2010 Polish Scout Ranking - Centre-backs

Today I complete defence formation by adding Top 5 Polish centre-backs although I thought about increasing number of players because they cover two positions on the field. I added few more names to the worth mention section but, as you will see, the selection was not easy as number of players good enough to make it to the team is really low. 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 – Kamil Glik (US Palermo, Italy, 03.02.1988, 190/80)

Is this the case of wrong choice regarding future club? Kamil Glik couldn’t stay in Piast Gliwice when they were relegated last season and had few big clubs tracking him and offering huge deals but he went for Palermo where his chances are limited and already few of them didn’t go his way. He has everything to succeed as defender in better leagues than Ekstraklasa but must believe in himself and get his mind on the game, not distract from it.

4^th place – Maciej Sadlok (Polonia Warszawa, Poland, 29.06.1989, 186/80)

Can someone please use him as center back, not on the left side of the defence? Thank you. Very intelligent player but often too confident in his display and then comes mistakes. Disappointed to leave Ruch Chorzów but this club needed money desperately but I’m even more disappointed that his (clubs?) choice was to go to Polonia Warszawa. Should go abroad, obviously.

3^rd place – Piotr Celeban (Śląsk Wrocław, Poland, 25.06.1985, 181/76)

Fantastic year, again. I’m small admirer of him as a player and he is an example to follow for younger footballers or those aspiring to be one in the future. He takes his job very serious, you know, right food, right amount of sleep and so on – details but those makes a professional, right? On the pitch he is good too. Standing strong, despite not being tall he fights very well in the air. Tactically he plays very well, also very useful at set pieces up front – scoring a lot of goals.

2^nd place – Michał Żewłakow (Ankaragücü SK, Turkey, 22.04.1976, 182/75)

Getting old and it can be seen on the pitch as opponents often target him with fast attackers but very intelligent and hugely experienced. He was banned from national team for drinking on plane back from US tour while prepared to be leader of the team for EURO 2012. Not anymore though.

1^st place – Bartosz Bosacki (Lech Poznań, Poland, 20.12.1975, 189/81)

I wasn’t a big fan of his abilities but it changed this year. Fantastic performances for Lech, even though he lost some part of the season due to injury. He did not play a single game this year for Polish national team which is simply stunning and shows how wasteful Smuda is in terms of selection. For me, he had the best year from Polish other central defenders and while being injury prone, he is very intelligent, very good tactically, good on and off the ball. Also he is decent human being and true professional which is still something exceptional in Poland.

Worth mention: Arkadiusz Głowacki (Why Wisła decided to let him go is simply stunning for me as even at his age he was still decent leader and defender. Lost track of him when he moved to Turkey and injury ruined his first half of current season), Tomasz Jodłowiec (Last year he would be very high on my list but his form dropped, shamefully. Still great potential in this player but he must move abroad as he is not getting any better at Polonia Warszawa), Jarosław Fojut (Another defender from Śląsk Wrocław, was at Bolton for several years but when he came back to Poland his devotion for the game dropped. Should focus on the game and will be considered  for national team after EURO 2012).