A year ago in Verona zxa He won with ETAs 3:1 and became the second Polish club in history to win the European Cup. Now Zaksa can save the trophy. It’s still pretty cool, despite the fact that after last year’s success, she lost Benjamin Toniotti, Jacob Kochanowski and Bawi Zatorsky, as well as the coach. Nikola Gerbitch A few months later, President Sebastian Schwedersky.
Bowie Babki He played for Kędzierzyn-Koźle in 1996–2003, with Mostostal winning five Polish championship titles, and Champions League He took third and fourth place. The former Poland striker is closely following what is happening in Sachs. The former president of the Polish Volleyball Federation knows what she did and how she did it, and despite the many changes, it has not lost its quality.
ukasz Jachimiak: At first there will be a quote before last year’s Champions League final. “Zaxa is probably the best team in Europe this season, and therefore in the world. It is a pity that this team will cease to exist in an instant, and the players will leave. But let them win the Champions League together in the end. The regrets will be less.” Who said this?
Paul Babke: Of course, I remember these are my words.
We all thought so, we were all worried and no one expected Zachs to maintain his form after so many changes. However, if she wins the Champions League final, she will overtake last year’s result, because she will get a triple title.
– That’s right, then there was the Polish Cup, he won the Champions League and there was the Poland runner-up. And now Zexa can win anything. sound Sebastian Schwedersky He knew how to arrange all those blocks. He lost three very important players, left the coach, and found great replacements. First of all, the transportation turned out to be excellent Marcin Janos. JJ filled the gap after the departure of Toniotti, a man who seemed to be an irreplaceable man. It turns out that the pole can, too. The pole was invented, fetched, and Marcin played a great season.
You have to remember that before he came to Zaxa, JJ was already well known in the league, but things were different for him. He became great in Zacka. It helped that he played with other good volleyball players. He combined himself in a team with highly skilled volleyball players, thanks to which he showed his potential for himself. As a man who works for the Polish Volleyball Federation, I am very happy that we have a volleyball player who can play calmly for our team over the next few years.
Janusz was a great replacement for Toniotti, which wasn’t clear, but it also seemed that it would be very difficult to replace Jakub Kochanowski and Bawi Zatorski.
– In conclusion with Janusz, I think it fits perfectly, because there were no changes to the wings. KaczmaricAnd Semenyuk And respectable job Ensures the highest offensive and defensive capabilities. Of course, Norbert Huber replaced Kochanowski very well, Eric Shuji confirmed that he is a very good Libero player and, as you can see, he filled the void afterwards. Zatorsky.
A year ago, everyone would probably agree that Toniutti is better than Janusz, Kochanowski is better than Huber, and Zatorski is better than Shoji. How do you see these discounts today?
– You can definitely put equal signs here. Players who came to a better team benefited. They raised their abilities, their class grew. Those who went to the suffering team lost.
Kochanovsky and Zatorsky left for Resovia, which, although unsuccessful, continued to fail.
– At Resovia there was no idea about the players, the coach or the boss – it’s not for me to judge. In any case, first-class volleyball players, outstanding representatives of Poland, suddenly got lost there. For various reasons – health, mentality, the fact that they do not fit into a certain group of players, and bringing in six or seven new volleyball players at the same time is not the best idea to build a group. And most of all, you need to know the players. The biggest problem is that Polish clubs are run by people who don’t know the players fully. They think they are going to buy someone and that someone will definitely play with them. You have to know the self, know the person from your side. This is the most important. Sebastian Schwedersky especially knows all the players, all the coaches and managers. This is his big advantage over other bosses, as well as often good bosses. Especially for those who are not into volleyball.
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But now Soedersky is already the head of the PZPS, and since January he has been the head of Zaxa Peter Spaszek. After a moment, Semenyuk will leave Perugia, there will be a change of coach and you will have to respond to the problem again. It may not be as hot as last year, but the new CEO needs to find a replacement for a major player.
– yes, Semenyuk He is a major player. It will be very difficult to replace it. I don’t want to exaggerate to say that he is a really outstanding volleyball player, but he is definitely great and still has potential to develop. Evidence of moving to Perugia, one of the richest and best clubs in the world. There are volleyball players who only serve the Championship category. It would definitely be difficult to replace him and I don’t know what Zaxa’s idea is. But let’s go back to Sebastian Schwedersky. Of course, he is no longer in the club’s governing bodies, but he is a resident of Kędzierzyn and I think the new president can count on his support, on a hint of a possible solution. From what I can see, the idea for a new team will also be there. Is it at the same level, higher level? Let’s face it, funding is going to be important here. You have to collect a lot of money from sponsors to be able to compete at the same level as Zexa.
Let us emphasize that Zaxa is in the lead, although it is not the strongest financially in Poland, let alone in Europe.
– That’s right, the big clubs from Russia and Italy have three times more budgets. Of course, the Russian clubs are now suspended due to the war in Ukraine, and they are very good, they still transport players there. And as I read, Sam DeRoe [ostatnio grał w Resovii] He goes to play there, and that’s sad news. Back to Zaxa – yes, it’s not the richest club in Poland, and even more so in Europe, so the more respect for what the players do on the pitch and what the management team does, with a budget two or three times less than the biggest foreign competitors and a few million smaller from some Polish clubs.
Some, such as Resovia, Jastrzębski and another club?
– Definitely spark.
It’s hard to believe there wasn’t a whole lot of financial shortness of breath there, given the formation.
– And then please contact the president of this club and talk to him about how to build the team. Please don’t ask me about it, it is not appropriate for me to talk about the problems of that club.
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We’re back in Zaxa – what are your chances in the final against Trentino in the final?
– A year ago I was a bit skeptical, now I estimate 50-50 chances. It is a pity that Hopper will not play. This is a big weakness. But in the fourth game of the final against Jastrzębski, the boys succeeded, Janusz came up with a different tactic, playing a completely different game, stunned the boys from Jastrzębski. Trentino may never run out of attacking power Huber. But I think it will be fine. Especially since hundreds of fans from Kędzierzyn and from all over Poland go to Ljubljana. Zxa’s support will be massive and we’ll cheer on it too Assi WozTo win another title [Imoco Volley Conegliano z Polką w składzie zagra z VakifBankiem Stambuł].
I want to make sure – by saying that Marcin Janusz came up with tactics for the last game of the PlusLiga Final, did you not want to pin a pin on the Gheorghe Cretu coach?
– no no no! Of course everything was analyzed by the technical staff. In addition, Janusz’s analytical skills have been added.
Do you think changing Cretu to Tuomas Sammelvuo would be to Zaxa’s favour, or at a loss, or would he stay at the same level on the bench?
This is a sad story because I know the coach Crete He had a proposal for a big bonus from the club, but it turned out to be another guy focusing on money from Russia. Because of the war in Ukraine, this plan fell into his hands, and in the meantime Sebastian decided to hire another coach. I’m not surprised – how the coach leads the best strong Polish team LeaguesWhen he gets both raises, but rejects them, the club’s management can’t wait for the season to end. Another boss was signed, very good.
And it was Swedersky who brought Sammelvuo? After all, since January, ZXI’s boss hasn’t returned.
– Talks started in December. The new boss completed them with the new coach. Sebastian, on the other hand, co-worked as president PZPS With his job as chief Zaxie he made serious and good proposals for the training of Crete. Unfortunately, the coach had a different plan for his life. Now he will have to deal with it somehow. And he’ll take over, because he’s a very good coach, really specialized. On the other hand, there is pain in my heart that a man comes to work with the best Polish team, that he is given a helping hand, and already in the middle of the season, after four months, he thinks about more money in Russia and does not look at the fact that someone is here for him .. Assist. Underestimating the Polish league and Polish volleyball is hurting. Criticism is not everything.
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