Wisła Kraków
| File:Wisla.gif | |||
| Full name | Wisła Kraków Sportowa Spółka Akcyjna | ||
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| Nickname(s) | White Star | ||
| Founded | 1906 | ||
| Ground | Wisła Stadium | ||
| Capacity | 20.000 (upgrading to 35,000) | ||
| Chairman |  Marek Wilczek | ||
| Manager | Maciej Skorża | ||
| League | Ekstraklasa | ||
| 2007/2008 | Orange Ekstraklasa, 1st | ||
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Wisła Kraków (pron. IPA: [ˈviswa ˈkrakuf], Veeswa Krakouf) is a Polish football club based in Kraków, Poland. From 1906-1945 and from 1990-1997 it was known as Towarzystwo Sportowe (Sports Society) Wisła, after World War II the club became known as Wisła Kraków. The club's coat of arms is a white star on a red background.
History
The history of Wisła started during the fall of 1906, when (probably in October) Dr. Tadeusz Konczyński organised the Krakow Błonia, the first football tournament in the city. He also founded four teams (among them one came from the Second Real School) and football uniforms which came to him from England. The school's team (also called Szkolnikowski's team) was given light blue shirts with a black bowl on their chests, which was divided by a blue belt. This is why they were called "The Blues". Their first captain, and also the person to coin the name "Wisła" was Józef Szkolnikowski - goalkeeper. Prof. Tadeusz Łopuszański was the club's first chairman.
In September 1907 "The Reds" (Jenkner's team) merged with Wisła, and soon after "The Pinks" did the same. That is when Towarzystwo Sportowe Wisła officially began. The Blue shirts were changed to red, but the black trousers remained. When the first uniforms arrived from Berlin, two light blue stars were present on the shirts. It was decided that only one would remain, though its colour would be changed to white. This is how "The White Star" became the recognized symbol of the club.
From that time on the club had its ups and downs, winning national championships and gaining European qualification. The club was also relegated on three occasions to the second division.
On the international stage Wisła competed in all three of the European competitions. The biggest success came in the 1978/79 season, reaching the quarter-finals of the European Cup eventually to be knocked out by Malmö FF, 3:5. Most recently Wisła narrowly missed out on a chance to compete in the 2005/06 Champions League group stage, being beaten 4:5 by Greek side Panathinaikos after extra time under controversial circumstances.
Wisła also twice reached the second round of the Cup Winners Cup in 1967/68 and 1984/85, being beaten 0:5 and 2:3 by Hamburger SV and Fortuna Sittard respectively.
"The White Star" has competed ten times in the UEFA Cup, for instance in 1976/77, 1981/1982 and 1998/99. Twice gaining entry into the second phase only to be knocked out on penalties by R.W.D. Molenbeek and 2:3 by Lazio
Wisla won the first ever Chicago Trophy held in Chicago, Illinois in July of 2007. Wisla beat 2007 UEFA Cup Champions FC Sevilla 1-0 in the second game of the tournament to clinch the crown. Wisla is expected to compete again next year to defend the title. It is important to note that Chicago boasts the largest Polish population in the world outside of Warsaw and according to the Chicago Trophy contract, the tournament needs have one Polish soccer club to represent the Polish community of Chicago.
Current squad
Accurate as of July 10 2008 Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Transfers summer 2008
- In
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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- Out
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Reserve squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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UEFA Ranking
Club Ranking for 2006 (Previous year rank in italics, UEFA Club Coefficients in parentheses)
- 82 File:GreenUpArrow.svg (111)
Perugia (30.020) - 83
(68) 
Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk (29.777) - 84 File:GreenUpArrow.svg (95)
Wisla Kraków (29.104) - 85 File:GreenUpArrow.svg (136) Sampdoria (29.020)
- 86 (71)
CD Alavés (29.006) - Full List
Notable players former and serving
Committee Board
- Club owner:Bogusław Cupiał
- president: Ryszard Pilch
- Zbigniew Zawartka
- Michał Róg
- Tadeusz Król
Personnel
Current technical staff
| President | Ivana Humpalot
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| General Manager | Jacek Bednarz
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| Head Coach | Maciej Skorża
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| Assistant Coach | Rafał Janas
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| Goalkeeping coach | Jacek Kazimierski
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| Academy director | Kazimierz Moskal
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| B Team Head Coach | Tomasz Kulawik
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| Fintess Coach | Andrzej Bahr
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| Physiotherapist | Marcin Bisztyga
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| Physiotherpaist | Zbigniew Woźniak
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| Physiotherpaist | Filip Pięta
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| Team Doctor | Mariusz Urban
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| Head Scout | Ryszard Czerwiec
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Manager history
Wisła in Europe
Success
Domestic
- Ekstraklasa (First league):
- 1st place (11): 1927, 1928, 1949, 1950, 1978, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008
- 2nd place (12): 1923, 1930, 1931, 1936, 1947, 1948, 1951, 1966, 1981, 2000, 2002, 2006
- Polish Cup:
- Winner (4): 1926, 1967, 2002, 2003
- Finalist (6): 1951, 1954, 1979, 1984, 2000, 2008
- Polish SuperCup:
- Winner (1): 2001
- Finalist (5): 1999, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008
- Polish League Cup:
- Winner (1): 2001
- Finalist (1): 2002
Europe
- UEFA Champions League:
- Quarterfinal (1): 1979
- UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (UEFA Cup):
- 4th Round (Round of 16) (3): 1968, 1985, 2003
- UEFA Intertoto Cup:
- Winner (3): 1970, 1971, 1973
Intercontinental
- Chicago Trophy:
- Winner (1): 2007
References
See also
- TS Wisła Can-Pack Kraków - women basketball team STBL
- Football in Poland
- History of football in Poland
- List of football teams
- Champions' Cup/League
- UEFA Cup
External links
- Official website (Polish)
- The White Star Division (English, Polish)
- Wisła Kraków
- http://www.wislaportal.pl/
- Official Wisla Supporters website
Template:Polish Football Championship winners
Template:Polish Football Super Cup winners Template:Polish Football League Cup winners Template:Fb end
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