Poland, co-host of next summer’s European Championship, axed midfielder Slawomir Peszko after an alcohol-fueled dispute with a taxi driver that saw him dropped from the first teamof his German club FC Cologne.
“Peszko is out, as this was a repeat offence. He won’t be in my team. End of story,” said Poland coach Franciszek Smuda, who noted that thatPeszko had already been in trouble for drunken misbehavior after a friendly against Australia in Poland in September 2010. “I acted like a father and gave the boy a second chance. … I shook withrage [upon hearing of the lastest incident.]”
Poland won Olympic gold in 1972, silver in 1976, and finished third at the World Cup in 1974 and 1982, but the decades since have been lean andpressure will be high from home fans at Euro 2012.