2010 Polish Scout Ranking – Attacking Midfielders

And I moaned about center-backs and lack of candidates for my list… But we don’t have too many of attacking midfielders which as worrying as our limits in defence. Make fantastic and unexpected through pass, score from the distance, rip apart opponents lines – really hard to find few Polish players of that kind. But I tried and let’s see the results.

I’m counting down from fifth to first and then those who are not on the list but are worth mentioning anyway. I must warn you that following opinions and positions, as in every rank, are only of my own and you may disagree with me – if you do, please comment.

5^th place – Michał Janota (Go Ahead Eagles, Holland, 29.07.1990, 171/74)

Why he decided to stay in Dutch second division for two seasons this summer? I’m sure he could get similar deal in better league, for example Polish one. Fantastic technique but he lacks spirit on the pitch, he is not a fighter, can’t inspire… Good pace and he is excellent passer and he knows what to do in front of the goal but most certainly there is a space to improve. A lot of it, to be honest.

4^th place – Mateusz Cetnarski (GKS Bełchatów, Poland, 06.07.1988, 175/71)

Very, very similar player to Janota but I personally think that his dribbling skills are better and he is also better passer. But since his best season when Łukasz Garguła left GKS Bełchatów and he filled his boots as play-maker it’s only a decrease in his form. This season he looks a bit overweight and not as fit as he was back then. More of the same next year and he will be out of my list.

3^rd place – Dawid Plizga (Zagłębie Lubin, Poland, 17.11.1985, 173/73)

Great little player and I knew he will be one since his days for GKS Katowice, almost seven years ago. Great technique, always a will to push his team forward, right spirit and attitude but he should make much more decisive passes and score more goals. Very soon his last bell will ring to achieve greater things and he must ensure that he won’t miss it.

2^nd place – Radosław Majewski (Nottingham Forest, England, 15.12.1986, 170/68)

What an impact he made last season in Championship and for his club, eh? And how his move to England changed him – for better of course. He may not shine in this season as he did in first half of the year but surely one of better players we had in terms of technique and passing. Big shame that Franciszek Smuda has no clue how use his qualities in national team.

1^st place – Kamil Grosicki (Jagiellonia Białystok, Poland, 08.06.1988, 177/75)

Who he is? A gambling addict? A winger or maybe a striker? A simple young boy that moved too quickly from his teenager world to the stadiums, training grounds and clubs? Already a failure in terms career abroad? Part of everything I suppose but if you want to remember him for his performances on the pitch, look at him as a attacking midfielder played just behind Tomasz Frankowski, looking for one-twos, always finding space, with great dribbling skills and technique. He is cheeky and maybe too selfish at times but believe me, Polish national team could use of his qualities. But Smuda puts him on the wing and shouts to run near the line…

Worth mention: Ebi Smolarek (He signed for Polonia Warszawa and failed to make an impact he was expected to but still remains in the interest of Franciszek Smuda. On his day he is international level but it looks like he lost interest in the game), Roger (First months in AEK were awful for him and it looked like another case lost but recently we have heard about his revival and hopefully he will show his quality in Greece) and Sebastian Mila (He may not be a type of a runner, without much stamina and pace but his delivery from set-pieces is one of the best in Poland. Still, I think he did not fullfil his potential even in half).