U19 team guide: Poland

By Pawel Dimow

Winners of the 2001 UEFA European Under-18 Championship, it has taken Poland two attempts to qualify for the finals of the tournament in its new guise as an U19 event. Now the Poles are hoping to make up for lost time in Switzerland.

Unlucky draw
In their last U19 campaign, Poland were unlucky to be drawn against the powerful French and Spanish teams in the second qualifying round, and finished bottom of their group despite beating Spain 2-1. The Poles hope to repeat that scoreline against Spain this summer in a group that also features Germany and Turkey.

THE COACH:
Now 59, Andrzej Zamilski played for MKS Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski, KSZO Ostrowiec and AZS AWF Warszawa in his youth. After graduating from the Academy of Physical Education in Warsaw in 1969, he coached AZS AWF and KS Polonia Warszawa as well as Marymont, Hutnik and Polonez in the Polish capital. He started working at the Polish Football Federation (PZPN) in 1990. In 1993, his Poland Under-16 side won the UEFA European Under-16 Championship and then finished fourth in the FIFA World Youth Championship.

Holland goal
"We have not been lucky this time as we have been drawn in a very strong group," he said. "Of course, the favourites are Spain, who have been successful in youth football for many years. However, we do not fear anybody. Our qualification for the tournament was not accidental. I can't promise that we will win medals, but our plan is to qualify for the next year's World Youth Championship in Holland by finishing as one of the top three teams in our group."

PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Strikers Slawomir Peszko of Wisla Plock, Grzegorz Szymanek of GKS Górnik Leczna and MKS Zaglebie Lubin defender Grzegorz Bartczak, who scored his first goal in the Ekstraklasa at the age of 17, have all tasted Polish top-flight action. Another player to watch is SKS Gwarek Zabrze forward Lukasz Piszczek, who had trials at Bundesliga side Hertha BSC Berlin in June. Midfield player Marcin Smolinski will play for Polish league runners-up Legia Warszawa next season. Mieszko Gniezno goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski also looks highly promising, and the word is that Arsenal FC manager Arsène Wenger is keen to invite him to Highbury for a trial.

ROUTE TO FINALS:
Poland stormed through their qualifying campaign, winning all their games in the elimination stage. In the first qualifying round, Zamilski's team beat Norway, Latvia and Cyprus while Austria, Finland and Scotland were defeated in the second qualifying round.

Honours in UEFA youth competitions:
UEFA European Under-16 Championship
Winners 1993
Runners-up 1999
UEFA European Under-18 Championship
Winners 2001
Runners-up 1981

Other honours:
International Youth Tournament
Runners-up 1961, 1980