“We know the first newbie”. The return to the league is almost certain

The team wins whenever they want, and they can basically be congratulated on their return to the elite after three years. Copper, which with a bang fell from the league in 2019, has 50 points after 22 rounds of this season, is the leader and ahead of the second-placed Widzew Łódź by 8 points. The situation of the club from Lower Silesia is even better when we look at the advantage over the third Korona Kielce. Leszek Ojrzyński’s team loses as much as 13 points to Miedzi, and given that the two best teams will win a direct promotion to the league, they can start chilling champagnes in Legnica.

“We know the first newcomer”, “well-deserved promotion”, “great work of coach Łobodziński” – these are just some of the comments after the first two matches of Copper in the spring round. Two smooth victories: first 2-0 with Skra Częstochowa, then 3-1 with Puszcza Niepołomice, meant that other clubs can basically forget about the first place. This is reserved for Copper, a team that is extremely balanced and simply outclassing the rest of the league.

“I don’t think anyone expected our plan to work out so well”

– Wojciech Łobodziński had an idea, he had a prepared profile of players he needs, he remodeled the set-up and style of play, and now I can say that his vision and ideas have come true. Before the season, we thought about the league, but we assumed that we would winter in the play-off zone and that we would try to attack in the spring – Tomasz Brusiło, president of the Legnica club told us during the winter break. Today, Miedź no longer has to attack, it has to defend, or rather calmly play, what it was in previous matches.

And yet before this season, there were many voices that there are too many foreigners in Miedz again, that footballers do not take responsibility for the results, that they earn good money – as for the first league – and the league is not for them at all. – These stories can be put between fairy tales. For me, it makes no difference whether a footballer is a Pole or a foreigner. It just has to provide quality and have the right mentality – explained Wojciech Łobodziński. – And I can see it in these boys. Anyway, when we arranged everything with the sports director and assistants before the season, we already saw great potential in this team. We wanted to fight for the league, but probably no one expected our plan to work out so well. And this is not the end of the process – he added in an interview with Sport.pl in December.

Quality and no collapse

Copper only brought in one contestant in winter: Jens Martin Gammelby. The club’s authorities and the coach decided that it was not the time to replenish the team and players to compete. It’s time for a player who will jump into the squad immediately and raise the level of the team. The 27-year-old Dane meets these criteria, and the right side of the defense of Copper seems to be secured not only at the level of the 1st league, but also the top league.

And what is the greatest strength of Wojciech Łobodziński’s team? – There are no conflicts, we all get along well, we have plans, we have ideas and we implement them. It is also important that almost all players are English-speaking, it helps in everyday work. We also had a few breakthrough moments: changing the line-up, changing the position of some players, all this gave results – explained the coach. But the most effective result is simply regularity, because apart from slight drops in form, Copper has not had any collapse this season. What can not be said about league rivals.

A passionate fight for promotion

, Korona Kielce, Chrobry Głogów, Arka Gdynia, Podbeskidzie Bielsko-Biała, GKS Tychy, Sandecja Nowy Sącz, ŁKS Łódź, as well as Resovia and Odra Opole – this is a list of teams that can still count in the fight for promotion to the league this season . Why is it so long? First of all: the specificity of a league where everyone can win against everyone, which causes a huge crowd in the table. Secondly: a tournament system that gives teams from 3-6 places a chance to fight for the league in play-offs. This means that Odra Opole, 11th in the table, has only four points behind the play-off after 22 rounds. Of course, the fight will also be, and perhaps most of all, for second place. Widzew Łódź seems to be the favorite here, but even 7th in the GKS Tychy table, he can still think about a direct promotion.

Therefore, the second part of the season in the back of the league promises to be extremely interesting. Well, maybe apart from the fight for the first place, because today it seems to be reserved for Miedzi Legnica.