Engel - vowed to stay on as coach (Allsport)
ENGEL VOWS TO STAY ON
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Poland coach Jerzy Engel has vowed to stay on
as coach and lead the team into the qualification campaign for Euro 2004,
despite the Poles' disappointing World Cup bid.
Poland were the first team to qualify for Japan and Korea thanks to striker
Emmanuel Olisadebe's blistering goalscoring form, but they have proved a massive
disappointment at the tournament and have been sent packing after defeats to
co-hosts South Korea and Portugal.
More alarming is that Engel's team have failed to score so far, exposing their
reliance on Olisadebe, who has struggled to find his form on the world stage.
But Engel is defiant.
"It is a stupid thing if after a defeat the coach has to go. I will leave
only if the PZPN [Polish FA] will tell me that I am not the man to lead Poland
to Euro 2004."
Although Engel appears to have the full backing of the PZPN, they have said
that no decision will be made until all parties have sat down to discuss the
team's showing at the World Cup.
The vice-president of the PZPN, Zbigniew Boniek, said: "Coach Engel has
signed a contract with PZPN to lead our team to Euro 2004. But we have one more
match in the World Cup before that and only after that will we sit down and
analyse our team's play."
Poland have a final chance to get on the scoresheet and restore some pride
on Friday when they take on the USA in their final Group D match.
Engel will have to do it without key midfielder Piotr Swierczewski, who is
suspended, and injured trio Michal Zewlakow, Radoslaw Kaluzny and Jacek Bak.
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