding, but can’t understand why Gancarczyk felt he needed to touch a ball that wasn’t even
heading into the net! That one hurt..
And it must be some cruel joke to yet again only put Janczck on in the last few minutes of the game..wtf?
I’m exhausted but never giving up on our guys.
“Niech bojkot zyje nam..”
~a True Fan
Posted from Canada
First of all the problem isn’t just who will coach. The PZPN is stubborn enough not to admit that the whole structure of football needs to be changed. Second, they had to play in the snow because there was no time to postpone the match with leagues getting ready to get back in action. Third, the government is not allowed to intervene because FIFA want government and FA to be independant of eachother. To start a new FA would only kick Poland out of FIFA and UEFA for a few years if not forever. I have a feeling that if EURO 2012 blows up in Poland’s face, then the government will take it out on the FA.
I feel and hope it would be the case as ^ janusz said: “…then this will be War”. A am strongly for Franz Smuda as the NT coach. The Polish government should intervene to disolve and rebuild the Polish FA, even if it means sanctions from FIFA or UEFA. FIFA or UEFA do not hold the best interests of football in Poland if they threaten again. There is an stand against the PZPN is justified and should be view as such by all. Will Poland let outsiders control them?
Posted from United States
I agree the government should dissolve and rebuild the Polish FA, I don’t care about the sanction, even if UEFA will withdraw us the EURO2012.
But that’s the problem right now. Poland want this tournament for financial reasons. They’re not about do anything to dissolve the PZPN at the risk of the Euro. That means any gamble by the governemnt won’t occur until after the tournament.
tomasz, do you have any information on what the sports minister is saying about all this? I mean, he has to have an opinion, and I’d like to hear it.
This goes along with the Polish boat showing up 3 weeks late to visit the statue of liberty for america’s birthday. Out of all the other countries why is it us who does stupid things.
Posted from United States
@msudzi: Why do we waste money on doing that in the first place?
Posted from Netherlands
I still do not understand the structure of the PZPN nor do I understand how there is no oversight of any sort.
However, I think two things need to continue to get the leaders of the PZPN to retire. First, the boycott needs to continue strongly. But not just by boycotting the matches, but also by boycotting the sponsors. The people in Poland need to send a clear message that they will in no way support the companies who support the PZPN.
Second, some sort of leader needs to step in. Since it can’t be someone who is currently in government then maybe a past popular figure could help? Maybe Walesa? What needs to happen (and this is important since the same thing happens in organizations such as the UN when countries act up) is that we need to shame them. We need to put absolute shame on these individuals for acting the way they are. This can only be accomplished with pressure. Have a few famous Poles, actors and actresses speak publicly about this and things will get done.
Posted from United States
@ msudzi
That is the first I hear of this. I didn’t even know they invite other countries. Honestly, who cares. I think that is the response to the Obama administration deciding to announce the stop of the plans for an anti-missile base on the day same day we were celebrating the anniversary of the russian invasion.
adas is bang on. I don’t see the government doing anything for fear of upsetting the FIFA/UEFA mafia. The boycott is going strong but until there are over a million people I don’t see any changes coming on the part of the PZPN.
That was insensitive or ignorant of Obama to announce the abandonment of anti-missile bases on the 70th anniversary of the Soviet invasion (playing politics with the friends/suppliers of Iran).
Football fans should also support sponsors that withdraw support and advertising with the PZPN. The PZPN is so obviously not reasonable that companies supporting them should be considered unreasonable. Yes, it would be interesting to know the position of the minister of sports. If fans of Polish have strong resolve for the change that is overdue for the FA and boycott all PZPN associated events (i.e. Ekstraklasa), then no less than President Lech Kaczynski should step in to dissolve the current problems in the PZPN renew the FA.
Here is the link that Arek provided in last post where you can sign the Polish fans letter to UEFA and FIFA: http://www.fifauefa.pl It’s up to 126000 (more, but by the time repeat signers and bonehead spammers are accounted) and grower. Wish i could do more, but was good to sign the lista. For anyone not reading Polish (^Fernando, want to support Polish fans?), don’t translate page, you can click on the ” Podpisz sie” box on the right, then enter your name (Imie i Inazwisko) and city (Miasto), then submit (Wyslij).
Posted from United States
*Oops, last paragraph should be: …and growing.
(the list grew by about 60 names in about 12 mins, hope people will sent the link to friends and family to sign)
Posted from United States
PZPN is an important problem, but I think that the government has more important problems at the moment. We’ve just experienced the biggest governmental crisis in 2-3 years due to the gambling scandal (some of the most important politicians are suspected of corruption). The sport’s minister was sacked, the new one hasn’t taken a clear stand on the PZPN so far.On the other hand, forcing changes in PZPN would be a great way for the government to win back the public opinion’s support. It’s the best moment to introduce an outside control, what can FIFA or UEFA do to us? The national team won’t play any competetive games in 2,5 years, we’ve got no clubs in European competition. Taking back Euro 2012 is just impossible, we’ve done too much so far. FIFA and UEFA has nothing to threaten us with at the moment.
PS: As Paradowski wrote, visit the fifauefa.pl site, I’ve already signed the petition.
tomasz, I know a government has more important matters to attend to. But what else is a Sports Minister supposed to concern himself with if not sports in Poland? I’m not even saying the government should intervene at this point. I just think he must have an opinion on this. Otherwise he’s just like the PZPN. Which, quite frankly wouldn’t suprise me at this point.
“Taking back Euro 2012 is just impossible, we’ve done too much so far. FIFA and UEFA has nothing to threaten us with at the moment.”
Exactly my thoughts! This is why the time to act and the time to change is NOW!
Posted from Canada
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First time I see a match without the ball, very strange. Jelen and Obraniak was very good, two guy who are playing in a real league. I hope too that the race for the post is now between Franz Smuda, Henryk Kasperczak and Piotr Nowak. We have 2,5 years to wait, it will be very very long, hope that some good news will happened between this long time. I have a lot of hope in Sczeszny, Janczyk, Obraniak, Kuba, I hope too that we will bring on Laurent Koscielny, that Boruc will be again a fantastic goalkeeper as he was in 2008, that Smolarek begin ASAP with a team, hope in France, Belgium or Holland, hope that for Robert Lewandowski, the EK is a very too low level.