SOCCER: Poland v Rep of Ireland: Asked by the local media, shortly after arriving here, what he thought of Bydgoszcz Newcastle United goalkeeper Shay Given admitted, to the dismay of his hosts, that he had "No idea, I don't even know who he plays for".
The city may have gone down in Irish footballing folklore for the escapade that was Ireland's trip here in 1981 but to the Republic of Ireland's current generation of stars the name clearly meant nothing at all as they arrived here on Monday.
By the time they depart this evening, however, the city and its Zawisza Stadium are sure to mean a good deal more to at least a couple of Brian Kerr's much-reshaped travelling party. Liam Miller and Alan Lee, in particular may depart with fond memories as both are set to make their first senior starts for the Republic.
The path to regular first-team football at Old Trafford may be obstructed in part by Roy Keane for some time to come but for the Miller yesterday's news might be seen as an early indication of how the 32-year-old's battles with injuries will present the younger Corkman with opportunities during the coming seasons at Manchester United.
Even with Keane back at home and Matt Holland amongst those who will, for one reason or another, miss this evening's game, the news that Miller will be among the 11 Irish starters was the most significant to emerge from Kerr's post-training press conference. The manager went on to confirm Lee would play up front, Nicky Colgan will feature at some point and Gary Doherty will almost certainly be preferred to Andy O'Brien in central defence.
Miller is set to partner Mark Kinsella, who could be making one of his last starts for the Republic now Keane is pencilled back in for the qualifiers in the autumn. Keane's soon-to-be United team-mate is being presented with the opportunity to show what he can do at senior international level.
Though the bench may have a somewhat fresh look about it and a couple of recent debutants are set to start again, the rest of the team will almost certainly be made up of well-enough established faces. Kenny Cunningham will again captain the side and John O'Shea, Steven Reid and Clinton Morrison are amongst those expected to play.
Kerr made it clear his selection would be influenced by the need to maintain some balance between youth and experience at the outset while also taking into consideration the recent demands of various players' club schedules.
It is this latter consideration that looks, on the one hand, like keeping O'Brien on the bench and, on the other, sealing the manager's decision to hand Miller his first start.
"It's gone well for him in recent weeks at Celtic," said Kerr. "I'm glad he's fit again and playing regularly. It's a difficult position but it wouldn't make a huge amount of sense to have a player of his sort of quality sitting on the sidelines for the rest of the season."
How quickly Miller can go on to establish himself at United remains to be seen but Kerr laughed at the suggestion the 23-year-old might be content with a quiet first season: "I don't think he's going there to play reserve team football. He's a determined little fella."
And Cunningham predicted the young midfielder would quickly come of age amongst such a strong squad. "He's a wonderfully gifted player," said the Irish skipper. "He's excellent on the ball, technically very good and has great presence of mind. You don't have to be on a training pitch with him very long to realise any of those things. But there's a lot of class at United and he can only benefit from training with the sort of players that are there on a day in, day out basis."
Robbie Keane, Kerr confirmed, would not be travelling ahead of tonight's game with the Spurs medical staff reportedly deciding he would be better staying in London and the player himself perhaps realising just how difficult the short journey could prove. The decision means the striker will now be in line to make his 50th international appearance against Romania in Lansdowne Road next month.
Roy, meanwhile, also came up in conversation with the manager insisting again the midfielder's hamstring was the sole factor in his decision to return to Manchester. There were continued suggestions from elsewhere, however, that Alex Ferguson had played a major part in the decision-making process, with Keane possibly erring on the side of caution so as to avoid a particularly ugly "I told you so" from the United boss if he did aggravate the injury problem.
Asked once again for his view on Keane's longer term return to the international set-up Cunningham was generally positive although he gave some hint of the attitude among some senior squad members when, having acknowledged the midfielder's ability to improve the team, he observed, "There is a healthy respect for Roy Keane, the footballer."
Poland, meanwhile, are expected to make anything up to six changes from the side that was beaten 1-0 at home by the US. Like Kerr, Pawal Janas is attempting to develop a group that lost several prominent figures in the aftermath of a disappointing World Cup finals campaign in the summer of 2002.
Given home form was a particular problem in the team's most recent qualification campaign - the Poles finished third to Sweden and Latvia, both of whom won here while the Hungarians also managed a draw - Janas is likely to be anxious his players show they can beat a decent team in front of their own supporters.
His record since making his debut at this level suggests Nijmegan striker Andrzej Niedzielan has the potential to cause the Irish defence some problems while Polish player of the year Jacek Krzynowek of Nuremburg is a quick and capable attacking midfielder who the Republic's right back, probably O'Shea, will have to contain.
PROBABLE LINE-UPS
POLAND: Dudek (Liverpool); Zewlakow (Anderlecht), Hajto (Schalke 04), Glowacki (Wisla Krakow), Rzaza (Partisan Belgrade); Gorawski (Wisla Krakow), Lewandowski (Shaktar Donetsk), Szymkowiak (Wisla Krakow), Krzynowek (Nuremburg); Niedzielan (Nijmegan), Zurawski (Wisla Krakow).
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Given (Newcastle United); O'Shea (Manchester Utd), Cunningham (Birmingham City), Doherty (Tottenham), Harte (Leeds Utd); S Reid (Blackburn Rovers), Kinsella (Charlton Ath), Miller (Celtic), A Reid (Nottingham Forest); Lee (Cardiff City), Morrison (Birmingham City).
