Jop: There are few teams that try to play open football with us

Ahead of the 17th round of the Betclic 1 League, and therefore before the #WISSTA match, coach Mariusz Jop answered journalists' questions. The referee's first whistle is on November 22nd at 8:30 PM.

The injured list includes: Bartosz Talar, Jakub Stępak, Joseph Colley and Enis Fazlagić.

The journalists gathered at the press conference began their questions about the midfield lineup, curious about who the coach would choose this time. "I'm very happy that we have most of the players available. In the context of what awaits us in the near future, this is very valuable. As a reminder, after the match against ŁKS, we have two away matches against Polonia within a short distance, so all, or almost all, of the players will have a chance to show their skills on the pitch. Of course, I won't reveal details about the tactics or the midfield lineup. However, as I said, this is very good news for us and the entire team," he began.

The Krakow team has hit a winning streak. How much easier is it for the coaching staff to work in such conditions? "Strikes are great, but just like negative streaks, which we discussed at the last press conference, have no significance, this story doesn't matter in the upcoming match either. Of course, winning consecutive matches has an effect on the players, making them feel more confident, and this can be exploited. However, each match is a different story, and you have to prepare for each one to the fullest. Be prepared for this story to start all over again, from scratch, regardless of previous results against a given opponent, or our matches – whether we won or lost. Every match is a new hand," he noted.

The Rzeszów team has been a positive surprise this season. How does the coach approach this opponent? "The overall philosophy at Stal Rzeszów is very interesting; they focus on youth, and the average age of the players is lower every year. This also shows that through good work at the Academy, by trusting young players, you can ensure that, in addition to being beaten and gaining experience, they are also a team that scores very well. Certainly, because they are a young team, they are very intense, physically well-prepared, good at running, and not afraid to play the ball. Furthermore, they are very dangerous from set pieces. I think it will be an open match and interesting for the fans," he analyzed. "I wouldn't point to any one player in particular. I think the strength of this team is its collective work and cooperation. I expect an open match. However, it's common for teams to change tactics for a match against Wisła Kraków. This was the case in our last match against Chrobry Głogów, when they defended with four men. I don't know if such a drastic tactical change can be expected. Time will tell, we'll see," he said.

There's more and more talk about the White Star's good play. Isn't the coach worried that their opponents will be even more motivated for matches against the R22 team? "It's something we encounter quite often. I don't know if opposing teams can even more motivated against Wisła, because you can always see they're very motivated and often defend low. There are few teams that try to play open football against us. I don't think anything will change. The fact that we're perceived as a team that's growing, playing better and better is nice, but we have to confirm that in each match. Because, as I said, history is history, and what awaits us and how we perform in the next match is the most important thing. And whether we collect more points," he added.

The weather is slowly taking its toll. Does the coaching staff intend to provide any special supplies, especially to the Spaniards, to help them survive the cold snaps? "Yes, we've purchased a lot of warming ointment and we'll be using it... But seriously, these are players who have adapted to these conditions. It's not their first year in Krakow or Poland. I don't think that's any excuse," he continued.

The White Star has a new team manager, and the interim manager has left the team. Kamil Binda is now starting work at R22. "Damian's cupcakes were very good, we ordered another batch. As for Kamil, we spoke earlier by phone. I also met him and had the opportunity to talk to him. My first impression is that he's a very positive person. Open, smiling. This is definitely an important quality in a manager's job," he said.

Two sad news stories recently reached R22. On Thursday, the funeral of Legend Artur Sarnat took place, and on Friday, Wisła said goodbye to Andrzej Sykta. "Today was a sad day, Artur's funeral. I remember him as a very humble man, a smiling, positive man. A good person and a great athlete. One who was always present at training, always ready. It also shows how short and unpredictable life is. There are many analogies to sports, to make the most of the time we are given. I met Mr. Andrzej while taking care of some business at the Małopolska Football Association, where he worked at the time. He was also a well-known figure at Wisła Kraków. A very good footballer. However, I didn't have much opportunity to get to know him personally. Probably because of his age," he recalled. "My first contact with Artur was when I was still a KSZO player. I made my debut here at the Wisła Kraków stadium, and we played against each other. Wisła won 1-0, and my role was to chase Tomek Kulawik around the pitch. That's when I got to know Artur as my rival, and later I had the honor of sharing the Wisła Kraków locker room with him," he revealed.