Image via @laczynaspilka on Twitter
Poland’s latest Nations League campaign gets underway tonight against Scotland in Glasgow, and fans and pundits alike are expecting a continuation of what we’ve seen from Michał Probierz so far as Selekcjoner.
The last time Poland took part in Nations League football, which are by far more meaningful than when we’d only get friendlies during international breaks, their results did ensure that they got the chance to enter the play-offs for Euro 2024. However, two narrow wins over Wales in 2022 along with a draw away to Holland were the high points of what was a fairly uninspiring time of it under Czesław Michniewicz, particularly the drubbing suffered at the hands of Belgium.
Then of course we had a disastrous time of it under Fernando Santos, and happily there has now been a real bounce-back under Michał Probierz, which culminated in the very deserved draw against France at Poland’s last game of the Euros.
It was mentioned by many pundits and observers in Poland (and this one, not in Poland) that had the Biało-Czerwoni not been in one of the hardest groups, they might have reached the knockout stages. These Nations league games against Scotland and Croatia, neither of whom reached the knockouts in Germany either this summer, may go some way to shedding light on what could’ve happened in that scenario.
Quite correctly, there has been a lot made of this being the first meeting of the Polish national team since Wojciech Szczęsny’s retirement, and this is understandable considering the stature of the player. Robert Lewandowski spoke of his personal and professional sadness, and Probierz was keen to heavily imply that this might just be a temporary retirement for Szczęsny, at least in his opinion.
Probierz is right to point out however that a lot of the older players Poland took to Euro 2024 are not in this squad, not just Szczęsny. Kamil Grosicki has retired from international duty, and Bartosz Salamon and Taras Romanczuk are not present either.
Instead, we see returning and new faces, albeit the final squad for the game with Scotland does not include young midfielder Mateusz Kowalczyk, young keeper Bartosz Mrozek or Mateusz Wieteska. Most irritating of the omissions for this first game is Mateusz Bogusz, for whom there has been such clamour, missing out after he was late to arrive for the training camp after having travel issues.
Personally speaking I believe Probierz is right when he says that just because these younger faces are returning or being called-up for the first time for the senior side does not mean there is a revolution, merely a necessary transition as quite naturally many of Poland’s best players are the “wrong side” of 30 years-old and might not be around for the next tournament cycle.
Most of us expect Łukasz Skorupski to understandably be Poland’s next no.1, but there is a hankering for Marcin Bułka as well. Probierz seemed to suggest that he may play both, one against Scotland and one against Croatia, and personally I’d like to see that.
Bearing everything in mind, I believe we might see a team like this tonight.
Pretty much, this is the team that played France in the last game of Euro 2024, and that is maybe Poland’s strongest side. One difference is Kamil Piątkowski, who is in outstanding form and deserves to go straight into the defence on his return, especially considering how rocky Paweł Dawidowicz’s Euros performances were. The other change is Jakub Kamiński instead of Przemysław Frankowski, who is a small injury doubt.
Again, there is concern that Piotr Zieliński, Kacper Urbański and Jakub Moder have not played very much or at all to start the season. Probierz somewhat dismissed this, and it is worth remembering that the situation was similar (especially for Zielu) heading into the March Euro play-offs. Furthermore, Moder confirmed that despite not featuring yet for Brighton this season due to an injury, he has spoken with new manager Fabian Hurzeler and should be featuring in club matches again before long, a relief considering in light of transfer rumours it had been thought Moder was surplus to requirements at his club.
Lastly, a word for Krzysztof Piątek, who has started the season in blistering form. In my opinion he deserves some time on the pitch in these games, and I hope his minor career renaissance comes to pass given we’re now a whole six years after he burst onto the European scene proper.
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