Poland Interested in Diego Klimowicz?

from www.onefootball.com
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Poland look to recruit Klimowicz

Friday 26th April 2002

The Polish Football Association is examining whether or not Wolfsburg's Argentinean striker Diego Klimowicz can be granted Polish citizenship, making him available for selection for Poland's World Cup squad.

Klimowicz holds an Argentinian passport but is of Ukrainian origin. However, despite bemoaning the lack of talent currently available to their national team, the Ukrainian Football Federation have not pursued the possibility of recruiting the centre-forward as one of their own.

Poland have now stepped in and will argue that Klimowicz is Polish due to the fact that his grandfather was born in Ukrainian territory occupied by the Poles between the World Wars.

If their bid is successful, he could be in contention for a place in Jerzy Engel's World Cup squad.

The 27-year-old joined Wolfsburg from Argentinean club Atletico Lanus in December 2001 and has scored ten goals since is arrival.

He started his career at Instituto Cordoba before joining Spanish side Real Vallecano, where he stayed for two seasons, scoring 14 goals.

He then moved to Real Valladolid, where he managed just a single goal in 21 games, but returned to form at Lanus, whom joined in 1999.

He hit 34 goals in his first two terms and netted eight times in the 2000-2001 season.


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If its true, than its pretty lame that poland are now recruiting players rather than developing them. The polish FA should dedicate more time and money for youth development rather than spend their time looking for quick fix solutions.

from onefootball.com
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Monday 29th April 2002

Wolfsburg striker Diego Klimowicz has admitted defeat in his bid to be selected by Argentina for the World Cup, fuelling speculation that he will commit his future to Poland.

"I'm Argentinian with the whole of my heart, but there are four or five candidates who have the edge over me," he said, citing Gabriel Batistuta, Javier Saviola, Hernan Crespo and Claudio Lopez.

The powerful forward is eligible to play for a host of nations. He is the grandchild of Italian and Polish (what is now Ukraine) emigrants and therefore qualifies for all three nations.

Klimowicz has also played in Spain for two years, with Rayo Vallecano and Real Valladolid, and is therefore eligible to apply for a Spanish passport.

With the Ukraine seemingly uninterested, Klimowicz could pledge his allegiance to Poland, whose coach Jerzy Engel has problems with injuries ahead of the World Cup.

The nation have proved more than willing in the past to assimilate players who are not of Polish origin.

Nigerian-born Emmanuel Olisadebe acquired Polish citizenship last year and looks set to play a crucial role in Japan and Korea this summer. Partnering him with Klimowicz is a mouth-watering prospect for Polish fans

Klimowicz, who has had praise lavished on him by Germany boss Rudi Voller, is keeping his intentions guarded. "It's too bad I don't have a German grandpa," jokedthe forward, who has scored ten goals since his arrival at Wolfsburg in December from Atletico Lanus.