Arkadiusz Milik — Poland’s Next Big Thing
On one cold Saturday evening in Warsaw, a spirited Poland side hosted their neighbours Germany who were coming from a somewhat blockbuster World Cup triumph. Having not lost a qualifying game since 2007, the bookmakers had rightfully placed Germany as firm favourites. Against the run of play, the underdogs took the lead through a glancing header over the on-rushing Manuel Neuer. A typical Lewandowski goal yeah? However, the goal came from his lesser known partner. It was 21-year-old Arkadiusz Milik, a name that came up more than once in my Football Manager scout reports.
The striker was later withdrawn to a rapturous ovation by the home crowd with his replacement sealing a 2–0 famous victory. This feat marked Poland’s first win over their neighbours who last lost a qualifier nine years prior.
Milik was not finished yet — he found the net again in matches against Scotland and Georgia to cement Poland’s place in the upcoming Euro 2016 tournament registering a tally of six goals and six assists in the qualifiers.
Fast forward short of two years later in Nice, and the striker was at it again. This time finding the back of the net with a clinically placed left foot shot to the keeper’s bottom corner consigning Northern Ireland to their third defeat.
‘I finally did my job’ said the striker in the post-match interview, a statement only inherent in the words of a ruthless finisher.
The story of Arek, as his team mates call him, is interesting if not uncommon. His father left him when he was a child. In a recent interview, he admits to smoking cigarettes and shop-lifting at the tender age of six. With his behaviour crying out for an extrinsic intervention, came Slawomir ‘Moki’ Mogilan, a coach who took him in and helped him develop into a seasoned professional. With the guidance of a mentor and his abating misdemeanours, the boy started watching football and that is where he took notice of Cristiano Ronaldo who would later become his idol.
Arek began his career playing for the reserves of Rozwój Katowice. In 2010, he made his debut in the Polish Third Division scoring a brace in a victory over KS Kasiejów. He was just 16 years old. The attacker started making all the right noises with whispers reaching as far as England. During the winter, the striker finally got his chance with trials at Tottenham Hotspur and Reading. However, to the detriment of both clubs, he was rejected.
Polish giants Legia Wasraw began sniffing around. They offered the teenager a lucrative contract which he turned down. All Milik wanted was to find a club where he could play first team football regularly and not the money. He got his chance when Górnik Zabrze came calling.
With 11 goals in 38 appearances for Górnik, the future looked bright for Milik. In December 2012, Bayer Leverkusen secured his services for €2.6 million with the option of loaning him out if things didn’t go according to plan. A first team place proved difficult and Milik was offered to Augsburg on loan.
His spell in Augsburg can be best described as moderately successful with the striker failing to break into the side. Two goals in just five starts marked yet another season in the dugout.
On May 2014, it was announced that he would spend the 2014/2015 season on loan at Dutch champions Ajax Amsterdam. The Ajax faithful weren’t over the moon when he arrived at the Amsterdam Arena. I mean, how could an Augsburg reject spearhead the Dutch giant’s attack? In the same club that showcased the immense talents of cult heroes Johann Cryuff and Dennis Bergkamp, this was going to be one perfect but daunting stage for the 20-year-old to showcase his potential. The club was however wise to include a €2.8 million permanent transfer clause if he impressed.
Leverkusen’s loss proved to be Ajax’s gain. After a slow start to life in Amsterdam, the striker found his form with a six goal haul and two further assists in a nine goal demolition of neighbours JOS Watergraafsmeer. Is there a better way to silence your critics?
After registering a total of 11 goals in 21 games, the stats provided the catalyst that Ajax needed to activate the permanent deal. In April 2014, Milik signed a four-year contract with Ajax.
Now sporting the number 9 shirt once adorned by Zlatan Ibrahimović and Patrick Kluivert, the breakthrough season had arrived and the striker did not disappoint. The Pole scored his first goal in a UEFA Champions League qualifier against Rapid Wien which they eventually lost to the Austrians on aggregate relegating Ajax to the UEFA Europa League. In the Europa League, his form continued registering three goals in nine games including an equaliser in Glasgow against a vivacious Celtic side which went on to lose the match.
His first goal of the 2015/2016 Eredivise season was a neatly tucked header after a swift Ajax counter-press. Milik followed up with match winning displays against Roda JC, Excelsior and AZ, scoring a brace in each. His performances certainly made supporters reminisce of the great strikers who have graced Amsterdam Arena in the more recent times amassing a total of 21 league goals in 31 appearances that season. He got rewarded with a starting place for his national side along Robert Lewandowski for the upcoming Euro 2016 tournament in France.
At 185 cm, Milik possesses the physical power, strength and skill that is a nightmare for most defenders. A natural target man, he has the ability of finding himself at the right place at the right time earning premature comparisons to Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.
‘Milik’s left foot is unique’ — Dennis Bergkamp
Indeed, he is far from the finished article but with a torpedo of a left foot and sublime finishing, the striker could very well become a peripheral figure for both club and country. Recently, he put Manchester United on alert by stating that it was his dream club.
With the Eredivise goal tallies proving notoriously unreliable as a barometer for Premier League capability (think Ricky van Wolfswinkel and Jozy Altidore), Milik looks like he could be more in the bracket of Graziano Pelle and Dutch destroyer Ruud Van Nistelrooy.
It is no wonder he graces the spotlight alongside Lionel Messi in the official cover of the Polish FIFA 16.
