Football: Polish football federation boss must go - press

(WARSAW) - Crushed by Poland's elimination from the Euro 2012 football championships, Polish media on Monday blamed the president of the country's football federation, Grzegorz Lato, and called for him to resign.

Poland fell out of the group stage of the tournament after losing 0-1 to the Czech Republic Saturday. Coach Franciszek Smuda resigned immediately after.

"Poland eliminated. Coach Smuda out. It's now time for President Lato to leave so that authentic changes can come about in the Federation," the right-leaning broadsheet daily Rzeczpospolita said Monday.

"Aren't you ashamed to look Poles in the eyes?" the tabloid Super Express asked Lato and Smuda, who stared out from large photos splashed across the front page.

And the tabloid Fakt went further: "Lato, grab Smuda and be off with you both!"

Fakt reminded Lato of his promise last year to resign if Poland failed to make it past the group stage of the 16-nation, quadrennial championships.

"Mr. President, it's time to keep your word!" the tabloid said.

Only Smuda defended the head of the Polish football federation.

"I would never say anything bad about the Federation because for two-and-a-half years we got everything we asked for," he said in an interview with the centre-left daily Gazeta Wyborcza published Monday.