By Martyn Herman
GDANSK, June 13 (Reuters) – There was not just football
honour at stake when Ireland coach Giovanni Trapattoni brought
his Juventus side oozing with world- class players to play
Lechia Gdansk in 1983.
Poland was under the control of the former Soviet Union and
the historic port city of Gdansk had become the home of
anti-Communist trade union Solidarity which was born in the
sprawling docks that still dominate the horizon today.
With mass demonstrations banned, Lechia became a rare means
of expression for fans, the majority of whom worked in the
shipyards that made Gdansk one of the most important maritime
cities in Europe.
Although Polish authorities had lifted Marshal Law,
large-scale meetings were banned and many, including Solidarity
leader Lech Walesa who is still a fan of the club, were subject
to surveillance and house arrest.
It was against that backdrop that Trapattoni, one of the
greatest Italian managers, arrived with his Juventus side
holding a 7-0 lead from the first leg of their European Cup
Winners Cup tie.
Lechia, who had won the Polish Cup the previous year, turned
the return leg into a matter of national pride and make a show
of defiance against the hardline authorities.
SOLIDARITY FC
More than 40,000 fans, including Walesa, turned out to
support the players in green and white who have become
immortalised as Solidarity FC.
Anti-government songs were sung from the stands, many of
which would have been lost on the Juve players, apart from
Poland’s World Cup 1982 hero Zbigniew Boniek who had been signed
by Trapattoni to play alongside the likes of Michel Platini.
Gdansk led 2-1 and although they eventually lost 3-2 with
Boniek breaking home hearts, the match is ingrained in the
city’s history.
After years in the doldrums the club are now back in the
Polish first division and their home is the spectacular
amber-coloured bowl that will be full to its 40,000 capacity
when Ireland face Spain in Euro 2012 Group C on Thursday.
The white-haired Trapattoni smiles when asked to recall the
night his Juventus side became part of Gdansk folklore.
“I remember it well and I’ve always had an affection for
Poland,” the 73-year-old said as he prepared his team for a
daunting task, but nothing compared to that which faced those
struggling to free Poland from the clutches of Communism.
“I feel that Poland is my second home from a football point
of view. I came to Gdansk shortly after the Second World War and
with Juventus for that match in 1983.
“I remember the atmosphere very clearly. It was a great
occasion. I bought Boniek who was a very important player for
Poland at the time so I felt very tied to Poland.”
With the city now swarming with fans in coloured football
shirts as Poland welcomes fans for Euro 2012, it is far removed
from the bleak times of the 1980s.
“Now I can see that Poland has developed a lot and I can see
that the people are happy people,” Trapattoni said. “I see that
the people are strong and the society is strong.”
Trapattoni will hope that Gdansk’s spirit can rub off on his
Irish underdogs and they can create a little history of their
own by beating Spain.
“We will play with heart,” he said.
(Editing by Ed Osmond)
