Smuda Falls At First Hurdle

The pitch was terrible, the Polish players even worse, according to most fans watching the game. The Polish football team lost, yet again, this time to Romania 0:1 at home. Franciszek Smuda, former manager of Zagłębia Lubin, Lech Poznań, Wisła Kraków, Legia Warsaw and Widzew Łódź took charge of his first game as manager of the Polish national team. The man, hailed as the new saviour of the Polish football team, did little to inspire a team lacking quality and energy. Expectations are high, surprisingly, after predecessor Leo Beenhakker’s failed qualification campaign for the World Cup in South Africa.    
Wirtualna Polska

Newzar can be emailed to you directly

Polish Motorcycle Riders in Top Ten

Orlen Team

All motorcycle riders from the Orlen Team are in the top ten after two stages of the Morocco Rally. Jakub Przygoński came out best and is now ranked seventh. Cyril Depsres won Monday’s stage and Jordi Viladoms maintained his position as leader. The stage was shortened because of a serious car accident to the technical crew. “We got lost. Fortunately, we didn’t lose much time but Marek and myself were beaten by our main competitors and now it will be hard to make up for that loss,” said Jacek Czachor. Jakub Przygoński had serious health problems and took part in the rally only after having taken strong painkillers. “I have had abdominal pains since yesterday. I haven’t eaten anything all day so during the stage I was in really bad form and did not have enough strength to ride fast. Also, I made a mistake and lost 4.5 minutes. I hope I will recover soon and that tomorrow I will be able to tackle the route head on rather than battling with myself.”

The results of the second stage:
1. Cyril Despres (France) 1:46.00
2. Marc Coma (Spain) 2.25
3. Juan Barreda (Spain) 4.05
…
8. Jakub Przygoński (Poland) 14.17
13. Jacek Czachor (Poland) 21.01
14. Marek Dąbrowski (Poland) 21.50

The general classification:
1. Jordi Viladoms (Sapin) 5:42.00
2. Marc Coma (Spain) 28 s
3. Cyril Despres (France) 2.37
…
7. Jakub Przygoński (Poland) 17.13
8. Jacek Czachor (Poland) 41.02
10. Marek Dąbrowski (Poland) 47.02
Dziennik

Newzar can be emailed to you directly

Małysz the Winner

Back to Winning Ways

Adam Małysz (KS Wisła Ustronianka) won Saturday’s ski jumping contest and is now champion of Poland. “I made a few mistakes but they were probably caused by the adrenaline,” said the ski jumper. Łukasz Rutkowski (TS Wisła Zakopane) was second and Kamil Stoch (AZS Zakopane) was third. After the first day of the Polish Ski Jumping Championships the manager of the Polish team, Łukasz Kruczek said: “I’m really satisfied with the performance of our ski jumpers. Although their form is not stable yet, the progress that they made every day was huge. What are the next steps? Hard work in Bischosofen and Klingenthal”. Adam Małysz was also very pleased with his performance: “I’m really happy that I managed two good jumps. I feel great and I’m glad that I could come back to the sport so quickly after the abdominal muscle injury I had”. The results of the Polish Ski Jumping Championships:

1. Adam Małysz (KS Wisła Ustronianka) 246 points (88.5 & 88.5m)
2. Łukasz Rutkowski (TS Wisła Zakopane) 228 (86.5 & 83)
3. Kamil Stoch (AZS Zakopane) 227 (83.5 & 86.5)
4. Stefan Hula (SSR LZS Sokół Szczyrk) 225 (83.5 & 84)
5. Piotr Żyła (KS Wisła Ustronianka) 223.5 (82.5 & 85)
6. Andrzej Zapotoczny (AZS Zakopane) 222.5 (84 & 83.5)
7. Dawid Kubacki (TS Wisła Zakopane) 221.5 (85 & 82)
8. Grzegorz Miętus (AZS Zakopane) 219 (83.5 & 82)
9. Marcin Bachleda (TS Wisła Zakopane) 219 (84.5 & 81)
10.Rafał Śliż (AZS AWF Katowice) 218.5 (84.5 & 81.5)

Newzar can be emailed to you directly

Czech Republic vs. Poland

Czechs vs. Poles

On Friday the Polish football team landed in Prague and will face the Czech football team. “Everyone is in a good mood and has high hopes for victory. If one strongly believes in what he is doing, everything can happen,” said the manager of the Polish football team, Stefan Majewski. He added that the only thing he was not sure about was the lineup of the team, but after Friday’s training  session everything was clear. “I’ve already chosen 10 players but I am not sure what to do with the defence,” said Majewski and added that he wants to play with two strikers. The manger revealed that he does not have any doubts who will be the goalkeeper in the match. Mariusz Lewandowski who is captain can be sure about his position in the team. The injured Marcin Wasilewski, Michał Żewłakow and Artur Boruc will not play in the match. “The defenders are playing better now. The last training  session showed us that the team is more integrated and organised,” said Lewandowski. Polish and Czech journalists as well as autograph-hunters were waiting for the Polish footballers at the airport in Prague. The Polish team was pleasantly surprised by the professionalism of the Czech fans (who had pictures of the Polish footballers in special books) so they eagerly gave them their signatures. Unfortunately, they were less willing to talk to the media. Jerzy Dudek, who plays for Real Madrid, said “we will talk to you later.”
Dziennik

Newzar can be emailed to you directly

Worst Ever EuroBasket

EuroBasket - Failure or Success?

According to the Croatian baskball player Zoran Planicić, EuroBasket 2009, the European Basketball Championships that took place in Poland were the worst ever in terms of organisation. His is not the only negative opinion regarding Poland’s organisation of the Championships. Andrzej Urlep, the Polish head coach also believes the organisation was not as good as it could have been. On the other hand, Roman Ludwiczuk, head of PZKosz, the Polish Basketball Federation, believes the Championships were a success. Grzegorz Kita, director of Sport Management, however, feels that EuroBasket 2009 only lived up to 30% of its potential. He believes that the state of the courts was poor and the Championships could have been better for fans. “Without Marcin Gortat, the Championships would have been non-existent for the average Polish fan,” he added.
Sport.pl

Newzar can be emailed to you directly

Allen Iverson in Poland

Allen Iverson

The American NBA superstar Allen Iverson spent a few hours in Katowice where he met with a group of teenagers in a post-industrial art gallery and took part in a shooting competition with Andrzej Pluta (Anwil Włocławek) and Marcin Nowakowski (Polonia Warszawa). Polonia Warszawa’s young point guard outplayed his two rivals. “Iverson is the biggest star to have come to Poland so far. His visit is a great opportunity to promote basketball in Poland… It’s a pity that so few people could come,” Pluta said. Around 300 people came to see Iverson and watched the shooting competition where the players took shots with their eyes closed or threw the ball with their left hand. “I was a bit nervous when I got to know that I was coming here. At first I couldn’t believe it, but then it turned out to be true. Last night I slept well,” Nowakowski said. After his visit to the gallery, Iverson went off to see the semi-finals at the Spodek stadium.
Wirtualna Polska

Newzar can be emailed to you directly

Who will Replace Beenhakker?

Avram - Bursting onto the Scene

Not only does Lothar Matthäus want to work for the Polish Football Association (PZPN) but also the former manager of Chelsea, Avram Grant, is willing to become the manager of the Polish football team. Grzegorz Lato, the head of the PZPN, has already invited Grant for a meeting. The former manager of Chelsea was also the manager of the Israeli football team and his ancestors are of Polish descent. “I will undoubtedly meet Grant and listen to what he has to say,” said Lato. Another candidate for the position of manager of the Polish football team, Lothar Matthäus, will not be invited to a meeting with PZPN officials because his management career has not been paved with success. What is most important, however, is the fact that the PZPN is no longer insisting on a Polish manager.
Dziennik

Newzar can be emailed to you directly

Lothar Herbert Matthäus

Beenhakker Ignores PZPN

Ignorance is Bliss

As it was expected Leo Beenhakker did not come for the meeting with members of the Polish Football Association (PZPN), during which he was expected to discuss the end of his cooperation with the Polish football team. Jakub Kwiatkowski, spokesman for the PZPN, says that “the terms and conditions of Beenahakker’s dismissal will be agreed during Thursday’s meeting of the board”. Leo’s contract ends in November. After Wednesday’s failure of the Polish football team the head of PZPN, Grzegorz Lato, said that he will not extend Leo Beenahakker’s contract.
Dziennik

Newzar can be emailed to you directly

Gruszka Best Player

Top Banana or Top Pear?

Piotr Gruszka has been named the MVP (Most Valuable Player) of the European Volleyball Championships. Paweł Zagumny was chosen best setter. In the final against France Piotr Gruszka scored 23 points. Interestingly, the manager of the Polish volleyball team, Daniel Castellani, decided to include Gruszka in the team only because several players were injured. Mariusz Wlazły, Michał Winiarski and Sebastian Świderski did not play in the final. Piotr Gruszka, ‘Grucha’, is an attacking player of Delecty Bydgoszcz. The 32-year-old has been with the volleyball team during Poland’s most important sporting achievements. He was not always in the first six but he is a great player who always does his best on court. He is a universal player who can play in several different positions. Paweł Zgumny, on the other hand, led the Polish volleyball team to victory. During the medal ceremony he showed how important team solidarity is to him by wearing Świderski’s shirt, a player who could not join the team in the finals because of injury. 32-year-old Zagumny, who plays for Panathinaikos, is called the ‘golden child of Polish volleyball’.
Dziennik

Newzar can be emailed to you directly

Lato insults Beenhakker

Leo Out

“The footballers did they best but showed what level Polish football is at. In the qualifications to the European Championships the Polish team played quite well and now they are two years older and are not as athletic as they were and also seem to lack the necessary skills to play at this level. I have said for three years that the Polish football team is stepping backward; the rest of the world is overtaking us because they all seem to have a plan, training sessions and are well-organised. Poland is not moving forward. Is it normal that Poland has only once reached the European championships? Is it a coincidence?” said Beenhakker in a interview for Rzeczpospolita. “I am deeply disappointed with the performance of the Polish football team in Maribor and shocked by President Lato’s behaviour (head of the PZPN). No one has ever treated me like that. I was expecting at least a bit of respect after three years of cooperation,” he said, “While I was waiting to do an interview for TVP one of the reporters was interpreting Lato’s interview for nSport in which the head of the Polish Football Association (PZPN) fired me and then asked me to come for a meeting on Tuesday. What was that? Was he drunk? I will not speak to him ever again. I am the first person to blame for the failure of the Polish football team and I know that I would be fired but for God’s sake not this way,” he added.
Onet.pl

Newzar can be emailed to you directly