Warsaw - Franciszek Smuda was appointed Poland coach on Thursday by the governing body PZPN in succession of Leo Beenhakker, with the aim of getting the the team in shape for Euro 2012 which Poland co-hosts with Ukraine.

Smuda, 61, played in Poland, the US and Germany before becoming a coach in 1983. Smuda has coached Wisla Cracow and Legia Warsaw, among others, and last managed Zaglebie Lublin in Poland's professional league.

Smuda takes the reigns of the Polish team as scandals and corruption mar the association's image and create a backlash from Polish football fans.

Most recently, sports minister Miroslaw Dzewiecki resigned after allegations he lobbied on behalf of gambling companies to block a law calling for higher taxes. Meanwhile, more than 300 referees, officials and federation members have been detained in an ongoing corruption probe.

Some 317,000 fans have joined an online initiative called End PZPN that wants to restore credibility to the sport and says it is fed up with corrupt PZPN leadership.

Beenhakker was dismissed in September after his side slumped to a 3-0 defeat against Slovenia and dashed Polish hopes of qualifying for the World Cup finals next year in South Africa.

Lato said on television after the match that the game against Slovenia was Beenhakker's last in charge. Lato later apologized for his public way of dismissing the coach, and said "pressure, stress, nerves" were to blame.

Beenhakker and many football fans have said the Dutch coach could not initiate changes to improve the sport in Poland because of lack of support from PZPN. (dpa)