Pressure mounts on Poland coach for tactical change

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

BARSINGHAUSEN, Germany, June 12 (Reuters) Poland coach Pawel Janas is under mounting pressure to make radical changes to his lineup for Wednesday's game against Germany in Dortmund.

The Poles face the unenviable task of trying to beat the Germans for the first time in 85 years.

After Friday's 2-0 Group A loss to Ecuador, defeat would guarantee a repeat of their first round exit in South Korea four years ago, disappointing a huge, colourful travelling support.

''I would change three to four players,'' Antoni Piechniczek, manager of Poland's third-place team at the 1982 finals, told reporters at the team's base.

''It can't be like it was in Korea when (coach Jerzy) Engel reconstructed the team only after the 4-0 loss in the second group game, when we were already out and the win that followed over the U.S. gave us nothing.'' Football Association chief Michal Listkiewicz said he would also pressure Janas for some alterations, but neither he nor Piechniczek would say who should be dropped.

''I will talk to Janas and push for changes,'' said Listkiewicz.

''I have told the players straight that this is one chance in a lifetime. The scorer of the winning goal for Poland will be a national hero forever.'' Janas is holding a news conference at 1730 hrs IST today.

Against Ecuador Janas employed a new defensive formation with Maciej Zurawski in an unfamiliar role as a lone striker and Arkadiusz Radomski as a second holding player in a five-man midfield.

On Saturday, two of Janas's former team mates from the 1982 squad advised him to return to the 4-4-2 formation used in qualifying and said he could consider dropping Zurawski for Wednesday's game with Germany.

REUTERS PDS ND1848

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