Jop: For me it is a great distinction and honor.

redakcja

2023-12-06

Ahead of the cup match against Stal Rzeszów, coach Mariusz Jop met with journalists. The match involving the White Star, part of the Round of 16, will take place on Thursday, December 7, at 6:00 PM. The following players will be unavailable for the cup match: - Michał Żyro - rehabilitating his knee after surgery; - Igor Sapała - with a hamstring injury; - David Juncà - training individually after an ankle injury; - Jakub Krzyżanowski - returned to training on Tuesday after gastric problems related to his trip to the World Cup; - Eneko Satrústegui - rehabilitating a hamstring injury sustained in a league match; - Mikołaj Biegański - reported stomach problems. "It's well known that these situations evoke a lot of emotions – different ones for different players. I think it's never the case that everyone is 100% behind the coach, and it's never the case that everyone is against the coach. It's a normal situation where for some it's an opportunity, but for the vast majority, it's difficult, because I think many appreciated the work of the staff who had been here for a long time," he began. When asked if coach Jop had the opportunity to speak with his predecessor, he replied: "Perhaps there weren't many discussions after the coach resigned. Radek and Bogdan Zając came to bid farewell to the team on Monday, and that was a moment to talk for a bit. However, I wouldn't want to go into the details of that conversation." Taking over the first team as interim coach could be an opportunity for Mariusz Jop to prove himself. Was that the case? "For me, it's a great honor and privilege to be the coach of the first team at this time. Besides being a player and having coached the reserves for some time, I am also a fan of this team, and as I said - it is primarily a great distinction for me. Is it an opportunity to show what I can do? I will certainly want to make subtle adjustments regarding our play, but there isn't much time to make any revolutions here," he said. What aspects of the team's play can be improved in such a short time? "You can provide some ideas regarding offensive set pieces. You can certainly introduce a few nuances concerning both building attacks and defensive play. Without disrupting the entire system of play, but adding a few nuances that might give the players greater effectiveness in the game," he continued. Did the coach need much time to make the decision? "It was a quick decision. I might have expected such a proposal from Jarek Królewski, and basically, after the phone call, it was a moment where I agreed. My perception of this situation is that it's a great honor. It's a big deal to work at Wisła Kraków, especially with the first team," he emphasized. "Perhaps I'll talk about the upcoming match. I wouldn't want to reveal too much, but I'm definitely not a fan of direct play, simple solutions. I prefer combination play. I prefer a lot of aggressiveness when it comes to defensive play. I will certainly want to instill that in the team, but whether it will succeed 100%, we'll probably see tomorrow. We will have a verification," he added. Journalists were curious whether Kamil Broda and Angel Rodado, who was suspended for the league match on Sunday due to cards, would play from the first minute: "I can reveal that both of these players will start. However, I wouldn't want to say more about the lineup. There may be bigger or smaller changes, but I don't want to make it easy for the opponent. As for Kamil, we are currently ahead of the cup match. We will see what the situation will be like after it." In what mental state did the coach take over the White Star team? "I can assess it based on what I see in training. And from my perspective, the team is hungry to redeem themselves for that last match. Each player will probably find their own motivation. One will want to play for coach Sobolewski. Someone else will want to play for themselves, yet another perhaps because they expect an offer. Someone else, because they might not have played much and will want to prove that they deserved that spot. Motivation varies among players, but I see that it is there. And it is at a high level, which is probably the most important thing at this moment," he noted. Coach Mariusz Jop's team faces two league matches and one Polish Cup match. Does the coach prioritize any competition? "No, I approach it in such a way that every upcoming match is the most important. The next one is a cup match. I don't have a gradation that something is less important or more important. I don't have the approach that we can afford some changes that are theoretically unfavorable for the team. No, the next match is the most important," he replied. "I think playing at our home stadium should be - and I count on it being - our asset. We know how much power the fans have. We know how they can influence the players and that this influence can be varied. I would really like the stands to carry the players in the right direction, and I realize that an impulse from the team is also needed for that. We will certainly want to give such an impulse so that the fans can then help us maintain that good quality," he said. Can any young players from the reserves join the first team? "I think it's important to remember that the cooperation was constant. Whether I'm in this position or I was the head coach of the reserves, second team players often trained with the first team - two, three, sometimes more, sometimes less. It also depended on the situation in the first team. And it was similar this week. Three players trained with us, so nothing has changed here," he said. Coach Mariusz Jop has three tests ahead of him. When asked if he expects to be offered a permanent position if the results are favorable, he replied: "I'm not looking that far ahead. In football, you're only as good as your last game. I'm focusing on tomorrow. Then I'll focus on what happens next Sunday, and so on. It takes a lot of humility, patience, and most importantly, focusing on the present, not on what will happen in two or three weeks." Stal Rzeszów is a familiar opponent for Wisła. What kind of match does the club from R22 expect? "I'll state right away that it's often the case that teams play somewhat differently against Wisła than usual. Stal is a team that differs quite a bit, and has significantly improved its play compared to what we saw at the beginning of the season. It's definitely a team that wants to play football, build from the back. It's an aggressive team when it comes to defending. A young team. It has some flair, considering its youth. I expect an open and exciting match for the fans," he noted.