Coach Radosław Bella answered journalists’ questions ahead of the upcoming match against GKS Katowice.
On working with Kevin Blackwell:
– We are working as a duo with Kevin Blackwell, and our goal is to prepare the team for the arrival of a new head coach. My role remains the same and will not change. I will continue to serve as the assistant coach. We are preparing the team together, having divided the tasks. My primary responsibility is set pieces and analyzing the opponent, a task I share with Maciej Majdowski. We are in constant consultation with Kevin regarding the training process. I won’t hide the fact that Kevin Blackwell has now taken the lead in managing the team to some extent, as he has significant experience in this area, which will definitely be beneficial for us.
On the lineup for the match against GKS Katowice:
– We are discussing this matter continuously. I believe the final decision will be made based on Thursday’s training session or on Friday. On the bench, we will certainly draw on Kevin’s knowledge and the fact that he has coached more matches than I have years of life experience So his experience is crucial here, and he will definitely use it to manage the game. The responsibility for game management will certainly lie with Coach Blackwell. I will provide him with ongoing advice, just as I did for Coach Grabowski. Since there are two of us now instead of three, we have a bit more work to do.
On the circumstances in which he learned about the coach’s dismissal:
– On Sunday, we had a meeting with the club owner and management, during which we were informed of what was announced in the official statement the following day. My conversation with the board lasted about 45 minutes, during which we discussed how to address the current situation until the arrival of a new head coach.
On when the new coach will arrive:
– No official statement has been made on this matter, but I can tell you that things need to move quickly because there is no time to waste.
On whether the coaching duo is affected by coach Bella’s UEFA Pro license:
– I think so, but it’s still a situation where we will manage the game together. We both share the responsibility for this match, and we are preparing the team together. I would also definitely feel uncomfortable in a role where I would suddenly be telling a coach with such experience and knowledge what to do. So in 50/50 situations, Kevin will likely make the final decision. However, we have a lot in common, so I don’t think there will be any conflicting situations during the match.
On lineup changes:
– I think the changes will primarily be tactical, and since we might try something new, we’ll see how it turns out in the end, as we still have two training sessions left. Based on the knowledge gained from these two sessions, we will make decisions regarding personnel and tactics. I could say something today, but it might change in two days, as we are currently testing new variants that we hope will bring us three points on Saturday.
On the limited squad options:
– I always say that in a coach’s life, it’s like being dealt a hand of cards, and you can only play with the cards you’re given. It’s not always the case that having an ace in your hand guarantees victory. Even those who may have slightly weaker cards can sometimes come out on top and win in certain matchups. It is definitely a tough situation because injuries are making it difficult to choose the optimal lineup. I can’t recall the last match where we fielded the ideal setup, but we are doing our best to adapt to the situation. I believe that with the players we have, with the cards we’ve been dealt, we can win this match.
On his own reaction to coach Grabowski’s dismissal:
– I was definitely upset. I was sad because such changes are never pleasant. Apparently, in order to learn something, you need to go through painful changes, and this one is probably just like that. Unfortunately, that’s our job. Our job is that we are 100% responsible for the result. I do have some regrets that I couldn’t help Szymon more with my advice. It was hard to come to terms with, but football doesn’t tolerate stagnation, and we have to move on. Just as I believe that perhaps for Szymon, the end is the beginning of something good – I truly believe that, and I think he deserves it – I also believe that this is a new beginning for us. The worst thing we could do now is give up or hang our heads. I think now we need to show ourselves even more. Everyone has their own motivation, whether it’s for themselves, for the former coach, for their wife, for the fans, and so on. Everyone has their own motivation, and I think it needs to be optimally used to win.
On whether Coach Bella will remain in the coaching staff after the arrival of the new head coach:
– I am staying – I think the decision will also depend on who the new coach is, but the club management has clearly communicated that they want me to remain in the role of assistant coach. This is the role I came here for, and I intend to fulfill my contract in this position.
On saying goodbye to coach Grabowski:
– It was very emotional and moving, because you can’t erase with an eraser what Szymon has drawn in this club. Everyone here has immense respect for him, and there were a few tears shed. He received a farewell he truly deserved from the players, staff, and employees, because he is a great coach and a great man. It was definitely sad for us, but this mourning must be short-lived, and it is my role, as well as Coach Blackwell’s, to lift the team. Honestly, I now see a team that is very motivated, because none of us accepts the position we’re in. We are focused solely on the match in Katowice. We are rolling up our sleeves; today we had a very tough, very intense training session, and we are moving toward winning the match. We are doing everything to win.
On what can be changed to win the match:
– We would still change certain things, because GKS Katowice defends zonally. They don’t defend man-to-man; this is a team primarily focused on protecting space. We know which areas they defend less effectively, and we know when to attack them. If they have three tall central defenders, perhaps we shouldn’t push the ball too close to the goal, but rather attack the penalty area earlier. We will emphasize how to exploit the opponent’s weaknesses. GKS is a specific team, and this will lead to certain changes in our style of play.
Based on what we have, we can still make certain adjustments. I don’t want to say that we have nothing to lose, because we have a lot to lose, but there will be a moment in the match when we will have to take a risk. Since certain things haven’t been working so far, there’s no evidence that repeating them will bring a different outcome.
GKS Katowice defends zonally, which allows us to surround a single player with two or three players, because Katowice won’t follow the player but will stick to their designated zone. So, I think there are a few tactical and strategic things we can do, even despite our current squad situation.
On the conclusions after the match against Pogoń Szczecin:
– Thirty-two crosses. Five accurate ones. I’ll leave it at that.
