Waldemar Fornalik, coach of Polish first-division club Ruch Chorzow, was yesterday named Poland manager to replace Franciszek Smuda who stood down after the team went out in the group stage of Euro 2012.

The 49-year-old had been seen as the front-runner from the outset, in the wake of Smuda’s announcement three weeks ago that he was bowing out.

With just eight weeks left until the start of Poland’s qualifying campaign for the 2104 World Cup in Brazil, Poland’s PZPN football association said it had wanted to move fast to fill the gap.

“We were aware that time is marching on, and that the battle for a World Cup berth begins in September,” PZPN boss Grzegorz Lato told reporters.

Fornalik, whose contract runs at least until the end of the World Cup qualifiers, will be at the helm in time for a friendly away to Estonia on August 15.

Poland kick off their World Cup campaign on September 7 away to Montenegro, before taking on Moldova at home four days later, and then host England on October 16.

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