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The Polish Ekstraklasa Is Under Way. Who’s To Watch?
Comments(20)The good old Ekstraklasa season started last weekend. It’s peculiar that the fans usually complain about the level of play but still can’t wait for the inauguration of the new season. To be honest, it’s the same about me. It really hurts to watch the Ekstraklasa just after a game of Primera Division or Premier League. Nevertheless, it’s the only place where I can spot young Polish talent and for every two average games comes one that brings back faith in the Polish football. As I know that most of the readers of this blog are living outside of Poland and have problems following the league I decided to compile a list of Polish players that you should follow in the upcoming season.
The first round proved what we knew before the start of the season; Lech Poznan, Legia Warsaw and Wisla Krakow are the three strongest teams. The championship should be decided between them. Wisla was an enormous failure on the European stage, but they have good enough players to compete in Poland. It may not last long though; because of the European income missing Wisla board wants to sell Pawel Brozek immediately, which would reduce the team’s strength significantly. However, it seems like the Polish Golden Boot winner doesn’t really want to leave his homeland as he failed to score in all four official games this season. The only real interest came from Fulham, but as far as I heard it’s no longer serious. Other foreign teams somehow don’t wait in line for Broziu’s signature. Lech Poznan looks the best team at the moment after easily winning in the European League and against Piast Gliwice, both games away. Contrary to expectations, the new coach, Jacek Zielinski, didn’t choose to start a more defensive lineup and is following Franz Smuda’s footsteps in making Lech the most enjoyable team to watch in Poland. Robert Lewandowski came to terms with the fact that he won’t leave the Ekstraklasa this year and started proving that he’s not a one season wonder with goals in European League and the Polish Super Cup. Semir Stilic also forgot about a move abroad and started showing from the first game that he’s one of the best foreign players that has ever played on Ekstraklasa pitches. Legia played a moderate game against Broendby and looks a stronger team when compared to last season. They’ve got the best midfield in the league (Roger, Iwanski, Giza, Borysiuk) and once the strikers don’t disappoint they should be dangerous for everybody.
It’s also going to be the last season before “the invasion” of the new stadiums. Wisla, Lech and Legia will play on modern grounds next season. Stadiums in Gdansk and Wroclaw are being built for Euro 2012 and will serve as Lechia and Slask’s grounds respectively, though maybe as late as from 2011/2012 season. New stadiums are also to be built for Cracovia, Arka Gdynia, Piast Gliwice and Jagiellonia during this or next season. Currently, the stadiums in Kielce and Lubin are the ones that we don’t have to be ashamed of when compared to Western Europe. As you can see, all is going in good direction, at least as far as the facilities are concerned. I hope that those of you living abroad will have the opportunity to come to Poland in the next couple of years and watch a good national team or Ekstraklasa game on a brand new stadium.
I divided the list of Ekstraklasa players into three groups: 1. In Leo’s notebook, 2. Good, but outside of Leo’s notebook and 3. Youngsters. Here we go:
Arka Gdynia: 3. Marcin Budzinski (MC)
Cracovia Krakow: 1. Piotr Polczak (DC)
2. Bartosz Slusarski (ST)
GKS Belchatow: 1. Dawid Nowak (ST), Maciej Malkowski (ML)
3. Janusz Gol (MC), Mateusz Cetnarski (AMC)
Jagiellonia Bialystok: 2. Tomasz Frankowski (ST)
3. Kamil Grosicki (AMR,ST), Krzysztof Krol (DL)
Korona Kielce: 1. Radoslaw Cierzniak (GK)
Lech Poznan: 1. Bartosz Bosacki (DC), Grzegorz Wojtkowiak (DR), Tomasz Bandrowski (DMC), Slawomir Peszko (AMR), Jakub Wilk (DL, ML), Robert Lewandowski (ST)
2. Grzegorz Kasprzik (GK), Seweryn Gancarczyk (DL)
Lechia Gdansk: I don’t see players here that can advance to the national team in the foreseeable future
Legia Warsaw: 1. Jakub Rzezniczak (DR), Marcin Komorowski (DL), Roger Guerreiro (AMC)
2. Sebastian Szalachowski (AMR,ST), Piotr Giza (MC), Maciej Iwanski (MC), Marcin Mieciel (ST)
3. Ariel Borysiuk (MC), Maciej Rybus (AML), Adrian Paluchowski (ST)
Odra Wodzislaw: 1. Adam Stachowiak (GK)
Piast Gliwice: 3. Kamil Glik (DC), Kamil Wilczek (MC)
Polonia Bytom: 1. Michal Zielinski (ST)
Polonia Warsaw: 1. Sebastian Przyrowski (GK), Tomasz Jodlowiec (DC), Lukasz Tralka (MC)
3. Daniel Maka (AMR)
Ruch Chorzow: 2. Andrzej Niedzielan (ST)
3. Maciej Sadlok (DC)
Slask Wroclaw: 1. Piotr Celeban (DC), Antoni Lukasiewicz (MC)
2. Sebastian Mila (AMC), Janusz Gancarczyk (AML)
3. Jaroslaw Fojut (DC), Tadeusz Socha (DR)
Wisla Krakow: 1. Lukasz Gargula (AMC), Wojciech Lobodzinski (AMR), Rafal Boguski (AMR,AMC,ST), Pawel Brozek (ST)
2. Arkadiusz Glowacki (DC), Piotr Brozek (DL), Mariusz Jop (DC), Radoslaw Sobolewski (DMC)
3. Patryk Malecki (AMR,ST)
Zaglebie Lubin: 1. Szymon Pawlowski (AMR)
2. Michal Golinski (MC)
These are the players I would keep an eye on if I were Leo’s assistant. Are there any names missing in your opinion?
Highlights: You can watch all the Ekstraklasa goals on Ekstraklasa TV. I just want to post a real classy goal by Tomasz “the Goal Hunter” Frankowski (sorry for the quality):
Marcin Wasilewski returned for Anderlecht in his usual style:
The Squad Watch will return next week.
It will be very disappointing if Brozek doesn’t get his move overseas now. Wisla screwed up royally. Tomasz, what are your thoughts on Piotr Cwielong on Wisla? I hope he may have some sort of future with the NT ahead of him. And is Tyrala coming to the EK or not? I want to see the guy play.
also, please don’t ever say Jop is good. Every time I see his name I want to cry.
Frankowski, the pole with no goal in England for 40 games the same guy who i know it wasnt his fault but road the bench the whole year come on guys. I loved the guy in his prime but hell if were that disperate for strikers i will bet agasint Poland every time.
Posted from 
United States
For real, Frankowski is done on an international level, sorry. Yes, he should’ve been included for WC 2006, but he couldn’t even find his way on the field in the MLS, as msudzi pointed out he couldn’t score in the championship, and we have plenty of strikers in their prime and young guys too ahead of him in terms of the NT. Hell, I’d rather they call up that cocky bastard Wichniarek than Frankowski if it got to that point.
Frankowski sat out with injury which is why he was ineffective. First game he scored 2 goals. Disappeared shortly thereafter. And why not give him 15 minutes to run around? Really, what’s the harm? He would be an invaluable teacher as well, which is probably why he still has a job. We’ll see if he can make a comeback.
Posted from United States
In the end he could have played on mostly anybodies first 11 when 100% in the USA. But of course another pole made the wrong decision where to play. They just had brought Ex primer division player and natinal team player back to his home area in Chicago. They werent going to sit him on the bench especially when he came off a good season in england. Damn what was his name. So Frankowski sat the bench. I dont know about you but the first thing I want to do is play, everything else with fall into place if you have talent and are at the right time and place.
Posted from United States
Nice post. i was looking for such post. i learned many more about the world cup football from this blog. thanks for posting.
Posted from 
Australia
@Nick
There’s no discussion at the moment in Poland about Franek returning to the national team. I think it’s impossible, even if he scores more than ten goals this season. Leo gave him a chance against Finland in 2006 and saw that it’s not what he was looking for. I don’t think that today’s Franek is better than the one from 2006. He made bad career choices, especially going to Wolves. As for Chicago Fire, I heard Frankowski saying that he had to play on the wing there, a position he never occupied before. Nevertheless, he is class enough to still shine in the Ekstraklasa. The same applies to Sobol, he retired from international duty but still remains one of the most influential Ekstraklasa players. As for Lechia, it’s surprising that a club that managed to raise so much talent in the past (e.g. Szamotulski, Zienczuk, Dawidowski, Grzegorz Krol) is now struggling to incorporate youngsters into the team. Karol Piatek is the only home based player in the starting lineup. Hirsz and Jakub Kawa are other local boys, but there are rather far from the match squad. I heard that Hirsz has problems playing senior football, at least as a striker. They’re looking for a new position for him.
@Hieronim
Cwielong is an interesting player, but he’s too chaotic for my taste. He just wastes too many chances, I can see that the will is there, but he lacks a bit of quality. Still, it’s a surprise he broke through at Wisla, maybe he’ll be able to follow Boguski’s footsteps. Tyrala remains in Dortmund’s reserves, a stupid decision if you ask me. As for Jop, I think he can easily be one of Ekstraklasa’s top defenders on his day. In the national team he was good against average opponents but shit against the quality ones. I don’t want him to return.
Robert Lewandowski is “Currently on trial at Southampton F.C.” That’s a new one…
Van Der Sar is injured again and out for about 8 weeks, so Kuszczak may get some chances in goal for ManUtd. Although Foster being English is likely to be favored if he does well. http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=665182&sec=england&cc=5901
Posted from United States
Lewandowski to southampton sounds like bullshit, they are strugglin just to pay the players they have yet alone to sign a player that would cost them over 3 million pounds. I have heard that Gary Johnson (Bristol City Manager)is looking at loaning Wojciech Szczesny from Arsenal to ease Bristol city’s goal keeping crisis, As a City fan i hope this is true but i cant see it as they would need someone with experience when starting a new season and Johnson is too cautious to try a move like that.
Posted from 
Greece
Though an Arsenal fan myself, Poland NT always comes first and that’d be some good experience for Wojciech, especially if he’d be getting considerable playing time. Its funny though, on some of the Arsenal blogs people are liking him better than “Flappyhandski” as I saw someone call Fabianski the other day. He had one rubbish game against Chelsea in the FA Cup, oh well, we all know Fabianski has the class to be their nr1 once Almunia’s done or he has any lengthy injuries again.
Thanks so much for the ‘ Watch List! Some great highlights in week one of the Ekstraklasa. Great free kick goal by Śląsk Wrocław’s Krzysztof Wołczek. Andradina’s was nice too; nice start for Korona, they look strong in the highlights.
Thanks so much for the ‘ Watch List! Some great highlights in week one of the Ekstraklasa. Great free kick goal by Śląsk Wrocław’s Krzysztof Wołczek. Andradina’s was nice too; nice start for Korona, they look strong in the highlights.
There are many good cigan players from Poland. The Gypsy communtiy of Poland has kept Polska going for generations. THere are so many poles with Cigan blood stoop hiding without us Poland would be nothing.
Posted from United States
I bet you the cigan champs would not loose to the Estonian champs.
Posted from United States
I bet you the cigan champs would not loose to the Estonian champs.
Posted from United States
Stop and think who our champ have lost to in the last 3 years the champs of Estonia and Lithuania. Wow my cigans can do much better.
Posted from United States
Cigan tak Cigan Polak ja jestem.
Posted from United States
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Frankowski should return to the NT. He still has a lot to offer and we owe him at least an inclusion in a friendly to give him a chance after the snub of WC 2006. As for your lsit – I agree with most of the players but let’s remember that Radek Sobolewski “retired” from the NT. It’s a shame. He’s super-tough and that cost us dearly in ‘06, but he’s still a great DM. A little prone to getting fouled or diving nowadays rather than the one fouling, but still capable nevertheless.
As for Lechia Gdansk – I’d keep an eye out on Robert Hirsz. I have never seen him play for Gdansk, but I have seen a Poland u19 game and he stood out. For his age, the sky’s the limit (as it is for anyone that’s young) if he works hard to reach potential.
Posted from
United States