PZPN

Adam Nawałka about his work:

First of all, I would like to thank the President of the Polish Football Association Zbigniew Boniek who created appropriate conditions which allowed the national team to move forward. All the people in the Polish Football Association were fantastic. Also, I want to thank the players, there were many of them coming and going.

... about the farewell with the Polish national team:

I am very sorry, but I am looking into the future of Polish football and into my future as a coach with optimism. I shared knowledge with the players, as well as I used to prepare carefully, and determine and implement plans. We implemented the plans and Polish football made great progress during my term. I can proudly say goodbye to the national team, I was able to lead the team from the bottom to the top of the ranking. It is not only my success but the success of the entire staff.

... about the decision not to work with the national team anymore:

The past five years were the period of very good relations with the players. The World Championship was the crowning achievement of our work, but the work formula was exhausted and I made this decision with full responsibility. We had long conversations with the President of the Polish Football Association; he always had a positive impact on everything that happened so far and I always felt his support. These successes wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for the President Boniek. Hence our joint decision: new decisions are necessary in order to move forward constantly. A coach who will lead the team, use the players' potential and take responsibility for making one step further is needed. That was the main reason why I decided that it is time for another head coach.

... about the summary of the World Cup:

Of course, I feel responsible for our failure to fulfil our and fans' expectations and ambitions during the World Cup. I take full responsibility for that, because it is always the role of the coach and I do not escape from it. I accept criticism, sometimes spiteful and sometimes substantial criticism, with dignity. It constantly inspired me during those five years. Also, I would like to thank all the journalists, cooperation with them was important to me. We analysed the good aspects of our play at the World Cup but we analysed mainly the bad aspects because we didn't implement the assumed plans. I perceive the recent events in a critical way and many conclusions will be useful for the new coach. And I am willing to help the new coach anytime because the experience of the last four years is priceless.

...about mistakes made in the course of the championship:

Indeed, the biggest charges, I level against myself, are personalities. I did not select the right line-up and I have to say it clearly. We were in a difficult situation before the championship, we were aware of the players' situations, but I would like to praise them for their attitude; starting from the first day of the national team training camp, and even from the date of promotion they were fully ready and tried to prepare themselves as optimally as possible.

We were aware of the risks, we wanted to find an optimal solution, we extended the group of players, we have tried to get the maximum out of the Polish league players as well as those from abroad. I believe that the selection was optimal, we did everything we could, but we are always sure of our mistakes after the fact. And the mistakes related to the selection of players are associated with the implementation of tactics and details that affect the matches lost.

...about emotions:

Every day with the Polish national team was a great experience. Bringing the best things out of the national team was an honour and privilege for me. Every day was a motivation to act. I'm not going to divide that period into moments of ups and downs. The work of a head coach must be stable and properly prepared. Every day was a great joy, it was a huge inspiration to bring the power and energy to the highest level. To spread the energy to all around and to inspire players by plans, training and vision of what lies ahead. At the beginning, this stage of mental work was most important, and then: bringing out their football potential. We can be only full of optimism and joy.

...about the work before the World Cup:

After the end of the qualifiers, we summarised our work and draw the conclusions. We saw that our approach concerning the selection of players had to be changed, we wanted to expand the selection and introduce new players. Also, we wanted to expand our tactical abilities because the team did not manage to keep the high level of some matches. We wanted to find an appropriate solution to these situations and to emerge from them unscathed. We approached these situations with optimism and we had a plan that we were implementing in a precise way. However, it was beyond our possibilities, I take the blame. We always acted in a logical manner, to exploit the potential maximally. In terms of personal issues, it turned out that those players who did not present themselves favourably at this championship were the strength of the team, and young players must still wait. Maybe they will get a chance in the upcoming autumn and they will take advantage of it.

... about the future of the Polish national team:

I am sure that, after the test of World Cup, my experience and the experience of the entire staff will be the basis for the next step thanks to which Polish football will take its rightful place in the championships. I hope that our national team will participate in championships every two years and I wish it to all of us.

Michał Zachodny