Brazilian Cionek an option for Poland, club says

After tapping Polish-origin players from Germany and France to freshen up their squad, Euro 2012 hosts Poland could turn to Brazilian Thiago Cionek, a star in the Polish top flight.

“Right now, he’s one of the best defenders in the league,” said Michal Probierz, manager of Jagiellonia Bialystok, who signed Cionek in 2008 from Brazil’s third division.

“Would he be useful for the national team? From where I’m standing, it’s a yes,” Probierz told the daily Fakt, acknowledging that the final decision lay with Poland manager Franciszek Smuda.

Cionek, 24, has already applied for citizenship, which his Polish ancestry makes easier to obtain.

To be eligible to play, he would need a green light from world football’s governing body, FIFA, which oversees nationality switches.

With Poland hoping to shine in the 2012 European championships — which they they will co-host with Ukraine — their football association is scouting for new faces in the world’s huge Polish diaspora.

It acted after mounting criticism for failing to attract players such as Polish-born Germany internationals Lukas Podolski and Piotr Trochowski.

Its most recent catch is Polish-born former Germany under-21 international Sebastian Boenisch, 23, who made his debut last month. FIFA allows youth players to switch relatively easily.

Boenisch followed Frenchman Ludovic Obraniak, now 25, on board since 2009. Obraniak’s grandparents were Polish emigrants.

Cionek would not be Poland’s first Brazilian.

Fellow countryman Roger Guerreiro was called up in 2008, having obtained fast-track citizenship on grounds of residence rather than ancestry, after three years at first division club Legia Warsaw.

He won 25 caps and scored four goals — one in Poland’s underwhelming Euro 2008 finals appearance in Austria — but has been left out since 2009 shortly after signing for Greek club AEK Athens.