Poland coach Leo Beenhakker said on Wednesday that he was deeply worried about the corruption scandal rocking the domestic football league and vowed to protect his team from a morale slump as they prepare for Euro 2008.”Everybody who’s part of Polish football will recognise of course that in general, it’s a very bad situation,” Beenhakker told reporters as he announced the names of the players he plans to take to Poland’s first ever European championships appearance, in Austria and Switzerland in June.
“It’s very bad for the image of Polish football. It’s a very weird and bad example for our young generation who have the ambition to play football, and it’s a very bad moment in relation to our participation in Euro 2008 and being hosts of Euro 2012,” he added.
“But it also has a direct influence on my responsibility to the national team, and on the future of Polish football and on my position.
“I feel it is my responsibility and duty to try to keep this out of the preparations of the national team, which will not be easy.
“If the results in Euro 2008 don’t correspond with the expectations we have, then I want to be sure that we lose on the pitch and not off the pitch,” said the Dutch veteran, who has been coaching around the world since the 1960s and was appointed as Poland’s coach in 2006.
