Konoplanka sometimes won matches alone. He took the ball on the wing, passed two opponents, went inside and kicked hard at the goal. Usually accurate. For his hitness and dynamics, clubs from all over Europe wanted to pay tens of millions of euros. The world was open to him, but the oligarch Ihor Kolomoyskyi, who ruled his club, was still in the way. Brendan Rodgers, working in, wanted him at all costs, but then he collided with Kołomojski, who mocked the clause in Konoplanka’s contract and kept him almost by force. But it is not the player who comes to the league now. That Konoplanka would not even look at the league.
A player about seven years older – 32 years old – goes to Cracovia. Without this dynamics and speed, which he relied on, and which he lost with age and subsequent injuries. The footballer has to be rebuilt, because in the last year and a half he played only 400 minutes and during this time he did not stand out even from the weaker Ukrainian teams. Konoplan, which goes to the top league, did not fit in Shakhtar’s wide frame for the winter camp, and in the fall he collected 47 minutes. His contract expired in six months, but the club wanted to get rid of him as soon as possible, so as not to pay him 2.3 million euros a year for sitting on the bench. He goes to Poland, because his talent has never – or Schalke – exploded enough to let him count on a peaceful retirement in an exotic league today, where they pay a lot and require little. The name alone did not open the door for him, even in Turkey or Austria, where he tried to latch on this winter. In Poland, however, the league is weaker, and in Konoplanka many still see a footballer from the times of Dniper.
There are three reasons why it was worth bringing Konoplanka to the top league
Therefore, whoever assumes that a Ukrainian will play in the Ekstraklasa may be disappointed. But at no point is it a nonsense transfer. Three things save him: Konoplanka dreams of playing at the World Cup in Qatar, and if his team makes it through the play-offs (he has to beat Scotland away, and then Wales or Austria), he will ruin his own veins to finish his career with such a tournament. He never played at the World Cup, because in 2006 he was still too young, and Ukraine was not promoted for the next one. it helps that there is still no greater competition in his position in the team, so if he rebuilds in Poland and his health is good, he can make his dream come true. Age does not eliminate it. His peer – Andriy Yarmolenko led Ukraine at last year’s Euro.
The second aspect is the league level. It really doesn’t take much to exist in this league. Jakub Błaszczykowski contributed something to her before the injury, five years older than Konoplanka, he still has no major difficulties with scoring goals and will soon reach one hundred, and Lukas Podolski, after overworking the camp in the first match after the break – with Stal Mielec – was definitely the best at the pitch.
The third aspect – Cracovia does not risk much. Konoplanka’s agents proposed him to various Polish clubs and assured that the winger was ready to significantly reduce his earnings, just to play regularly and rebuild himself in Poland. She was interested in him – this was what the Ukrainian had in mind when he said in an interview with Canal + that, apart from Cracovia, Legia Krakow also wanted him. But key was the conversation with coach Jacek Zieliński, during which they made a good impression on each other. Cracovia likes the determination of the footballer, who agreed to a six-month contract with the possibility of extension and earnings of about 50-60 thousand. monthly.
Cracovia fans should support the Ukrainian national team
Of course, he was forced to significantly reduce his earnings by the situation – poor form and a small number of matches played. A few days ago, when the transfer window in Austria and Turkey closed, that is, in the leagues he was targeting, he found himself against the wall. A month ago, Ukrainian journalists speculated that if Konoplanka finds itself in such a situation, it may end its career prematurely, instead of bending down for change in an inferior league. The desire to play at the World Cup prevailed. Cracovia fans should therefore keep their fingers crossed in March not only for, but also for Ukraine. If he wins a promotion, Konoplanka will do everything to be in shape at the end of the year. Cracovia can then use the remaining skills that are left to him.
Source: Sport
Tristin is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his in-depth and engaging writing on sports. He currently works as a writer at 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the sports industry.
