It seems that Vladimir Petkovic has the best chance of working in the Polish national team among foreign candidates. Bosniak became famous primarily for his work with the Swiss team, although he also previously managed Lazio in Rome. His course indicates that he could be an ideal choice for our team.
According to unofficial sources, the PZPN has already made initial contact with Petkovic. This does not predetermine anything, because we still do not know if the union will even rely on a foreign coach. President Cesari Kulesha has yet to publicly state his expectations. When the decision not to renew cooperation with Czesław Mikhniewicz was announced, the federation’s statement only said that the new coach was expected to restore confidence in the Polish national team and improve its image.
Valuable note, but this is more of an overview of the actions of the previous coach than an indication of the criteria for choosing a successor. So far, the PZPN has only stated that it intends to close the selection process by the end of January.
What do we need? Who are we looking for?
We all still have an aesthetic hangover after what the Polish team showed at the World Cup in Qatar. Anti-football, super-defensive tactics, the coach’s landing in his own penalty area… Even the biggest fans of the White-Reds had a hard time accepting this style of play of our team.
Most experts noted that the national team has much more potential, especially in attack, than it showed at the World Cup. Therefore, we need a coach who will bring this potential out of the team. Anyone who comes up with the idea of playing football that pleases the eye, because the big discussion that broke out in the country after the tournament in Qatar shows that style is important for Poles.
Vladimir Petkovic is just the kind of coach who can bet on an attractive ball. Recently, in an interview with Interia, Vulnet Basha, a former player of Wisla Krakow, spoke about this.
- I had the opportunity to work with coach Petkovic at Sion, albeit not for long, just a few weeks. Later, the coach has already received an offer from Lazio. Undoubtedly, he was already a coach who cared a lot about ball play. Yes, build action from the back, calmly play the game. I personally really liked his idea and ideas. What he did afterwards with the Swiss team, as well as the work he did at Lazio, showed that his philosophy was great. He wanted to play attractive football,” said the former Wisla Krakow player.
Strong personality
Many reviews about the Bosnian repeat that we are talking about a coach with charisma and a strong personality. Our representatives need such a selector with permissions. It’s no secret that leading this group of people is not easy.
It was hard not to notice that the former coaches (Mikhniewicz and Jerzy Brzeczek) tried to go above their heads. It seems that Petkovic would not allow himself this, because he is a calm but very firm coach. He knows when to bet on a direct conversation with the player, when to relax the team, and when to tighten the screw.
In the Swiss national team, the Bosnian had a very difficult task. As you know, the Helvetia national team is a multicultural melting pot, where there was no shortage of players with great temperament, such as Xherdan Shaqiri or Granit Xhaka. Also at Lazio, the Bosnian found a common language with the stars, including world champion Miroslav Klose. It was in Rome that Petkovic led as a player … Lionel Scaloni, who today is the selector of the world champions, that is, Argentina.
So, perhaps, Polish footballers will treat him with more respect than the breeders who used to manage only clubs from the Polish league. However, Petkovic has a lot of achievements and great experience to his credit. I learned not only by working with the Swiss team, with which I was able to draw with such strong opponents as France, Germany or Spain, but also won with Belgium 5:2 or Portugal 2:0.
On the other hand, with Lazio, which is not and was not a top club in Serie A, he won the Coppa Italia in 2013. He also previously managed Young Boys Bern for three seasons and later, as interim manager, saved Sion from relegation from the Swiss Super League. Petković also took charge - although in this case unsuccessfully - of Samsunspor (Turkey) and Bordeaux (France). But for us, Petkovic’s breeding experience is the most important, so it’s worth seeing how he coped with the Swiss national team.
Source: Wprost
