The Polish Problem

After a poor performance on the field as hosts of Euro 2012 and now a disappointing display throughout World Cup qualifiers; the Polish Football Association is once again trying to fix their sinking boat with chewing gum. The recent appointment of new manager Adam Nawalka from Polish side Gornik Zabrze has fans once again voicing their concerns. Skimming through countless comments online I'm amazed at just how much Polish people tend to contradict themselves by first criticizing and then praising different coaches throughout Poland's history. Though I have my own beliefs in the new coach, the major issue isn't whether or not the new man at the helm is suited, but instead the question is how PZPN (Polish Football Association) is going to restructure itself after years of what could only be called shit. It's no surprise to any Polish football fan that corruption, greed and everything in between is responsible for years of poor decision making on the part of the PFA. During the reign of Grzegorz Lato as PFA chief (2008-2012) tapes surfaced that clearly recorded PZPN members talking about skimming money, intended for youth development, into their own pockets. However, the only thing that restructured after the emergence of those tapes was the sacking of one board member while all the backlash seemed to just fade before Euro 2012. Today, the new PFA chief Zbigniew Boniek (Juventus star and Polish international) is spearheading change through gradual reforms, but many of the old farts are still there pulling their strings. The ideal solution to the Polish problem would be to destroy the current structure and replace all the money hounds with knowledgeable people committed to developing the game at the grassroots level. It seems like a pretty simple concept. Invest in football fields throughout Poland, fund lower football leagues and provide footballers with a means to get educated about the game. German international Lukas Podolski once mentioned that when he grew up in Germany he would leave his home and there would always be a football field ready for him to hone his skills. On the other hand, during his visits to family in Poland he noticed the same basic needs for footballers were not as readily available. Still, in a country ripe for corruption, with politicians influencing their own agendas through greed, how can an entire system as powerful (money=power) as PZPN be wiped clean? Well, one of the roads would be for Boniek to use his Juventus connection by getting former teammate UEFA President Michel Platini to pressure PZPN into using its funds for development. That option maybe a long shot since Platini is clearly focused at the moment on France hosting the next Euro, but a more direct approach could also lead to a positive change. Boniek could easily take it upon himself to get support for the development of the beautiful game in Poland. Why not just direct key funds towards building new fields and if any old fart objects or tries to sneak away some money then finally flash the light on the vodka guzzling vultures. Still, this is Poland and the bureaucracy involved would definitely make such an investment time consuming. However, even with these countless roadblocks, if we don't take the time now to change this structure we call PZPN then Poland might, and already is to be honest, fall into the bottom tier of world football. What else could be said about a football association whose own fans sing jebac, jebac PZPN, which simply means f**k PZPN.

Borussia über Schalke

If you drove past the industrial heartland of Germany today you would only find Weissbier filled glasses, office paperwork untouched and either the color blue or yellow complimenting it all. Today's battle of the Ruhr, where Schalke Gelsenkirchen hosted bitter rivals Borussia Dortmund, was anything, but an ordinary match. With just 15 miles separating the two sides, the fanaticism engulfing the region and bragging rights at stake left the hard work ethic of the Ruhr paralyzed. However, through European success, two recent Bundesliga titles and today's 3-1 victory, Dortmund is decisively the über team. BVB spent very wisely during the transfer window going against coach Jurgen Klopp's philosophy of buying cheap players and bringing them up. With the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from St. Etienne for 13 million Euros and Henrikh Mikhitaryan from Shakhtar Donetsk for 27.5 million Euros (two difficult names to spell) the new spending habits already paid great dividends. The man from Gabon already netted six goals while the Armenian has been the key play-maker filling in the void left by Mario Gotze's departure. Turning our attention to the men in blue, it's apparent that there were big hopes that just haven't maximized fully. The addition of Adam Szalai from Mainz has been paying off; however, the Hungarian striker looked lost and indecisive during the big match-up. Apparently, like many promising players before him, Szalai was the top man at a lower table club and now he finds himself unfit to perform each weekend for a team like Schalke that's desperate for a consistent striker. Another transfer issue for Schalke is AC Milan's Kevin Prince Boateng. Looking at the player sheet one would think otherwise, but the Ghana international looked sluggish on the field today especially after his penalty miss. The transfer window has only strengthened the side in yellow. Another major component to Dortmund's powerhouse status are its fans, specifically their Ultras. Borussia's home, Westfalenstadion, is the setting to some of Europe's best tifo displays. Who could forget their tantalizing display against Malaga in the Champions League, where a giant BVB fan popped out of the yellow backdrop looking through binoculars for the coveted cup. Today's derby showed the dirty side too as Borussia fans threw flares on the pitch and at the opposing supporters. With such disregard for the German ordnung it's apparent that this mighty force is against modern football, which only solidifies them as one of the best supported sides in Europe. Really, the only good thing that Schalke could take away from this match was the only man in blue to score. Max Meyer came off the bench and within five mintues scored what looked to be a glimmer of hope for Schalke, but it wasn't enough to motivate the rest of the team to pressure. Still, Schalke should look more toward its youth players to try and find others like Meyer, who are hungry and have the desire to perform for a club they were raised to support. Basically, the Ruhr derby, no matter if Dortmund continue to reign for many years to come, is what rivalries are all about. Dortmund's Kevin Grosskreutz said it best, "If my son becomes a Schalke fan , I'll give him up to an orphanage." No matter where you're from in the Ruhr region the colors you put on say just as much about you as your work ethic. Work hard, support harder.

The Gladiators are Back

In the backdrop of the mighty Roman Colosseum stands an A.S. Roma side with a gladiator spirit as it looks to contend for the Italian Scudetto this season. Newly appointed coach, Rudi Garcia has assembled a team that is currently on top of the Serie A with a flawless 8-0 balance equaling the record held by Michel Platini's Juventus. Few would have imagined that Roma would be a focal point in the season with so many league contenders like champions Juventus; an all-star Napoli squad and a rejuvenated AC Milan. With only eight games into the season, Roma already outplayed their hometown rivals Lazio along with Italian giants Inter Milan and S.S.C. Napoli. With so much commotion and excitement from the Rome camp it's hard to realize that the club finished in sixth place last season and is currently waiting 13 years for a league title. This drastic turn of events is the result of tactics unbeknown to much of Italian Calcio through manager Rudi Garcia. The heads of the Roman club knew that when they appointed the Frenchman they were instilling a fresh breathe of attacking football to a defensive minded league. Before the call up, Garcia made his name known with French Ligue 1 side Lille. Garcia's entire philosophy rested on playing stylish attacking football. During his time at Lille he brought out the most from youngsters like Eden Hazard to clinch a cup and league double in the 2010/11 season. Just watching the Roma-Napoli match I couldn't help, but notice such attacking football brought about through Roma's high line of defense and rapid tempo. Currently, Garcia's tactics are putting goals in the back of the net leaving opponents unprepared strategically to face off against the league leaders. Apart from Garcia's managerial skills, Roma are utilizing their newest acquisitions brought to the club over the summer. The team has a solid defensive line through their new addition; the experienced free agent from Manchester City, right back, Maicon. His communication with the fullbacks keeps the team organized allowing the midfielders to push forward to create chances. However, this attack minded side owes a great deal to their new goalie from Napoli, Morgan De Sanctis, who has only let in one goal so far in the season. Granted the defense has been solid the number 1 has made some crucial saves against top strikers like Goran Pandev and Rodrigo Palacio. Still, the focus on this team is the sword and not the shield. Creative midfielder Kevin Strootman from PSV and striker Gervinho from Arsenal look ripe to fit into Garcia's attack minded tactics. All this creates a wide bench that helps keep players on rotation as different stars shine each game. One of the strongest forces in Roma's new attack is the Balkan connection in  Serbian Adem Ljajic from Fiorentina and Bosnian Miralem Pjanic. The former being a young energetic second striker while the latter is a technically gifted play maker. All these attacking options for Roma are the reason why they currently lead the league in goal differential with a plus nine over the second best team. Now, all these new additions and improvements add flare and bring results, but Roma also have an incomparable heart and soul in Daniele De Rossi and 'The Roman Gladiator' himself Francesco Totti. Both stars have played their entire professional careers representing only the imperial purple and golden yellow. With Totti already 37 years old, and one of the last of his generation, it would be the ideal send off for a player of his stature to finish his role as the king of Rome with a Serie A title. The spectacle unfolding in Rome has been riveting so far in a league that has seen a drop in its contention for European dominance. With these gladiators from the imperial city back in form there's no telling how many ferocious beasts they will slay on their way to contend for the Scudetto.

The most Exclusive Club in the World...Cup

This week The Balkans erupted. Not literally though, as Bosnians celebrated their country's first qualification for next summer's World Cup in Brazil. After watching the celebrations in Sarajevo I couldn't help, but imagine what would happen if they were to actually win it all. As the new inductee, Bosnia will face a challenge they might not be ready for. With the likes of Brazil, Spain and Germany just how difficult is it for a country with a population of a little over 3 million like Bosnia to make it all way? For starters, they will have to rely on a good deal of luck in the group stage. Currenlty, Bosnia is ranked 18th in the FIFA World Rankings and since 13 countries before them are already qualified they will most likely be put in the second basket. That means they will definitely have to face one of the big powerhouses early on. The group stage can extinguish any hopes of seeing your country longer than 3 games. Basically, the first group game is the opener, so all the jitters and tactics come to the forefront. Teams that lose the first game are already at knife point. Count two loses in a row and your last game is pretty much just for honor as you exit the tournament. For the sake of the blue and yellow, lets imagine our inductees making out of the group stage after being even across the board with a win, loss and draw. Great success! Well, since the probability will be that the powerhouse in the group finished in first the Bosnians will have to have a first place finisher in the round of sixteen. Going back to the 13 countries in the rankings before the Bosnians, that challenge could be anywhere from Brazil, being the toughest, to England, (just my opinion) being the weakest,. Now, I always believe in the twelfth man helping guide a team through the toughest of challenges, but at this stage all these teams have that advantage. In the end, it's going to have to come down to an outstanding performance by the collective with a star or two outshining the opponent. Manchester City's Edin Dzeko and Stuttgart's Vedad Ibisevic are the front runners to shine along with youngster Miralem Pjanic and Captain Emir Spahic bringing the team together. Maybe Bosnia can pull off the same feats as their Balkan neighbors Croatia pulled in the '98 World Cup, where Davor Suker won the golden boot to propel the Croats to 3rd place. Still, many have tried and only so few have made it onto the quarter finals in the cup's entire history. Out of all the countries that participated over 35 have never made it past the round of sixteen. This includes Greece, Serbia, Columbia and Russia to name a few. However, let's say the Bosnians pull off the upset and manage to surpass a team like England, who have their own doubts, especially after Joey Barton's little rant about them not having any chance in Brazil. At this point in the tournament, the teams on repeat, as I like to call them, use their experience to compete in the tournament. Teams like Germany, Italy and Brazil have made it to the quarterfinals at least nine times throughout history. Their secret is part experience and part talent. They have the right formula for producing the top players with each generation. When looking at the former, they play in tournaments so much that they know how to rotate players and maximize their talents throughout the entire competition. Therefore, an inexperienced team like Bosnia might have the talent, but lack the strength at this point in the tournament. I know any Bosnian fan will disagree and say their team are motivated and have a fire inside that can't be matched. Still, that fire will have to challenge a tournament favorite, which can only mean one of the biggest upsets in the Cup's history. Let's say they make the impossible happen and now have only one team in their way to make it to their first final in their first ever tournament. Crazy right, but remember it's just to show how difficult it is to lift the cup. If there are no other dark horses or surprises that make it this far I predict that Bosnia would have to face either Brazil, Germany or Argentina. There are too many variations, but there's a good chance these teams will make it this far. At this point I have no more possibilities for Bosnia. Only a fan could dream of making it past this brick wall and it's entirely possible, but not in my head. Therefore, no matter how far the Bosnians make it in the World Cup one has to remember just how many obstacles stand in the way. Qualifying for the first time is a giant leap. Winning for the first time after qualifying for the first time, well then, the laws of gravity no longer apply.

Represent...

When a national team runs out onto the pitch and their national anthem plays a special connection brings the players together. The national bond they hold goes beyond just picking up a football kit and saying from now on this is the team I represent. These footballers should not only feel the spotlight, but the heart that beats for the country they represent. However, through increased globalization the issue of footballers representing a national side far different from their roots has been one of FIFA's constant battles. Recently, Manchester United's young Albanian, Serbian, Turkish and Belgian born star Adnan Januzaj made a name for himself by scoring two goals in United's win over Sunderland. Through his background though, he got caught up in the ongoing struggle over naturalization in football. All these reports started surfacing that Belgian team coach Marc Wilmots wanted to call him up against Croatia, while claims surfaced that England was even interested in naturalizing the ethnic Balkan. Januzaj has yet to make a decision. In the past couple of years, FIFA has been trying to keep a lid on the naturalization of players from getting too carried away. The rulings have constantly changed through special committees and constant amendments. Today, for a player to represent a national team they must be a citizen of the country and either be a resident for more than 5 years or show a connection through a family member. Even with all the ruling there's still a false sense of pride behind it all. Take myself for example. I was born in Poland and I am a naturalized citizen living in the States for well over 5 years. If I was ever a pro and the time came to make a decision I would only choose Poland. I have a strong connection to my homeland and I feel that if I ever represented the States I would be disconnected and never accepted because eventually everyone would see where my heart lies. Whenever a foreign player comes into a national team's dressing room there's the sense of there's us and then there's him and no other country creates so many 'hims' like Brazil. Some of the hottest Brazilian exports have featured across countless national sides in Europe like Roger/Poland, Eduardo/Croatia and Pepe/Portugal to name a few. These players can incorporate themselves in the squad and play well, but there's still an element of the outsider. Apart from the immigrant player there's also the question of the player who chooses to play for their parent's home country. There's no better example of this than the Boateng brothers. Kevin Prince Boateng represented countless German national youth sides, but after a falling out with the coaching staff he decided to accept an offer to represent Ghana, the country of his father's birth. At the same time, his brother Jerome Boateng represents the German national side on a regular basis. Two brothers with the same blood representing two completely different national sides. There's no doubt in my mind that both players have the right to represent their respective sides, but maybe players should start considering what it means to stand in front of a nation representing its ideals as its peoples look on. Still, one of the major culprits behind the naturalized footballer issue is spotlight. Many great players from the top national sides might never get the chance to get called up. Therefore, if they can get the opportunity to represent any other side then their name gets out there on the world stage. A player doesn't just stand out through their skill, but they look different from everybody else. Representing a national side has become a way of branding, so players get exposure. This branding is one of the newest approaches along with globalized integration within the many leagues and the emergence of modern football, but with all of this heart and meaning get lost. Therefore, my advice to Januzaj is very clear. Don't choose a national side at all. As a footballer your heart and soul should already be there.

Two Much for the Champions League

The Champions League crown has never had a stable home. However, last year's winners, Bayern Munich, will try to change all of that. As the tournament favorites, the Bavarian giants will have to overcome a hurdle no Champions League winner has yet achieved. The German side must defend the title. Since the tournament's inception in 1955, teams have won consecutive times. However, since the restructure of the European Cup in 1992 leading to what we call the Champions League today no team has won consecutive titles. Still, how is it possible that with so many kings in the last two decades each one has been overthrown. An understanding of the differences between the old and new formats of the tournament are key to seeing just how difficult it is today. For example, back when the tournament was the European Cup teams took on a very different route. Only the champions of each country would face off against one another. Basically, it was like having a spin at the roulette wheel with only one team from all the top leagues facing off against the the lesser known leagues of Eastern Europe. With the Champions League format today, teams face the highest caliber opponents from the top leagues and the lower ranking leagues have to fight to join the pack. After Porto won the Champions League in 2004, Jose Mourinho said the best team doesn't always win and it's the luck of the draw. The 'Special One' was spot on with his comment. In football there's a great deal of luck that goes into going all the way in tournaments. For example, a team like Borussia Dortmund was able to reach the 2013 final by facing Donetsk and Malaga. Now imagine if Borussia had the same route as Munich, who faced Arsenal and Juventus. I'm not saying Borussia wouldn't be capable of reaching the final without knocking off some giants. They proved their potential with a demanding two leg win over Real Madrid, but having to face two giants in a row could have definitely been too much to handle. Apart from the luck of the draw, the Champions League is just one of many focal points in the season. It's a competition among domestic leagues, league cups, international play and for those at the upper echelon world club competitions. It's no surprise that once a team wins the coveted crown they represent Europe in the FIFA Club World Cup. This pointless (just my opinion since it's always just Europe v. South America) tournament only puts a strain on teams making it difficult to rest key players during the winter period. By the time most leagues and the CL competition get swinging again in the Spring these teams face some serious injury concerns and player fatigue. More so, from the standpoint of this fanatical football follower, the CL is more like a tournament, not of kings, but of gods. I don't think there's any other sports competition in the world that can match the overall financial and historical value of the tournament. Having teams like Manchester United, Real Madrid or Juventus in any given group makes for a giant showdown, as opposed to, the old format. The old school European Cup only featured 5 big names from the 5 big leagues with the occasional breakout team in Eastern Europe. Basically, the ratio of talent grew substantially with the CL format. With this Bayern Munich side there's potential to change history and keep the crown for another year. Pep Guardiola, who is great at rotating players, will be capable of keeping the German engine running full throttle to the end, but many giants came before and all have failed. We'll have to wait until the dawn of Spring to see if Munich holds the coveted crown.