Poland vs. Croatia Live Commentary : Leo Beenhakker vs. Slaven Bilić
Monday, 16 June 08, 11:49 AM
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The last chance
Thursday, 12 June 08, 09:49 PM
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Some statistics before the next match
Thursday, 12 June 08, 07:23 AM
Stats provided by 
Looking at the stats, I'm quite happy and confident - Poland not only runs faster (29.29 kph compared to Austrian 27.12 kph) but also further (108.426 km to 197.858 km). Almost every Polish player has been faster than the corresponding Austrian player - even the goalkeeper Artur Boruc has been faster than Jurgen Macho.
Of course the speed is not everything - let's take a look at "ordinary" match stats:
Here the things don't look as well - Austria had 6/9 shots compared to Poland's 5/6. In crosses the difference is more significant - 24 to 15. 4 to 3 in corners also show that Austria had more chances against Croatia than Poland against Germany.
The optimistic thing is that Poland also was trying - 4 offsides (0 for Austria) and 2 counter-attacks (1 for Austria) show, that Poland was slightly more focused on quick responses to the threat before the opposing team could have regrouped.
The rule of today's football is that a team which controls the ball longer, has bigger chances for victory. So, Poland, tomorrow try better than 48% - Austria had 53%!
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After the first training
Monday, 19 May 08, 10:22 PM
Polish players are in Donaueschingen and they compete for the right to go to EURO 2008. 23 out of 26 will get their place in the team. To be more precise - 23 out of 27, because Leo Beenhakker asked 18-year-old Wojciech Szczęsny from Arsenal to play in the preparation camp as second goalkeeper (Artur Boruc [Celtic] still fights for the crown of Scottish Premier League and Tomasz Kuszczak [Manchester United] is in Moscow, preparing to UEFA Champions League final against Chelsea and Wojciech Kowalewski [Korona Kielce] resigned from being a substitute goalkeeper due to family issues).
We will see more key players on Thursday - Ebi Smolarek, Mariusz Lewandowski, Jakub Błaszczykowski and Jacek Krzynówek. They can feel confident about their places in the team. Same stands for Bąk, Żewłakow and Wasilewski.
One of the players that can't be sure his place in the team, Marek Saganowski, says:
How a striker can convince coach? By shooting goals. And also by fulfilling tactic plans.
Grzegorz Bronowicki would have been sure of his position in the team, but he was injuried lately, he's still hobbling a little and he's practicing outside the group. We will see shortly if he is able to go to EURO.
Roger Guerreiro, Brazilian player, who got Polish citizenship thanks to Leo Beenhakker's efforts says:
Group B is not divided into Germany and outsiders. In the qualifications Croatia defeated England and Poland defeated Portugal. So it would be better if Germany waited before they start to say about qualifying to quarterfinals before the tournament even started.
On 6pm Polish players had first training - open for media, which is extraordinary, most of the preparations will be kept closed. The field on which Leo Beenhakker will explain tactical plans will be surrounded by white, opaque foil and the hotel in which players are staying is guarded by bodyguards from Poland.
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Interview with Leo Beenhakker
Thursday, 15 May 08, 11:20 PM
Leo Beenhakker: I came back from the Polish Cup final with a headache. When the best two of Polish teams play, moveover, without any pressure, because both are guaranteed to participate in the cups, one expects a beautiful match and open game. Would want to call: "Go on, play! Nevermind, win or lose, but seek to score, seek to win." But no. Both teams above all, they did not want to lose a goal. I was watching this match, the play of Matusiak, Łobodziński, Wawrzyniak and the rest, and I was thinking about what awaits us in the Euro 2008 match with Germany. For God's sake, how I'm going to make them play on the level I need in three weeks? On the level of matches with Portugal, because in so we have to play on Euro. I was thinking to myself, that this qualification and style, in which we sometimes play, that's a real miracle. And we need a miracle again on the Euro. And therefore I can't wait till Monday, when the boys finally gather and start preparing.
Has Roger deserved to be chosen the best player of the final?
- Absolutely. I say it honestly and not to legitimate my decision to appoint him to the Euro. Roger was the only player in Belchatow, who wanted to play football. I don't say that he played very well. I say that he was pulling the game, he played forward, was creative.
What role would you entrust to Roger in Polish national team?
- Of the classic no. 10, but he may also, as he does in Legia with Vukovic, play on the position of defensive midfielder. In the national team the roles of defensive midfielders are such, that Lewandowski acts as a defender, guard the backs, and Dudka, Murawski and Garguła play forward. Number 10 meets the different functions, depending on the opponent. Sometimes he must be somewhat backed striker, sometimes he plays a role of the midfielder as Garguła, Roger or Majewski.
What may Roger give to the team?
- He is a very creative player. He sees more than others. As no one else in Polish Premier League, he can open the way to goal for his partner. He has an eye to find uncovered player, and once he aw him, he is able to pass successfully. In Belchatow he had two, three such passes, which I thought that they are perfect.
Looking at the game of Matusiak, we were wondering, who is making the mistake: the coach Beenhakker, invoking him, and not on Paweł Brożek for Euro, or the coach Skorża, who doesn't let him play in the league.
- I have bet on the players who have proven to me in the qualifying rounds, that they can rise from the league level to national team level. The fact that a player is playing in the club, makes no guarantee that he's going to play at the same level in the national team. Also, we have three matches in ten days. Look at Maciej Iwański. I was giving a chance to him, because he played in a club on good level. But in the national team he played on the same level. On the other hand, Łobodziński has shown me, even in the match with Kazakhstan, that he can be go above the average when the need comes. Matusiak is a puzzle for me. I will watch him on the preparation camp in Germany.
Artur Wichniarek scored ten goals in Bundesliga. We have heard that your staff has done a research that led to a conclusion, that he more often than the other players loses the ball before the a penalty area?
- We have reviewed the play of each player in every respect in many, many matches. I agree taht from the attacker playing with the number 9, we should require firstly and foremostly the goals. But to shot, you first need to find yourself close to the goal. And how many times we'll have an opportunity at goal in the match with Germany, you reckon?
Three or four?
- I hope that five. In today's football, at the highest level if both teams have five opportunities to score, it is a great game. This means that the most important task of number 9 is to move the ball from the rear to the front. Against Germany we are going to play under pressure and we will have to be smart to overcome it. This can be done in two ways. One we could see in the Polish Cup finals - close your eyes and shoot the ball out of the stadium. In Belchatow PZPN has lost four balls this way.
The second way is to shoot the ball from the back, look forward for the number 9 and send it to him. If the attacker is of the class of Raul, van Nistelrooy or Drogba, he will hold the ball and wait until the rest of the team left their own half and join the game. Miroslav Klose also play this way. Not only he scores, he is also able to skillfully hold the ball until Ballack and Schweinsteiger approach. All the time he controls the game. That's why, he is good.
I've reviewed in this respect all my potential players, how many balls can they hold, wait, and create a hazard for every ten balls they get. And how many of them they lose by allowing the rival to make a counterattack when the team is disorganized. You would be shocked if you could see the results of this research. If the fans could know more, they would understand some of my choices. Because in the match with Germany, we will be under pressure for about 60 minutes, and with Croatia even more. Austria will play differently, they will be waiting for our mistake and then react. I have honestly analysed, what people do I need for these matches. The fact that someone scored one goal in the last round, will not change my assessment of their skills and suitability. I say this with all respect for all the Jareks, Sikoras, Brożeks or Zieńczuks.
Who in this case is your number 1 position at number 9?
- It could be Ebi Smolarek, Maciej Żurawski or Matusiak. It depends on the opponent and in what form they will be. These are the questions to which I will seek answers during the preparation camp in Germany. For example, Matusiak will have to give me the answer on the field, is he able in such a short time to regain the form from the qualifications. If not, I will have to take a bad decision for him. But at least I am sure that he is able to play at a good level as the number 9. Many times we were practising that. I said to him: "Radek, hold the ball. See, your colleagues are 50 meters away from you. Wait until they are within 20 meters, and then you can reverse to the goal and do whatever you want - shoot, dribble, pass ...". And he knows that. I explain to him, that when he is facing back from a goal, he plays for the team. As is is facing front, then he may play his own game, has the freedom of action.
As you can see, the selection is something a little more complicated than to shout: "Hey, this guy scored yesterday, bring him on to the national team." Trust me, my staff did their homework well. We have reviewed every player concentrating for group matches and hence such choices.
What's with the health of Dariusz Dudka and Grzegorz Bronowicki? Apparently, the first one suffered a knee injury?
- Yes? I was surprised, he didn't play in the Polish Cup final, the medical staff of Wisla Krakow assured me, that he is healthy. I've asked my medical staff to double-check that. Rehabilitation of Bronowicki is progressing very well. We do not expect any problems with that.
In the German weekly newspaper "Sport Bild" you said, that you do not fear "the match with Germany, as the team of the coach Joachim Loewa is now an average team, deprived of world-class players and the mentality of the winner. This latter are today in Europe only Italians".
- I didn't say anything like that. I said that Klinsmann did revolution in the style of the Germans on the offensive game and he also changed the way of preparation. They are not playing the system with a libero, they switched to 4-4-2. They also play with the will ofwinning every match. I didn't also say anything about the Berlin wall. The man who wrote it, is stupid. I do not know whether he wanted to heat the atmosphere before our game? I will find him and find out.
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On Shame on you, Polish fans!