Former Polish Football Association president Zbigniew Boniek has dismissed suggestions that Coventry City forward Ellis Simms should receive a senior Poland call-up this month.
Poland head coach Jan Urban will name his squad on Friday, Nov 6, ahead of the nation's final two UEFA Nations League Division B matches away to Romania and at home against Sweden.
Simms, a 25-year-old striker born in Oldham, recently obtained Polish citizenship, clearing the regulatory path for him to represent the national team. However, his prospect of an immediate selection has sparked debate in Poland due to his modest start to life in the Premier League.
The forward has played just 117 minutes across four Premier League fixtures this season, scoring one goal. He also featured for 32 minutes in Coventry's 3-1 Carabao Cup defeat against Aston Villa.
Boniek questions Simms credentials
Boniek voiced strong scepticism during an appearance with journalist Roman Kolton on the Prawda Futbolu channel. The former Juventus midfielder said the clamour surrounding Simms amused him, arguing that Polish football often gets swept up in sudden excitement over players whom almost nobody in the country has ever watched.
Addressing the debate directly, Boniek remarked that nobody truly knows how Simms plays, how regularly he performs, or what standard he can reach. While acknowledging that the striker scored 13 goals in the Championship during Coventry's promotion campaign last season, Boniek pointed out that the forward has played only peripheral minutes since reaching the Premier League, spending most of his time on the substitutes bench.
Boniek explained that the issue involves both moral and sporting considerations. From a sporting perspective, the former Poland international admitted he could not evaluate the striker because he does not know him and had never noticed him when watching English football. On the strategic side, Boniek questioned whether the national team should pursue players solely because they hold a Polish passport and express an interest in playing.
He added that when he researched Simms two days earlier, the player was described everywhere as an English footballer with no reference to Polish identity. Boniek suggested that Simms probably considers himself English despite his paperwork, questioning whether the Polish football authorities have any clear policy regarding international recruitment.
Federation policy and striker shortage
Recalling his own time as president of the Polish Football Association, Boniek stated that his administration maintained a strict rule never to select any player for whom the federation had to secure a passport. He explained that if a footballer acquires Polish citizenship independently and voluntarily, he can legitimately be considered, after which national scouts can travel to assess him.
The debate over Simms comes at a challenging moment for Urban as he prepares his squad for the November international window. Poland face a shortage of options in form behind veteran captain Robert Lewandowski. Regular international Karol Swiderski has struggled for goals, Karol Czubak has suffered a downturn in form, and alternative candidates are limited to Adrian Benedyczak and Mateusz Zukowski.
Boniek is widely regarded as one of the greatest figures in Polish football history, having won the European Cup with Juventus and earned 80 caps while helping Poland to third place at the 1982 World Cup in Spain. He later served as head of the PZPN from 2012 until 2021, overseeing a sustained period of tournament qualifications.
Everton clash precedes squad reveal
Urban's side face a crucial double header as they conclude their Nations League group campaign, travelling to face Romania before hosting Sweden in front of their home supporters. The coaching staff must decide whether to test untried candidates or stick with established names battling a loss of scoring form.
Simms will be in action on the day of the squad announcement as Coventry City host Everton in the Premier League. Depending on Urban's final decision on Friday evening, the forward could be preparing to celebrate his first senior international call-up with his club teammates.
