Mariusz Jop before #STMWIS: I am happy with the squad I have

On Sunday afternoon, Mariusz Jop's players will begin their next season. At 2:30 PM sharp, the White Star will take to the pitch at the Mielec stadium to face Stal in the first round of the Betclic 1 League. On Saturday afternoon, the Wisła coach met with journalists at a press conference, and here's the transcript.

The following players are excluded from Sunday's match due to medical reasons: Igor Łasicki, Wiktor Staszak, Anton Chichkan, Alan Uryga, Piotr Starzyński, Rafał Mikulec, Kacper Skrobański, Bartosz Talar.

The first question during the press conference concerned Anton Chichkan's presence in the medical report. Mariusz Jop responded: "Anton slightly sprained his ankle during a friendly with the second team. His return date depends on how his rehabilitation progresses. In his case, surgery is a possibility," he began.

How does the coach assess this season's transfer moves? "At the club, we know who's come and who's gone. We're aware of the team's needs. However, yes, I can say I'm pleased. It's certainly important to me and the fans that we managed to extend Angel Rodado's contract. We all know how important he is. As for the players who have arrived, we'll have to wait for that verification, because there have been situations where experienced players elsewhere have had trouble adapting to the league. Therefore, we have to wait until the league verifies everything. Of course, we have to remember that the players came to us in different situations, with different levels of physical preparation. Balancing these levels will also take time. Then there's the acclimatization into the team, learning the philosophy and way of playing. That will also take some time; it's not as easy as it might seem. Julius Ertlthaler, of course, has it a little easier; he knows the league and has also attended the white star's matches, so he'll adapt to our game more quickly," he replied.

James Igbekeme has returned to the R22. What's his athletic form like after a period of absence from preparing for the season with the team? "It's important to remember that individual training is completely different from teamwork. James will need time to recover, especially physically." - he said.

The goalkeeping lineup has changed during the friendlies. The league match is on Sunday, so have you already decided who will be in charge in Mielec? "Both Kamil Broda and Patrzyk Letkiewcz are performing at a high level. The decision on who will play has already been made, but as usual, I won't reveal it here," he replied.

Similarly to your team, your rival, Stal Mielec, has undergone numerous personnel changes. So how do you assess their team? "We have some information on them. We know how this team played in the Ekstraklasa and in friendlies. However, it's true that there's a new group of players, although there are a few experienced players left. It's a bit of an unknown how they'll perform at the first-division level. For us, the most important thing is our preparation, how we train and work. We have our own ways of reacting to events on the pitch. I think that will be the most important thing for us in this match," he said.

Is the fact that your team did not have to be completely replaced an advantage over your rivals who had to rebuild their entire squad? "The philosophy, structure, and game plan come from the coach. If the coach stays, the team's style of play won't change that much. We're also in a slightly different situation this season; last year we were playing in European competition at this point, which gave us a lot more matches. Now we have more comfort and more time to recover between matches."

Is your current squad stronger than the one at the end of last season? "This will be verified in the league, only then will we know what kind of team we are," he said.

How do you assess the form of the teams that will compete in the Betclic 1 League this season? "The league will definitely be tough and competitive. Both the relegated and the newly promoted teams are at a high level. So, yes, I wouldn't expect this season to be any easier than in the past," he said.

The White Star fans have already proven that they believe in the team this season and want to support it from the stands of the stadium at R22. "I'm delighted that 5,000 season tickets have already been sold. Attendance at matches was fantastic, and I hope it will be the same this season. There's no need to talk much about Wisła fans, as everyone knows how much they do for us. They're exceptionally supportive, not only at R22, but also away from home, at the stadiums," he said.

What is the situation with athletes whose health condition still prevents them from training at full capacity? "The players are still undergoing rehabilitation; this process is still very long, which is why they haven't been named by the Ombudsman. Depending on the player, their absence will range from a few to a dozen or so months. I haven't heard of any of these players having any problems that would be unusual in their rehabilitation process. We have to be patient. The players are in Myślenice daily, and their recovery is taking place under the supervision of the staff and physiotherapists. The players are putting in a lot of hard work, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for them that everything goes according to plan," concluded coach Mariusz Jop.