As we all wait for Euro 2012, lets take a look at the historical players of one of the co-hosts (Poland). Perhaps the most well known Polish player is Zbigniew Boniek (one of the stars of the Grand Juventus side of the 1980's). However, he really wasn't part of the greatest Polish team in history, the 1974 World Cup squad. This team was considered by many to have been very unlucky to lose the "infamous" semi-final against West Germany. According to Franz Beckhenbauer himself (the 1974 West German captain): "If it wasn't for the long patches of water on the pitch which effectively killed their attacking game.... Poland would have destroyed us that day." Thus, it will never be known if this Poland team would have been able to overcome Holland in the 1974 WC final. However it was possible, becasue a year later (1975) they demolished Cruyff's Holland 4-1 in Euro 76 qualification. Poland's 82 WC team which also finished 3rd (and included Boniek) wasn't considered anywhere as good as the 74 team. Either way, lets look at Poland's All Time Team: STARTING 11 : (4-4-2) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. MLYNARCZYK (1982 WC Third Place, FC Porto EC win) --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. GORGON (1974 WC Third Place) 4. ZMUDA (1974, 1982 WC Third Place) 5. SZYMANOWSKI (1974 WC Third Place) 3. MUSIAL (1974 WC Third Place) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6. KASPERCZAK (1974, 1982 WC Third Place) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10. BONIEK (1982 WC Third Place, Juventus EC win) 12. DEYNA (1974 WC Third Place... best player in Polish history) 14. WILIAMOWSKI (1938 WC scored 4 goals in a match vs Brazil) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 16. LATO (1974 WC Third Place and Golden Boot) 9. LUBANSKI (Missed the 1974 WC due to injury, but was even better than Lato.) -- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bench: GK: Tomaszewski, DF: Oslizlo, Janas, MF Szoltysik, LW: Gadocha, RW: Brychczy, CF: Szarmach, Pol.
Good stuff. However, its Wilimowski, nor Wiliamowski. And as someone who would later play for the Third Reich NT I don't think he should be included him in the best ever Polish team. I also disagree about the best Polish player ever. Deyna was awesome, but only second best to Lubanski. Speak to someone who watched Poland NT matches in the early 70's and you will see; or better yet read the comments of those who played against him. But then again they were two very different kinds of players... And be careful about waging that war about the 1974 "semifinal". I've done it many times here before, only to be shot down by those who "know better". But of course we know that if it hadn't been for the Germans to purposefully leave the water on the pitch (hoping at least for a tie, which would assure them a place in the final), Poland would be the World Champion that year.
Btw, good job including Brychczy in the second eleven. Not many people know of him, but he certainly was the best Polish player of the 50's into the 60's. If Poland were to field a better team around him he would have been a household name throughout the world.
Damn these mods! There was an obvious reason why the OP posted this in the euro 2012 forum, and not in Poland forum. But obviously "sidspaceman" knows better! Thanks for nothing dude.
just as its obvious that everyone interested in euro2012 as such is interested in the history of a specific nations alltime best team? obviously we have different understandings of the word 'obviously'
