Team: Poland

Celtic duo to play key roles

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Coach: Pawel Janas
Captain: Jacek Bak
Winners: Never - finished third in 1974 and 1982
Pitted against: Germany, Costa Rica and Ecuador
Prospects: Should progress from a relatively straightforward group.
Odds: 100-1

Who knows what Polish side will turn up at the finals? Their tournament history is something of a mixed bag, having finished third on two occasions but, unfortunately, more recent performances have left expectant supporters demoralised, writes Paul O'Hehir

In Japan & Korea four years ago, in an attempt to inspire his players, the then coach Jerzy Engel played a World War II film of the Luftwaffe bombing Poland. It didn't work. Poland were humiliated and finished bottom of their group.

That said, only three European teams scored more goals than Poland in the qualifying campaign for Germany and, once again, Polish supporters are cautiously optimistic of a decent run in the country where their greatest triumph was achieved when finishing third at the 1974 finals.

Current manager Pawel Janas will look to Celtic striker Maciej Zurawski for goals, although fellow striker Tomasz Frankowski, who caught the eye in qualifying, is a surprise omission.

Indeed, Polish observers feel Janas has put his job on the line by leaving out Frankowski as well as Liverpool keeper Jerzy Dudek.

"If they get out of the group with this squad then Janas will have his team for the European championships," said one former international. "If they don't, then he'll probably lose his job."

Celtic 'keeper Artur Boruc has made the jersey his own and could add to an impressive reputation with good performances in Germany.

A powerful side, keen to counter attack at every opportunity, Poland may well fancy their chances against both Costa Rica and Equador. Bizarrely, Poland have never beaten neighbours Germany but will be unfazed playing them in their own back yard.

Emmanuel Olisadebe, the Nigerian striker who was awarded Polish citizenship in July 2000, is certainly not the force he was and his a lack of games at Portsmouth put paid to his World Cup chances.

"It's straightforward," he said recently, "I know that I'm not going to Germany. I thought I could make it if I played in the English league but I haven't had the chance."

Some 300,000 fans are expected to make the short journey to Germany and these supporters may be the only Poles to see their team in action as, at the time of writing, Poland is the only participating country yet to finalise television broadcasting rights.

World Cup Squad

Goalkeepers: Artur Boruc (Celtic), Tomasz Kuszczak (West Bromwich Albion), Lukasz Fabianski (Legia Warsaw)
Defenders: Jacek Bak (Al Rayan), Mariusz Jop (FK Moscow), Michal Zewlakow (Anderlecht), Marcin Baszczynski (Wisla Krakow), Seweryn Gancarczyk (Metallist Charkow), Mariusz Lewandowski (Shakhtar Donetsk), Dariusz Dudka (Wisla Krakow)
Midfielders: Jacek Krzynowek (Bayer Leverkusen), Miroslaw Szymkowiak (Trabzonspor), Radoslaw Sobolewski (Wisla Krakow), Euzebiusz Smolarek (Borussia Dortmund), Kamil Kosowski (Southampton), Arkadiusz Radomski (Austria Vienna), Sebastian Mila (Austria Vienna), Damian Gorawski (FK Moscow), Piotr Giza (Cracovia).
Forwards: Maciej Zurawski (Celtic), Grzegorz Rasiak (Southampton), Pawel Brozek (Wisla Krakow), Ireneusz Jelen (Wisla Plock).