With Chad Barrett gone and Brian McBride in China, we'll be getting to know Tomasz Frankowski pretty well on the field in the upcoming month. So Backdraft decided to catch up with Tomasz off the field as well, as he explains his finishing philosophy, life in Chicago, and his biggest mistake. Read the interview in both English and Polish. 

An interview with Tomasz Frankowski. A Polish translation is also available.

BackDraft: You've played in leagues all across Europe and even spent some time in Japan. What are your first impressions of the American game with respect to tactics, preparation, and the life of a player in the US?

Tomasz Frankowski: I’m a born optimist, so I have a positive attitude towards this season. The teams are good, and ours is the best. As far as the defenders go, they make mistakes, like defenders everywhere else. It’s important to know how to take advantage of those mistakes.

BD: Do you feel you are more of a center forward or outside forward?

TF: Only a center forward.

BD: There is a number of forwards competing for the starting eleven. What do you feel you bring to the roster compared to some of the younger players on the team?

TF: It's the coach that decides who plays. I think that compared to younger players, I respect the ball more and don’t lose it dribbling unnecessarily in the middle of the field.

BD: Being more of a "goal fisher", what goes through your mind when you are making/timing your runs into the box? What are you thinking of when you try to anticipate the run of play?

TF: Intuition is very much needed, and so is good physical training. That’s when things are easier. I like finishing what my team has started, but sometimes I’m more proud of my pass to a teammate who then scores.

BD: Who on the Fire roster do you have the best connection with, on and off the field?

TF: It’s easiest for me to talk to Bakary [Soumare] in French, and I communicate well with the Latino players too. At the moment it’s a little less so with the Americans due to the language barrier, but that is improving too.

BD: If you could go back in time, would you change any decisions you made?

TF: Perhaps I wouldn’t have signed the contract to play in England, who knows…

BD: How has the adjustment to life in Chicago been for you and your family?

TF: Everything has gone smoothly thanks to a lot of help from Polish friends.

BD: Can you name something you like about Chicago? Has anything surprised you?

TF: In general it’s nice here, my family is happy too, but the weather could be a bit better.

BD: Obviously the Polish community has embraced you since your arrival; but is there anything that you can't get here? You know--there's always something--whether it's your favorite biscuit or lager, or maybe it's a car wax or an eatery.

TF: It’s America, so nothing is missing.

BD: Sports are a big part of Chicago life. What do you think of baseball or American football, sports not very well-known in Europe?

TF: I like football, and don’t understand baseball at all. Europe can only dream about the support capabilities that NHL and NBA have. I went to a Bulls game and I was impressed, and it wasn’t even the playoffs.

BD: What are your thoughts on Section 8 Chicago supporters?

TF: They’re the ones who cheer the most. They’re loud, just like in Europe, because other stadiums don’t really have this kind of atmosphere.

BD: What place will the Fire finish this year?

TF: Because of our good beginning of the season, the appetite has been wet, so I hope we will finish on the podium.

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WYWIAD Z TOMASZEM FRANKOWSKIM

BackDraft: Grales w ligach europejskich i nawet spedziles troche czasu w Japonii. Jakie sa Twoje pierwsze wrazenia odnosnie amerykanskiej pilki w sensie taktyki, przygotowania i zycia gracza w USA?
Tomasz Frankowski: Jestem z natury optymista, wiec jestem pozytywnie nastawiony na ten sezon. Druzyny sa niezle, a nasza najlepsza. A obroncy, jak wszedzie, popelniaja bledy. Grunt, zeby je umiec wykorzystac.

BD: Czujesz sie bardziej srodkowym czy bocznym napastnikem?
TF: Tylko i wylacznie srodkowym.

BD: W druzynie jest kilku napastnikow walczacych o miejsce w pierwszej 11-ce. Co wedlug Ciebie wnosisz do skladu w porownaniu z niektorymi mlodszymi graczami?
TF: Trener decyduje o tym, kto gra. Sadze, ze w porownaniu z mlodszymi kolegami szanuje bardziej pilke, wiec staram sie jej nie tracic w niepotrzebnych dryblingach na srodku boiska.

BD: Bedac napastnikiem, ktory bardziej “lowi bramki” czy tez dokancza akcje, co masz na mysli gdy ustawiasz sie na pozycje pod bramka? O czym myslisz, gdy probujesz przewidziec przebieg gry?
TF: Intuicja jest tu bardzo potrzebna i dobre przygotowanie fizyczne, a wtedy wszystko latwiej przychodzi. Lubie wykanczac prace calego zespolu, ale niekiedy jestem bardziej dumny ze swojego ostatniego podania do kolegi, ktory strzela bramke.

BD: Z kim z druzyny najlepiej sie rozumiesz na boisku i poza nim?
TF: Najlepiej po francusku mi sie rozmawia z Bakarym, ale z Latynosami tez sie dogaduje bardzo dobrze. Na ten moment nieco mniej z Amerykanami ze wzgledu na bariere jezykowa, ktora jest coraz plynniejsza.

BD: Jezeli moglbys cofnac czas, jaka decyzje w swojej karierze zmienilbys na inna?
TF: Moze nie podpisalbym kontraktu z Anglikami, kto wie....

BD: Jak Tobie i Twojej rodzinie przebieglo przestawienie sie na zycie w Chicago?
TF: Wszystko przebieglo ok ze wzgledu na duza pomoc polskich przyjaciol.

BD: Co Ci sie podoba w Chicago? Czy cos Cie zaskoczylo?
TF: Ogolnie jest fajnie, rodzina tez jest zadowolona, ale pogoda mogla by byc jednak nieco lepsza.

BD: Polonia oczywiscie bardzo cieszy sie na Twoja obecnosc. Ale czy jest cos takiego, czego Ty tu nie mozesz dostac? No wiesz, zawsze jest cos takiego, moze ulubione ciastka, piwo, restauracja itp?
TF: To jest Ameryka, wiec niczego nie brakuje.

BD: Sport jest waznym elementem zycia Chicago. Co sadzisz o baseballu i footballu amerykanskim, ktore sa malo znane w Europie?
TF: Football lubie, baseballu nie rozumiem wogole, ale jeszcze NHL i NBA daja tyle mozliwosci dopingu, ze Europa moze o tym tylko pomarzyc. Bylem na meczu Bulls i jestem pod wrazeniem, a to nie byly play-offy.

BD: Co sadzisz o kibicach z Section 8 Chicago?
TF: To ci, ktorzy najbardziej dopinguja. Sa glosni, podobnie jak w Europie, bo na innych stadionach raczej nie ma takiej atmosfery.

BD: Ktore miejscie zajmie Fire w tym sezonie?
TF: Z powodu dobrego startu apetyty wzrosly, wiec licze, ze na podium sie znajdziemy.

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