Yes that is right. The 35-year old who was signed by Glenn Hoddle is now plying his trade with his hometown club, Jagiellonia Bialystok. The pole started his career there in 1991.
Hoddle was lured into buying Frankowski in January 2006 after hearing about his impressive record of 115 goals in 173 goals for Wisla Krakow. £1.4 million seemed a lot of money for a player who has only played in the lower leagues of Polish, French, Spanish and Japanese football but Hoddle thought otherwise.
Spanish second division side, Elche CF would have been laughing their heads off after bagging a cool £1.4 million for a striker whose scoreless streak at Molinuex earned him the nickname of “the Pole with no goal”. It wasn’t so much the lack of goals but more the fact that he looked woefully out of his depth in The Championship. It was no surprise that Hoddle left by 'Mutual consent' just five months after the capture of Frankowski.
There was a lot expected of Frankowski due to his impressive exploits with the Polish national side. He scored seven goals in their qualifying campaign for the 2006 World Cup making him the top goal scorer in their side. The former Wisla striker was omitted from Poland’s World Cup squad after his shocking performances for Wolves.
So what has the infamous strike got up to since his time at Wolves? The answer is not an awful lot.
Mick McCarthy was appointed in the summer of 2006 and immediately sent him out on loan to another Spanish second division side, CD Tenerife. The pole scored on his home debut but could only manage a total of three goals in nineteen games for the Spanish side. Tenerife didn’t sign the striker permanently which came as no real surprise to anyone connected with Wolves.
McCarthy told Frankowski to earn his transfer to another club but a knee injury in pre-season lead to the mutual consent of the Pole’s departure in August 2007.
MLS outfit, Chicago Fire were the next team to take a gamble on Frankowski. He scored two goals in 17 games but the two goals came in his first game before falling out with his manager, Denis Hamlett. The Pole didn’t like his coaching style so Hamlett left Frankowski out of his squads as the season wore on.
Frankowski left Chicago last November and joined his hometown club, Jagiellonia Bialystok a month later where he signed a two-year contract. “The Pole with no goal” has managed to bag six goals in 13 appearances so far for his local team.
The Pole earned another two caps for his country after leaving Wolves ending with 10 goals in 22 appearances inculding a goal against Engalnd at Old Trafford in 2005.
Someone who promised so much delivered so little. This can also sum up Hoddle’s rein at Wolves quite well.
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