APART FROM BAYERN Munich star Robert Lewandowski and a couple of England-based goalkeepers, the average Irish football fan is unlikely to be overly familiar with Poland, the team’s opponents in next Sunday’s crucial Euro 2016 qualifier.
With that in mind, we’ve compiled a brief guide highlighting all the players’ various backgrounds.
So here’s why Martin O’Neill’s men must watch out for Kamil Glik, Grzegorz Krychowiak and Arkadiusz Milik among others, replete with news on how each player has been getting on at club level in recent times…
Players in the squad who started their last match against Georgia (i.e. excluding injuries)
Wojciech Szczesny (Arsenal): The goalkeeper has been made to pay for some sub-par performances, as he has failed to play a single Premier League game since Arsenal’s 2-0 loss to Southampton on New Year’s Day, and may also struggle to retain his number one spot at international level as a result.
Kamil Glik (Torino): Glik is captain of Torino, who are currently ninth in Serie A. As well as his defensive prowess, he evidently poses a threat down the other end, with seven goals to his name this season, including one in Poland’s 4-0 win over Georgia back in November.
Lukasz Szukala (Al Ittihad): One of the less high-profile members of the team, the 30-year-old centre-back recently made the move to Saudi Professional League club Al Ittihad. He joined last January, with only six months left on his Steaua Bucharest contract, and currently has two goals in six appearances for his new club — but whether or not the move to a decidedly remote region impacts on his international chances remains to be seen.
Grzegorz Krychowiak (Sevilla): The 25-year-old defensive midfielder is a virtual ever-present in the Sevilla side, having moved to the club for €4.5 million in 2014, after a spell with a couple of lower-level French sides. His team are going well this season and are in the hunt for Champions League qualification, as they currently sit fifth in La Liga, just four points off Atletico.
Krzysztof Maczynski (Guizhou Renhe): Another obscurely based player, the 27-year-old midfielder has been playing for Guizhou Renhe in China since 2014, moving there after spending three years with Polish club Gornik Zabrze. His move has generally been regarded as a successful one, with the player making 27 appearances for his club so far. He has also retained his place at international level, scoring in the recent 2-2 draw with Scotland.
Arkadiusz Milik (Ajax): A highly promising 21-year-old who plays as a striker/attacking midfielder for Ajax on loan from Bayer Leverkusen. He has impressed since moving to the Eredivisie club last summer, scoring 16 goals in 27 appearances for the Dutch side.
Sebastian Mila (Lechia Gdansk): Mila plays for Lechia Gdansk in the Polish Ekstraklasa. The 32-year-old midfielder moved to the club in January following seven years at Slask Wrocław. He has made five appearances since moving to his new club, scoring once.
Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich): The one truly world-class player in the Poland squad and arguably the individual that Irish fans will be most familiar with, the big striker has been a revelation in the Bundesliga in recent years and has managed 20 goals this season in total in all competitions (including four for Poland against Gibraltar).
Other squad members
(Artur Boruc has been an important part of Bournemouth’s promotion-chasing Championship campaign)
Artur Boruc (Bournemouth): The 35-year-old has been a regular for Championship high flyers Bournemouth since moving there at the start of the season on loan from Southampton.
Lukasz Fabianski (Swansea): The ex-Arsenal goalkeeper has had a solid season with Swansea, featuring in all but one of their 30 Premier League games this season.
Thiago Cionek (Modena): A Polish-Brazilian centre-back, the 28-year-old is a stalwart at Serie B side Modena.
Karol Linetty (Lech Poznan): Another player of considerable promise, the 20-year-old midfielder has made over 50 appearances for Lech Poznan, having been at the club since 2012.
Jakub Wawrzyniak (Lechia Gdansk): The 31-year-old defender, who can play both at full-back and in the centre, made over 100 appearances for Legia Warsaw between 2007 and 2013. However, he subsequently moved to Russian side Amkar Perm last year, before returning to Poland with Lechia Gdansk in January, making six appearances since then. Highly experienced at international level with 43 caps, Wawrzyniak played 84 minutes of Poland’s famous win over Germany last October.
Rafal Janicki (Lechia Gdansk): A promising 22-year-old defender, the Lechia Gdansk player has yet to earn a cap at senior level for Poland. However, he is no stranger to the domestic game, having made over 100 appearances in the Polish league.
Grzegorz Wojtkowiak (Lechia Gdansk): Previously with 1860 Munich, the 31-year-old right-back — who has 23 caps — joined Lechia Gdansk in January, and is one of four players from the Polish league team to make the squad. He was surplus to requirements in Germany, but the club nonetheless paid tribute to the “impeccable warrior” amid his departure.
Marcin Komorowski (Terek Grozny): The 30-year-old left-back is an established player for Terek Grozny in Russia, but is another on the periphery of the international side, having earned just 11 caps since making his debut in 2008.
Paweł Olkowski (FC Cologne): The 25-year-old defender has eight caps for Poland, and featured in their 7-0 thrashing of Gibraltar last September. He has also been a regular at the back for Cologne in Germany.
Maciej Gajos (Jagiellonia Bialystok): A 24-year-old attacking midfielder who plays his football in Poland, he has scored six goals for Jagiellonia, who are currently third in the Polish league. Gajos is another who will be hoping to earn his first cap against Ireland.
Michał Żyro (Legia Warsaw): Another inexperienced youngster, the 6ft 2 inch 22-year-old midfielder has four caps with the national side and is one of three Legia Warsaw players in the squad. He has six goals for his club this season, including two in their controversial Champions League qualifier against Celtic.
Michal Kucharczyk (Legia Warsaw): The 24-year-old can play both midfield and attack, and has one goal from eight caps so far. He is a regular with his club, scoring five goals this season and making over 100 appearances since joining Legia in 2010.
Tomasz Jodlowiec (Legia Warsaw): A 29-year-old midfielder who has 35 caps and can also play at the back, he has been a regular at club level and played the full 90 minutes in his country’s shock 2-0 win over Germany, as well as coming off the bench in the 4-0 defeat of Georgia.
Slawomir Peszko (FC Cologne): A 30-year-old midfielder who plays his football in Germany, Wolves fans may remember his brief loan spell with the club in 2012 before Dean Saunders took over as manager and deemed him surplus to requirements. He has been in and out of the Cologne team this season, sometimes appearing from the bench.
Maciej Rybus (Terek Grozny): Like Komorowski, the 25-year-old winger plays his football with Terek Grozny in Russia and has been a regular in the side, having moved there after making over 100 appearances for Legia Warsaw. He also has two goals in 32 caps for Poland.
Lukasz Teodorczyk (Dinamo Kiev): The 23-year-old striker is considered one of Polish football’s brightest prospects, even if he has to play second fiddle to others currently. He has three goals in seven caps at international level so far. Serious injuries have meant he’s barely featured since signing for the Ukraine-based club, but after recovering recently, he is back in the team again, scoring in their 5-2 win over Everton in the Europa League last week.
Important players who are unavailable
(Lucasz Piszczek in action against Arsenal earlier this season)
Lucasz Piszczek (Dortmund): The Polish right-back has been a regular in defence for a Dortmund side that has failed to emulate the form of previous seasons, and who are currently sitting 10th in the Bundesliga.
Artur Jedrzejczyk (FC Krasnodar): The 27-year-old left-back is a virtual ever-present for FC Krasnodar in the Russian league when fit, but is currently out with a cruciate ligament rupture, with his last competitive game taking place at the end of November.
Kamil Grosicki (Stade Rennais): Grosicki operates as a winger or attacking midfielder with mid-table Ligue 1 side Stade Rennais. He has only just returned to action after a broken arm suffered in Poland’s Euro 2016 qualifier with Georgia, and has made just 11 appearances for his club this season as a result.
Jakub Blaszczykowski (Dortmund): One of the most experienced players in the squad with 68 caps, the Borussia Dortmund winger will be a big loss for Poland. The player has had an injury-hampered campaign, and only played his first game this season in December, following a prolonged absence owing to a torn muscle. He has since played a part in Dortmund’s improvement in form, following a turbulent start to their campaign.
Waldemar Sobota (St Pauli): A 27-year-old winger/forward for FC St. Pauli in Bundesliga 2, on loan from Club Brugges, he has featured in three of Poland’s four qualifiers so far, but is currently out of action with muscular problems.
