Misery: I am very pleased with the team's performance

The Wisła Kraków U-19 team can definitely call last weekend a success. The Kraków team entered another league match against Legia Warsaw, the then-top of the U-19 Central Junior League. The young Wisła players held their nerve and ultimately left the pitch with their heads held high, triumphing 3-2. After the match, coach Karol Nędza spoke about his team's performance, the progress they made, and the collaboration with the reserve team.

You've just finished an incredibly tough match, facing the league leader and last season's Polish U-19 Champion. What does the coach think of his players' performance in this clash?

"I'm very pleased with the team's performance. Over the past week, we've put in a lot of work and commitment to be as well prepared as possible for today's match at every level, including tactically. I think the team reacted well; we were brave, we knew what to expect, and we performed flawlessly, both at the group and individual levels. We've definitely improved our quality compared to last week's match against Śląsk Wrocław."

Referring to last week's defeat to Śląsk Wrocław, the coach mentioned that there was a lack of consistency and motivation to win, which was undoubtedly influenced by the unfavorable situation you found yourself in. The players' attitude was definitely different today. What was your work like last week?

"Regarding the match against Śląsk, I think our first half was decent, and Eryk Daczewski's red card and our subsequent play with a man down had a significant impact on the rest of the match. It was after this incident, after leading 1-0, that we lost control and ultimately lost the match 1-4. This, of course, doesn't excuse us, because despite the unfavorable situation, we had no right to concede four goals. However, we learned our lesson and last week we focused on analyzing specific things that weren't at our best. Our change on a mental level after that incident also translated into unsatisfactory execution of technical and tactical elements. We focused very hard on improving these aspects in preparation for the match against Legia, put a lot of work into it and drew conclusions. I think the players today demonstrated brilliantly what we managed to develop in recent days."

You've been doing very well in the CLJ since the start of the season, and just a few months ago you were fighting relegation. What are the key differences between the two seasons?

"Now it's definitely easier for us to maintain continuity. Last season, the formation of the reserve team caused a lot of turnover between the U-19 and reserve teams. On the other hand, it was a good experience for me as a coach because I had to learn to cope with this situation. Now there are fewer changes; the squads in both cases are more stable. Players are also assigned to a specific team, which means they spend more time together in training, which also affects the group's cohesion. We can therefore easily work on our team play and enforce team behavior from the players during matches. I believe this is a significant difference between the two seasons."

Some of the players who played at CLJ level last season joined the reserve team at the start of the season, but slightly younger players now playing for the U-19 team are also regularly getting the chance to showcase their skills in the third division. Eryk Daczewski even made the bench in the final match in Biała Podlaska. Can we reveal more details about your collaboration with the second team?

"The collaboration between our team and the reserves is very good. We are in constant contact with the staff, primarily with coach Aleksander Mikhailov, and previously with coach Bartosz Bąk. We provide ongoing information about the players, which helps them find their place in the matchday squad. Even last week, five boys from the U-19 squad had the opportunity to participate in training with the second team, so the contact between us as coaches is fluid. A good example is Eryk Daczewski, who was on the bench in the match against Podlasie Biała Podlaska, and in the last CLJ U-19 league matches, he was in the starting lineup, a position he earned through his performance on the pitch. He couldn't be with us today due to suspensions, but a chance arose for him to play in the third league match, so we wanted to take advantage of it."

We're seeing Alex Bugaj increasingly in the starting lineup for the U-19 team. He found himself in a difficult situation last season and was unable to play in league matches. Has the break in play significantly affected his form?

"We tried to do everything to ensure that Alex didn't lose his footballing skills despite the situation he found himself in. We kept him in training – he participated in some sessions with the U-19 team and with Wisła's reserves. From the beginning of this season, he gradually got into the rhythm of matches in friendlies, then started playing in league matches and is currently playing very well. The number of minutes he has played and his place in the starting lineup are the result of his work and commitment."