– I'm shocked. We lost by such a huge margin and then I see the players going to take pictures with Ronaldo. They smile and act as if nothing happened. (…) We go out in front of the bus and take photos. This is not my cup of tea. Times were different back then. We get 1-5 and I have to ask Ronaldo for a photo? Do we really have no honor in us? – Jacek Bąk thundered after losing the match against Portugal.
Then Poland completely disgraced itself, but the former representative was more outraged by the behavior of Piotr Zieliński and Nicola Zalewski after the final whistle, when they asked for a photo of the rival star. And it seemed that similar stories would not happen in the next match, this time against Scotland, and the experts would focus only on the events on the pitch. However, this did not happen.
Jacek Bąk did not bite his tongue. “
People, we've been relegated.”
Poland suffered a painful defeat for the fourth time in this edition of the Nations League. On Monday, Scotland lost 1-2 at the National Stadium and lost the decisive goal in the last minutes. However, it is not only the play of Michał Probierz's players that is most talked about, but also the words spoken after the match.
– We lacked this experience at the end and it is painful, but it is also a sign that this team can be of a really good standard. If we improve a few elements, and the players play regularly in clubs and most of the players recover… [to będzie lepiej, przyp. red.]. (…) There are definitely elements to improve, but I think we are going in the right direction – said the Polish coach. Other representatives also spoke in a similar tone, which Bąk did not like.
– We lose the match and the coach goes to the media and says such things? Then we should plow it all up. There cannot be a reduced tariff for them – Bąk began in a conversation with WP SportoweFakty. – I don't understand at all what this is all about. They talk as if nothing happened. The first and most important thing is the result. Later we can talk about some good direction. People, we were relegated from the league – he thundered.
“Did we play well? Nothing happened? This is sick”
And he didn't end there. – We don't have a team. Nothing looks as it should. Honestly, I don't even want to comment on the players' post-match statements. Did we play well? Nothing happened? This is sick, he emphasized. – I'm sorry, but what good is it if I play well if I don't win? Maybe you need to sign up for a different discipline. I'm sad because someone wants to sell me some crap lyrics, he added.
So Bąk left no stone unturned on the national team's staff and its players. He noticed that the defense was completely ineffective, but it should be the foundation of the team. Will anything change in the near future? Has to. This year's Nations League was a harsh lesson for the Reds and Whites, and let's hope they will learn the consequences.
They finished last, i.e. fourth in the group, with only four points after six games. They managed to win only once – against Scotland, but at the inauguration of the competition (3:2). Thus, they were relegated with a bang from Division A of the Nations League.