Misery: I don't want the result to be the benchmark for the entire season, but it is important

"We don't want to set ourselves the goal of winning the Central Junior League, but we do want to win every match. I will constantly emphasize that we want to bring our players to the first-team level. Our DNA will remain unchanged, and we will follow the same path," emphasizes Karol Nędza, coach of the U-19 team. The White Star's senior juniors finished the fall round of the Central Junior League in second place, and last year they were fighting for league survival until the last round. "Many had already written us off, but we were able to turn the tide of the season around. The experience we gained is now paying off," adds the Wisła coach, summing up his team's fall round performance.

When we spoke before the season began, the coach mentioned the wealth of experience you, as a staff and team, have gained from last season. However, after the preseason, the first league match was a real shock. Was the 4-0 defeat to Jagiellonia Białystok a big wake-up call for the entire team?

The result of the first match certainly showed that we, as coaches, made a mistake during the preseason. Jagiellonia proved to be a much stronger opponent than all of our sparring partners. I admit that not everything worked out as we would have liked during the preseason. In the tournament in Zabrze, it turned out that Górnik's team didn't have the optimal lineup, and the draw meant we ultimately missed out on Śląsk Wrocław.

No friendly has provided us with so much material to analyze and been such a serious test for us as the match against Jagiellonia turned out to be. We quickly learned from it; even during the player analysis, we said that no one had tested us as much as the team from Białystok. It's also worth noting that Jagiellonia arrived with a very strong squad, including players who later became permanent members of the first team. We were a bit surprised, but fortunately, we quickly caught up on all the ground.

Jagiellonia is a very difficult opponent for you, by the way. Of your five losses in the fall round, two came against the Białystok team.

It must be admitted that Jagiellonia is a very strong team in the CLJ, and in both cases we were simply the weaker team. This must be clearly stated. Football-wise, Jagiellonia were better than us, and we deserved to lose. We couldn't talk about luck or chance.

The team reacted very quickly, thrashing Cracovia 4-1 away in the second round. We know how prestigious derby matches are. We also remember what happened last season in the away match against Cracovia.

We definitely learned our lesson quickly. We were very determined for this match. Last season, we lost the derby, but until the penalty and red card were awarded, we were fighting a close fight. Nothing foreshadowed the outcome. Everything fell apart in one moment, although that's certainly no excuse for us. And we don't want to make one. The most important thing is to learn from matches like these. They're also lessons we can draw from to become a more conscious team on the pitch. I think that's our strength, to turn such matches into something positive over time and an opportunity to rebuild.

You hit a winning streak in the fall season, winning five games in a row. From the coaching staff's perspective, what's the most difficult part of keeping the team in the right rhythm, especially mentally?

It's certainly very difficult, because the boys don't have experience yet. Players of that age often experience extreme emotions. After defeats, the mental aspect is crucial, and we remember that many circumstances didn't help us last year. My role, as well as that of the entire coaching staff, is to instill humility in them. This allows them to be vigilant and maintain their winning streak. I'm happy about this, but at the same time, I caution the players not to look at the match result too narrowly. I don't want the result to be the defining factor for the entire season, although it certainly is important. We want to show the players a path to long-term success.

One win isn't an end in itself, but merely a means to an end, so that one day they'll play for either the reserve team or the first team at the stadium on Reymonta Street. We're still very skeptical about this. It's a process; the goal is to produce players ready to play at the central level. I don't want players to be satisfied with their results in the Central Junior League. We base our decisions on facts, keep a lot of statistics on players, and we don't want to blame everything on the final result. We often give them feedback during debriefings so they can improve their skills in the positions they play. The goal is to be able to compete with a player playing in their position in the first team as soon as possible in the future. In any case, players need to be constantly reminded that winning in junior football isn't an end in itself.

Players joining from the U-17 squad are playing an increasingly important role in the team. Initially, they were slow to get into the game, but over time, players like Eryk Daczewski, Szymon Urbanik, Szymon Kawała, Maciej Szmydt, and Łukasz Staniów were given more and more opportunities, which they capitalized on.

I can't deny that I'm very pleased with my work with them. They've gradually integrated into the team and made significant progress week after week. Their increasing contribution to minutes is the result of hard work. They're adapting more and more quickly to the conditions of a higher age group. In recent rounds, we've been playing at a 50/50 ratio, considering the older players and those who joined us from the U-17 team. This is crucial for the development of the Academy. Most importantly, they didn't get minutes just because they were younger; they earned it through their own efforts. This is a reward for them.

In the fall round, you managed to beat leaders Legia Warsaw and Lech Poznań. You also drew away with Escola, among others. From a coaching perspective, which match was your best in the first half of the season?

I admit it would be difficult to point out a single match that stood out from the entire fall season. I think we had several games that were encouraging. They were often different in terms of the level we played and other aspects. I would generally divide our matches into two categories: those we played well from a footballing perspective and those that were extremely important from a mental perspective.

We played very well against Pogoń Szczecin, but in terms of mentality and the drive to win, I'd say the match against Legia where we made our mark. However, we didn't always dominate or show our leading qualities. We often fought fiercely and demonstrated our mental strength. It was certainly encouraging that, over time, in difficult moments, we were able to make up for our footballing shortcomings mentally. This is a result of last season's experience, when we went through many difficult moments. However, we were able to get up the next day after a defeat and work even harder. Many had written us off, but we were able to turn the tide of the entire season. The experience we gained is now paying off, and we have already instilled in us the will to fight until the end. I know we will never give up, even when we feel a match isn't going our way.

Last season, the away win against Lech was a milestone in maintaining the CLJ level.

Absolutely, but let's remember one thing: A sporting result should be the result of all the qualities and actions we're talking about. If we achieve the desired result, but without the mental and footballing aspects, the result won't matter. It's certainly encouraging for the players when they win games like these against Legia and Lech. It boosts their morale and motivates them to continue working hard.

Do you have a specific goal for the team for the spring season? Has the thought of competing for medals ever occurred to you?

It's too early to talk about it, as decisions regarding personnel moves and transfers between teams haven't been made yet. This will be crucial. Our attitude will remain unchanged. Regardless of what moves are made, the team that takes to the pitch will fight to move forward and mentally fight for victory. We don't want to set ourselves the goal of winning the Champions League, but we want to win every match. I will constantly emphasize that we want to bring players to first-team level. Our DNA will remain unchanged, and we will continue on the same path.

The fall season also saw a plague of injuries. Maciej Jania and Adam Pieniądz, among others, were battling serious injuries. This was particularly noticeable towards the end of the season.

These were serious injuries that sidelined players for extended periods. These are often mechanical injuries, such as Adam Pieniądz's. We support them in their rehabilitation process, but the team must continue to strive to achieve their goals on the pitch. We don't want to blame setbacks on the plague of injuries. We have to accept it; it's part of sport. We have to reckon with it. We accept the state of affairs that daily life brings and look for a way to overcome these problems unscathed. We don't reopen wounds, we just move on.

Now, after just a few weeks, does the coach feel satisfied with what you showed in the fall season and your 34 points? Is there a sense of dissatisfaction?

There's no dissatisfaction, just humility and respect for the work the entire team has put in. I know there were a few moments where we could have handled certain situations differently on the pitch, but this is also a stage of development for the entire team and for us as a coaching staff. We're very positive about what happened. The games against Jagiellonia may be disappointing, but we're learning from them and moving forward consistently.