retired_jgirl87

20th September 2003:

It’s a long coach trip all the way north to Gdynia on the Baltic Sea. Over 400 kilometres means nearly five hours of travel, so we leave quite early in the morning. It also means that Klep and I have plenty of time to think about how we are not going to be getting a game today. Mr Gorniak announces the changes for today’s match as we travel. Dziuba replaces me on the left whilst Dopierala get his first start of the season in the defensive midfielder’s role. Osinski is promoted from the reserves to sit on the bench.

Dziuba starts well on the left wing and he combines with Folc to set up Gawronski from close range for the opening goal after 12 minutes. For the rest of the first half we are generally in control. Kowalczyk, Folc and Berensztajn all have good chances, but fail to get their shots on target. But the second half is totally different as Arka come out of their shell and start attacking us. Borkowski pulls off three outstanding saves to deny Arka an equaliser. However he is left helpless at 67 minutes when Kowalski slips and completely misses a deep cross, allowing his opponent time to control the ball and shoot past our goalie. Borkowski then saves a point-blank header to keep it at 1-1, but in the final minute I am convinced that we are going to lose our unbeaten status. A low cross flies across the six yard box and Borkowski can’t cut it out. An Arka player is completely free on the far post, but from three yards out he somehow manages to knock it wide. Shortly afterwards the final whistle is sounded and we have our achieved our third frustrating draw in a row.

Polish Division 2 – Round 8
Arka 1-1 Radomsko
Gawronski 12

23rd September 2003:

The assistant manager Krzysztof Budka took us for training tonight. Mr Gorniak was in Warsaw at the Polish FA to represent me at my disciplinary tribunal hearing. I was hoping that the referee’s report would say that I had been provoked and had retaliated, rather than having just committed a straight out violent offence. Mr Budka’s mobile phone rang just as we were finishing showering after training. He spoke for about thirty seconds and then looked over towards me. He shook his head and then held up two fingers. I had been banned for a further two games.

27th September 2003:

A seat in the stands for me again today as Tloki are the visitors. They are second on the table and we are expecting a difficult match. Klepczynski returns from suspension and Kurek replaces Smolinski at left back.

The first half hour is quiet, although Dziuba is enjoying his run in the team at my expense. If he keeps playing this well, I won’t get my place back in the starting line-up after my suspension. Dziuba puts a lovely cross onto the head of Folc who rattles the cross-bar. Tloki scramble it clear, but Jozwiak gets it on the right and crosses, this time finding Gawronski just inside the box. He swivels beautifully and curls a left-footer into the bottom corner to put us 1-0 up. We are not too troubled in holding onto the 1-0 lead until half-time, but at 55 minutes Tloki equalise. Borkowski was the hero in our previous match with several great saves, but today he lets in a howler as a weak header from a free-kick slips through his arms and rolls over the line. “Not another bloody draw”, I think as the Tloki players celebrate. It’s been three games since our top scorer Kowalczyk has found the net, but he puts us back in front with the 50th league goal of his career for Radomsko after 66 minutes. He is on the end of a wonderful five player move, all first time passes, which rips the Tloki defence to shreds and leaves Kowalczyk with a simple side-footer to score. At 74 minutes Klep makes it safe for us when he jumps high at the far post to head in Jozwiak’s right wing corner. We take the match 3-1 and end our sequence of three drawn matches.

Polish Division 2 – Round 9
Radomsko 3-1 Tloki
Gawronski 32, Kowalczyk 66, Klepczynski 74

Mike..

Super stuff Spav, I waited until there were a few updates before reading this (my usual preferred method) and it was worth the wait :thup:

retired_jgirl87

Thanks flippers. There should be regular updates until Christmas, but then I will be away for 3-4 days.

retired_jgirl87

29th September 2003:

I am a bit low today. We have a vital FA Cup quarter-final coming up in two days and I am suspended from playing. As Radomsko are a semi-professional team, there is no training during the day as most of the players also work. This leaves me with a fair amount of spare time. I am walking down by the river and I decide to stop by at a café I have discovered recently. There is a dark haired girl sitting by herself near the fireplace. It is the girl from the “Sportz One” bar that I was talking to three weeks ago. I decide to be brave and go and sit with her. Her English is basic, but better than my Polish. Her name is Katerina. We have a good time talking and we make a deal – she will help me learn Polish and I will help her with her English. Afterwards I’m not as depressed as I was earlier.

1st October 2003:

I join my team-mates in the dressing room before this vital first leg match, even though I can’t play. There is one change to the team from the weekend. Lato starts on the left as Dziuba is not 100% fit. There is tenseness in the room and even Gawronski, our team comedian and joker, can’t get a laugh with his usually hilarious impersonations of George Bush and Osama Bin-Laden sharing a shower together.

We get into our rhythm fairly quickly and start to press Korona back. They are defending deeply and playing with only one man up front. Jozwiak on the right and Lato on the left are getting room to play and we are trying to get them to the bye line to pull the ball back and create dangerous situations. There are long range efforts from Kowalczyk, Klepczynski and Gawronski which don’t trouble the Korona keeper whilst our defence has no difficulty containing the rare Korona attacks. Jozwiak clips the post with a low shot just before half-time and that is the closest that we have come to taking the lead. So it’s 0-0 at the break and I have a horrible feeling that Korona are going to hold out for the draw that they are desperately seeking. There is more of the same for most of the second half – we are attacking but not getting the final pass to the player in the best position whilst Korona are defending resolutely. Folc has two great chances, one which he scuffs wide and the other which he shoots straight at the keeper. Our supporters are desperate for a goal and the noise is the loudest that I have heard at Brzeznicka this season. We are coming up to injury time and I have counted 18 shots to 2 in our favour, but it is still 0-0 on the scoreboard. There are three minutes of injury time to play according to the fourth official’s board. I am sitting on the edge of my seat, begging the guys for one final effort. Lato moves down the left and crosses to Folc. He knocks a header back to Klep who hits an inch-perfect first time pass into the stride of Kowalczyk just on the edge of the box. Kowalczyk takes it first time with the outside of his right foot and curls the ball past the keeper into the bottom corner of the net. I leap from my seat with the rest of our supporters and yell with delight. We have taken the match 1-0 and we have something to defend in the second leg in three weeks time.

Polish FA Cup Quarter-Final 1st Leg
Radomsko 1-0 Korona
Kowalczyk 90

4th October 2003:

I have trained hard the last few days prior to our home league match with Jagiellonia, trying to convince Mr Gorniak that I should be back in the starting line up now that my three match suspension is over. However Mr Gorniak goes with the same team as our mid-week cup win, so I have to be happy with a place on the substitute’s bench.

Kowalczyk gets us off to a flyer when he collects Lamch’s long pass from defence and chips the Jagiellonia goalie after only 3 minutes. At 20 minutes Kowalczyk turns provider when he breaks into the box from the left. The defence forces him wide, but he suddenly swivels and plays a lovely cross to the far post. Jozwiak arrives perfectly on time to head us into a 2-0 lead. We have the opposition on the ropes and a third goal arrives at 40 minutes when Klepczynski’s free-kick on the right is headed home by Folc. 3-0 at half-time and Jagiellonia have not offered much resistance. Radomsko continue to control the second half, but there are no clear cut chances to extend our lead. With about 30 minutes to go I get up from the bench and do some stretches and sprints, trying to indicate to Mr Gorniak that I am ready to go on and help the team search for a fourth goal. He smiles and laughs at me, then tells assistant manager Budka something. The board comes out and number 19 is feed into the display. At 66 minutes I replace a tiring Gawronski up front and I am itching to get back onto the field. I get a few chances to run with the ball and late on my cross from the left is headed against the post by Folc. It is so good to be back on the pitch and we run out comfortable 3-0 winners.

Polish Division 2 – Round 10
Radomsko 3-0 Jagiellonia
Kowalczyk 3, Jozwiak 21, Folc 40

retired_jgirl87

6th October 2003:

State Television is filming a story about the increase in foreign players playing for Polish clubs. They have discovered that I am the only Australian playing in the top two divisions in Poland and they want to film a segment about me for their weekly sports show. Mr Gorniak thinks it is a good idea as it will give us some exposure and may generate bigger attendances at our games. He also tells me not to show off or to get a big head or else he will drop me very quickly. I get the message.

7th October 2003:

A film crew from State Television was filming us at our light training run tonight. I tried hard to look impressive, but several of my moves and tricks failed and our reserves defender Chmielewski gave me a torrid time. To top things off, Dopierala took a shot at goal and hit me flush in the face with the ball, causing me to stumble around like a drunken idiot and giving everyone the chance to have a good laugh at my misfortune.

8th October 2003: (morning)

I filmed an interview with the State Television crew this morning. It was a bit nerve-wracking, but I think it went well. I had to do everything through an interpreter and I hope that my words were translated correctly. I’m not sure what they made of my Australian expressions such as “She’ll be jake” and “Bewdy, mate”. The film crew will be covering our game against Blekitni tonight.

8th October 2003: (evening)

Tonight we are at Stargard Szczecinski, 400 kilometres to the west and nearly on the German border, to play Blekitni. I am back in favour and have been restored to the left wing at the expense of Lato.

We continue the good form that has seen us win our last three matches. Klepczynski and Kowalczyk continue to dominate the centre of midfield as they have been doing recently. We work a couple of shooting chances but the final efforts are wayward. Finally at 40 minutes Klep adds to his growing list of assists as he splits the Blekitni defence with a delicate pass and Kowalczyk strides through to dribble around the keeper and put us 1-0 up. The lead does not last for long. Almost straight from the kick-off of the second half, Blekitni attack and Lamch and Prokop both attempt to head the same cross, causing the ball to drop for their striker to slam it past Borkowski and make it 1-1. Blekitni are lifted by the goal and it is our turn to defend vigorously for a lengthy period of time. Gawronski has had a poor game tonight and Jozwiak has also been quiet, so Mr Gorniak makes a double substitution at 76 minutes, bringing on Tomasiak and Lato and pushing me over to the right wing with instructions to drift inside where possible. Lato immediately gives their right-back several difficult moments. At 82 minutes he gets to the bye line and sends over a teasing cross. It is half cleared to the edge of the box where Klep takes it on his chest and then dinks the ball five yards to the right where I am standing. It’s at a perfect height to volley, so I lash it with my left foot and it flies into the net via the post. I run over to the side line to hug Mr Gorniak to thank him for putting me back in the team and to celebrate with my joyful team-mates. A few minutes later the final whistle is blown and we have won 2-1. The win also takes Radomsko to the top of Division 2 for the first time this season.

Polish Division 2 – Round 11
Blekitni 1-2 Radomsko
Kowalczyk 40, Mathieson 82

10th October 2003:

It’s Friday night and the team has gathered at Brzeznicka after training to watch the weekly sports show. There is a loud cheer as the segment about me begins. Klep gives me a running interpretation of the commentary. There is an interview with Mr Gorniak where he says some nice things about my performances this season, but he says I must learn to control my temper. They show some footage of me at training and then my interview which is dubbed over in Polish. Then Borkowski, Prokop and Klepczynski are all interviewed. I hadn’t realised that they were included, but they are all very complimentary about my contribution to the team. Finally they show highlights of our 2-1 win over Blekitni and I see myself scoring the winning goal and racing to the touch line to celebrate with the manager. The presenter comes on and finishes up by saying that Radomsko are currently top of Division 2 and are a good bet for promotion at the end of the season. There are more cheers at that comment, then Gawronski gets up and presents me with a baggy number 19 Radomsko shirt with “Movie Star” written above the number. I must wear it at training for the rest of the season.

retired_jgirl87

This is how RKS Radomsko are currently lining up (with backups in brackets).

GK – Borkowski (Kozik)
DR/DL – Lamch, Smolinski (Kurek)
DC – Prokop, Kowalski (Nowak)
DMC – Klepczynski (Leszczynski or Dopierala)
MR – Jozwiak (Balecki)
ML – Mathieson (Lato or Dziuba)
AMC – Kowalczyk (Berensztajn)
FC – Gawronski, Folc (Tomasiak)

11th October 2003:

There is some good news for Balecki today as the physio declares that he is fit enough to return to training after his recent groin injury. The final round of Euro 2004 qualifiers is played this afternoon. As usual, we go to “Sportz One” and my Polish team-mates are very happy as they watch Poland draw 0-0 in Hungary to claim second place in Group 4 behind Sweden. This means a play-off spot for the Poles and a home and away tie to be contested against Switzerland next month.

13th October 2003:

With the team settling into a regular starting eleven, the first sign of annoyance has surfaced. Berensztajn demanded to see Mr Gorniak in private and declared his anger at not being a regular in the team. He had moved to the club from fellow Division 2 club Belchatow and had expected to be a regular this season. Klep tells me that Mr Gorniak told Berensztajn to start performing on a consistent basis and he might be considered, although it would be difficult with Kowalczyk in such superb form.

16th October 2003:

We were doing sprint training tonight when Lamch suddenly screamed in pain and crashed to the ground holding his right hamstring. It looked bad and the initial diagnosis is that he will be out for about 3 weeks. Nowak has been told that he will be replacing Lamch at right-back for the next match.

18th October 2003:

Piast are the visitors today. They have had a terrible start to the season, failing to win in their first nine games before winning their last two matches. Nowak starts in defence whilst Balecki is happy to be fit enough to get a place on the bench.

Despite our high percentage of possession in the first half, we create little in the way of chances. Folc is ruled offside as he heads in from Jozwiak’s cross at 28 minutes, but that is all we really have to show for our first half endeavours. Mr Gorniak is not impressed at the break and he gives us a major bollocking. I recognised some of the swear words as being similar to those that the lads have been teaching me. Even though I didn’t understand what was said, I certainly got the picture. Lato replaces Jozwiak, who is suffering from the flu, and I move to the right for the second half. The first time I get the ball I cut inside and I see Kowalczyk ghosting in behind the last defender. I chip it towards him and he takes it down beautifully and half-volleys it in from 20 yards out. The defender has clattered him at the same time and Kowalczyk stays down as we go to celebrate with him. The physio helps him from the field and we play for a few minutes with ten men before Balecki comes to the touchline and is bought on as a substitute. Balecki goes to the right and I move to the attacking midfield role behind the front two. At 58 minutes Klep breaks up a Piast attack and we quickly counter-attack. I have acres of space through the middle and Klep slots a pass to my feet. I run to the edge of the box and side foot the ball past the advancing keeper before he can dive. The ball hits the post and goes in to give us a 2-0 lead. We are certainly on song now and a third goal arrives in the 70th minute. Folc is fouled 25 yards out and Klepczynski lines up the free-kick. He curls it over the wall and it dips at the last moment to creep in under the cross-bar. The keeper has no chance and the crowd chant Klep’s name as he runs behind the goal to celebrate. From this point on we are comfortable in maintaining our 3-0 lead and this remains to be the final score.

Polish Division 2 – Round 12
Radomsko 3-0 Piast
Kowalczyk 47, Mathieson 58, Klepczynski 70

retired_bbcarr

just read this through. very good start, hope it continues as such

retired_jgirl87

Cheers Simon

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<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | *** | RADOMSKO | | 12 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 26 | 9 | +17 | 26 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | | Podbeskidzie | | 12 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 21 | 13 | +8 | 26 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Arka | | 12 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 15 | 9 | +6 | 24 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Stasiak Opoczno | | 12 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 27 | 17 | +10 | 22 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Zaglebie | | 12 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 23 | 13 | +10 | 21 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Pogon | | 12 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 16 | 9 | +7 | 21 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Blekitni | | 12 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 25 | 17 | +8 | 20 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Tloki | | 12 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 24 | 16 | +8 | 20 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Jagiellonia | | 12 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 22 | 20 | +2 | 17 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Ruch Chorzow | | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 16 | 17 | -1 | 16 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Belchatow | | 12 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 16 | 21 | -5 | 14 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | Szczakowianka | | 12 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 18 | 13 | +5 | 12 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Cracovia | | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 18 | 19 | -1 | 12 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | LKS | | 12 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 11 | 20 | -9 | 11 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Piast | | 12 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 17 | -9 | 10 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Polar | | 12 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 23 | -15 | 7 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | KSZO | | 12 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 11 | 32 | -21 | 7 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | | Aluminium | | 12 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 5 | 25 | -20 | 3 | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| </pre>

retired_jgirl87

21st October 2003:

Suspensions and injuries hit our plans for the biggest game of the season to date. Prokop has picked up four yellow cards and is suspended for our 2nd leg match against Korona, whilst Lamch is still out injured. Then in training tonight Jozwiak took a kick to the calf which ended his participation for the next couple of weeks. Osinski has been drafted in at right-back whilst Balecki will start on the right of midfield despite just returning from injury himself.

22nd October 2003:

A midweek cup match under lights in Kielce, 90 kilometres to the east. Their stadium holds 8,000 people and it is nearly full. For a change I feel that we are the underdogs and that will be the ones defending against a team committed to attack.

Having played 15 games so far this season, we are finding that our defensive play is getting better and better. We hold Korona at bay without too much trouble. It is nearly half an hour before the first real chance is created. They work a good move down their left and the cross catches Nowak ball-watching, allowing his opponent to peel away and meet the ball with a powerful header which luckily goes straight at Borkowski. We win our first corner in the 34th minute and I go to the right to try an inswinger with my left foot. Everyone packs into the six yard box and I notice Balecki hovering in the semi-circle on the edge of the penalty area. I quickly drive a low corner towards him and he hits it perfectly on the volley. It flies into the crowd of players and takes a deflection off a defender, completely bamboozling the Korona keeper as it flicks up into the roof of the net. We are ecstatic – that’s 1-0 to us and 2-0 on aggregate, plus we have a vital away goal. This will make it very difficult for Korona to beat us now as long as we maintain our good defensive play. It stays at 1-0 until half-time.

Korona desperately attack us throughout the second half, but our resolve is unbreakable. Borkowski saves well on three occasions whilst Osinski is having an excellent debut, blanketing their left winger and clearing off the line when Borkowski was beaten late in the match. Finally the referee blows his whistle and ends the match. All of the players huddle together to celebrate and then we run over to our supporters to thank them for their vocal support. Amongst the supporters I spot one fan with an inflatable kangaroo. I’m laughing as I reach over and shake his hand. He grins back at me and waves his kangaroo in the air. “Radomsko win cup”, he shouts. “Too bloody right, mate”, I shout back.

Polish FA Cup Quarter-Final 2nd Leg
Korona 0-1 Radomsko (Radomsko win 2-0 on aggregate)
Balecki 34

23rd October 2003:

I join the lads at the steelworks canteen yet again to watch the lunch-time draw for the semi-finals of the Polish FA Cup. There are two Division 1 sides plus us and another team from Division 2 still remaining in the cup. I know which team I would rather be facing when the games come around in April. The first team drawn is Arka from Division 2. We hold our breath as we wait to see who their opponents will be. The next team drawn is Radomsko. Yes, it is the draw that we wanted. Division 1 teams Legia Warszawa and Wisla Krakow are drawn together in the other semi-final tie. Klep, Folc, Balecki and I give each other high-fives and pats on the back. We are already thinking about a place in the Polish FA Cup final itself.

jwinked90

this is crap, read 'Me and My Crewe' instead.