I thought that in today’s article, I’d take a look at some players who most of us have forgotten about in the reckoning for a place at the World Cup in Qatar. All of these players have been capped or called-up in the relatively recent past, and all would have been (and still might be) expected to be in the running for a spot in Selekcjoner Czesław Michniewicz’s plans for the tournament in Qatar.
Michał Helik
Image via htafc.com
Helik was last called up for the World Cup play-off game against Sweden in March. Since then, he suffered injury which meant he was unavailable for Barnsley as the team from South Yorkshire was relegated to League 1 at the end of the 2021-22 season. Helik was linked with a move away from Barnsley all summer, most notably with Lech Poznań, who agreed a transfer fee with Barnsley, but Helik wished to stay in England. He got his wish, moving to fellow Yorkshire side Huddersfield Town on the last day of the transfer window. So far, Helik has played 90 minutes in two of the three games the side have played since he joined (a loss to Wigan and a win against Cardiff).
He is in my opinion the player on this list most likely to make the World Cup squad, probably battling it out with Mateusz Wieteska for the last spot in the defence. Helik will have to put in some very worthy displays for Huddersfield to get Michniewicz to select him, but it’s not beyond the realms of possibility. Helik did win Barnsley’s Player of the Season award in his first year at Oakwell, so he has the ability to perform at a level worthy of a call-up.
Kamil Jóźwiak
Image via Mikolaj Barbanell/Shutterstock
Jóźwiak was last called up for World Cup qualifying last November, and hasn’t featured in a Poland squad since then (ergo, not once has he been selected by Michniewicz). There will be a full article on Jóźwiak and how his career seems to be stuck in reverse tomorrow, but the upshot is this: since leaving Lech Poznań in 2020, he has scored one goal in club football. He was an adequate player for Derby County, and he has been adequate in the MLS for Charlotte, but Jóźwiak is clearly a player lacking in end product. His national team career has been pretty good however, scoring a fantastic solo goal against Holland in 2020 and he was a favourite of the last coach, Paulo Sousa. He started every game for Poland at last summer’s Euros, assisting Robert Lewandowski from right wing-back in the game against Spain.
Jóźwiak is far from making the World Cup squad, but he is a good player in that right wing-back position for the national team. He’s no Matty Cash, but under Sousa he displayed his qualities in that role many times for Poland. Jóźwiak has since become a bit of a joke, but at just 24, there is no reason he can’t get his career back on track. That said, the World Cup would probably be too soon.
Przemysław Płacheta
Image via @BCFC on Twitter
Płacheta is one of my favourite players, admittedly for quite arbitrary Fifa-related reasons, as I wrote an article about a while back. His last call-up for Poland was for the summer Nations League round, although his sole appearance in the match day squad was when he featured on the bench in the 2-2 draw against Holland in Rotterdam. His form this season for Birmingham City (to whom he has been loaned from Norwich) was quite good, with one goal in five Championship games from left wing-back until he suffered an injury at the end of August.
If he were to be selected in the Poland squad, you imagine it would be as back-up to Nicola Zalewski in that left wing-back position, although Płacheta can play on either side. It appears that Michniewicz would prefer Arkadiusz Reca or Michał Skóraś in that role, but I wouldn’t rule Płacheta out if he can maintain some decent performances when he returns for Birmingham, although he is reported to be out until the end of October, which could scupper any hopes of gaining momentum in terms of a push to make the squad for the World Cup.
Tymoteusz Puchacz
Image via Mikolaj Barbanell/Shutterstock
Puchacz last featured for Poland in the summer round of the Nations League, with an assist against Wales in Wrocław and 45 minutes on the pitch in the disappointing 6-1 loss to Belgium in Brussels. According to reports, he wanted out of Union Berlin this summer as he was told he would only be used in cup competitions, and so far he has only played 65 minutes in the Europa League. It’s a shame to see him limited to so few minutes on the pitch, and it’s done his chances of making the Poland squad a lot of damage.
Puchacz is competing for that left wing-back role, and whilst Zalewski has made himself pretty undroppable in that position, Puchacz would be an able back-up if only he could find himself a club who would give him the regular playing time he needs. Puchacz won’t make the World Cup squad with the few Europa League minutes he is getting, and that’s the sad truth of the matter.
Dawid Kownacki
Image via Mikolaj Barbanell/Shutterstock
Kownacki has eight goals and three assists in ten games playing with Fortuna Düsseldorf this season in the 2. Bundesliga. Michniewicz has acknowledged Kownacki’s great form, but has stopped short of saying anything other than that he is in contention for a place in the World Cup squad like everyone else. Kownacki’s last appearance for Poland was in a pre-Euros friendly last summer, and he was named on the bench in two of Poland’s three games at the tournament last summer.
Kownacki is unlikely to be in the World Cup squad, just because of the options Poland have at striker. Lewandowski is one of the best in the world, Milik and Piątek are rediscovering themselves in Serie A and Karol Świderski is imperious every time he puts on a Poland shirt. Therefore despite Kownacki making impressive contributions for his club, he won’t find himself in the World Cup squad unless injury is to befall one of the four players I’ve just mentioned, which hopefully won’t be the case.
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