Veteran Slask Wroclaw manager Orest Lenczyk has a 31-year-old score to settle when his team take on Dundee United in Poland.
The 69-year-old was in charge in 1980 when he took Slask to Tannadice and lost 7-2 in the UEFA Cup.
While three decades have passed since then, he admits a result that cost him his job still hurts, so he wants to heal that pain with an emphatic victory in Thursday’s Europa League qualifier between the teams.
“I have very unpleasant memories from our last matches against Dundee United so I am looking for revenge,” said Poland’s most experienced coach, who only returned to Wroclaw last autumn.
“In the match at Tannadice we were 2-1 down at half-time, but we lost lots of goals in the second half and let’s just say a few players did not approach the game with full professionalism.”
That was a reference to stories in Poland that the players had been at a party just before leaving for Scotland and their dislike of him meant they did not give 100%.
In 2011 things are very different and he’s a hero in Poland’s fourth largest city after guiding their team back to Europe for the first time in three years.
Slask are considered hot favourites to overcome United.’Toughest opponents’Lencyzk has struck a cautionary note about that, though there is no hiding his belief in his team.
He said “I think Slask have drawn the toughest opponents we could have and there is a saying that history repeats itself.
“I hope history does not repeat itself in terms of the result and I am glad we have drawn United.
“It gives us the chance of revenge and I’m confident there will be no repeat.”
His captain, Sebastian Mila, made similar noises earlier this week and that’s not gone unnoticed by the United party.
The Tangerines, however, are content to do their talking on the park and manager Peter Houston is concentrating on making sure his players are prepared.
His aim is to fly home after the final whistle knowing there’s still everything to play for at Tannadice next week.
“I said to the boys the biggest thing for us is to make sure we are going to Tannadice next Thursday and we’re in a tie,” said Houston.
“I’d love to score a goal, every manager who goes into Europe would love to score an away goal, but the thing for me is to come away knowing we can still go through.”
He conceded that could be a big ask and, having done his homework, rates Slask. He also rates his own team.Defence keyHouston said, “They are a very threatening team from set plays, so we’ve worked on that and we’ve worked on our shape.
“We’ll have to defend well and I’m confident the boys will.”
He added, “The other side of it is I’m very against just sitting in on our 18-yard line. I’ve never done that whether it was in a European tie or at Ibrox or Parkhead.
“I always think we’ve got to be brave enough to take the ball and try and score goals. That’s my philosophy.”
Winger Gary Mackay-Steven, who signed on Tuesday, has been registered with UEFA in time to play.
As expected, United travelled minus injured trio Garry Kenneth, Danny Swanson and Scott Robertson, with Kenneth being ruled out at the last minute by continuing hamstring trouble.
Although that leaves them short on numbers, the manager is satisfied there is still enough experience in his intended starting line-up.
Houston said, “The circumstances mean we are going to have to give the chance to some of the younger ones in terms of the bench.
“It’s a learning curve and at times you have to stand up and be counted.”
He added, “Ideally, I’d love some more experience, but things can’t happen until I move somebody on and then I’ve got to try and get a bit of experience in.”