The president of the Polish Football Association after an interview with the first candidate. We know the details

As he announced, he did so. who on Monday evening was a guest of the Sport.pl Live program, just after leaving our studio, he went to the first meeting with the candidate for the national team selector.

Polish meeting and three hours of talks

Who was the first coach Kulesza met in Warsaw? The relationship keeps this information a secret. According to our information, it was a trainer from Poland. Adam Nawałka was definitely not indicated in the media as the favorite for this position

The gentlemen met in Warsaw, in a location that “guarantees privacy”. As we have established, the meeting, which started around 9:00 PM, lasted almost three hours. As it was the first interview with a candidate for the selector, Kulesza asked about the concept and vision of the representation, “this is the first stage of the interview”, researching the other side, checking whether the optics – the one for the coming months and the long-term one – are the same. So far, there are no talks about finances and working conditions. The time will come for the second stage of the talks, when Kulesza will return to the selected candidates. Then there will be only a few of them left.

According to our findings, Kulesza has two more meetings planned with other candidates this week. Italy will be one of them for sure. Fabio Cannavaro? Andrea Pirlo? Or maybe Kulesza definitely wants to meet the “big coaching names” whose reports have appeared on his desk. Firstly: out of curiosity, secondly: not to limit ourselves in my coaching search, thirdly: because that’s how it should be.

Finally, fourthly and perhaps most importantly – because the wider the competition, then you negotiate with the most desired candidates with better cards in your hands or you simply have option “B”.

What about Nawałka?

Kulesza has not yet spoken to Adam Nawałka, not even by phone. All because the trainer is on vacation abroad. As we heard, the first New Year’s week is not conducive to the number of scheduled meetings with candidates, because some of them are having a short rest. There will be more of these meetings next week. It is probably then that the conversation with Nawałka will also take place, although there is no exact date yet.

Nawałka is optimistic about helping the staff. First, because he is refreshed. Secondly, because he was sitting on the coach’s bench for the last time at the end of March 2019. It will then be three years since the trainer was last at work. He had offers at the time, but had no compulsion to take them. He wanted to rest and waited for one that would be a professional challenge for him. After that, he hid somewhat due to the pandemic.

However, the option of “saving” the World Cup play-offs and the two steps that must be taken to be at the World Cup in Qatar is very intriguing. Kulesza, who was a guest of the Sport.pl Live program, omitted answers to questions about the desired qualities of the selector, but he made a sign that it would be crucial for him what the candidate for the selector would have in the coming months.

You can also read more about the new staff selector on

– The new national team manager must appoint those players who are in the best form, and then put them together so that they would fight for every inch of the pitch at Łużniki and bring a favorable result to Poland – he said in the context of the play-off match with Russia (March 24).

This is probably a signal that the new coach must know the team well, have knowledge about each player, and not waste weeks learning the team. Therefore, Nawałka is supported by six years in the coaching staff (counting with the time when he was Leo Beenhakker assistant) and very good knowledge of key players. The players who determined the strength of the white and red in his time and are still key for the team (Lewandowski, Zieliński, Glik, Krychowiak). Nawałka would also enter the team with a baggage of experience when it comes to top-stakes national team matches. It has a comparison of how to act with the team before a big event (Euro 2016) and what mistakes to avoid (2018 World Cup).

“I have good memories of my cooperation with Michniewicz”

Czesław Michniewicz also has three years of personnel experience. It is true that Michniewicz trained the national team until the age of 21, but many of his charges in the senior team are or are knocking on them (including Bielik, Bochniewicz, Puchacz, Slisz, Sebastian Szymański, Jóźwiak. Płacheta, Świderski, Buksa). Anyway, Michniewicz is the first coach Kulesza reached for when he became the president of Jagiellonia Białystok (not counting earlier help in choosing Michał Probierz, when Kulesza was a sports advisor at the club).

– I have good memories of my cooperation with Michniewicz. Although it was a short cooperation – said Kulesza, when asked at Sport.pl Live, as he recalls it, Michniewicz also has a good chance of taking the position of the national team selector.

After all, he is a man for special tasks. Difficult matches, which he can decide favorably, which he proved not only in youth, but also in many clubs (recently in the crisis-stricken Legia, which won away from Spartak and at home against Leicester). Michniewicz is also available. According to our information, Michniewicz did not meet Kulesza on Monday.

What about those on contracts? “The club wouldn’t make any problems”

Until June, Marek Papszun has a contract with Raków. But, as we heard in Częstochowa, “It would be a thank you for almost six years of work, successes and loyalty so far. In addition, we would promote Raków as a club whose coaches aim at the representation. just a few days ago he mysteriously replied: “It’s hard to say.” Kulesza, however, looks with optimism at the top class coaches.

– I will consider such coaches. We have people who run clubs well in the Ekstraklasa, there are some interesting names here, declared Kulesza. Marek Papszun, Kosta Runjaić? Perhaps one of them has already met Kulesza?