– This is a difficult period for all fans, but you have to survive it. To sum up this year, let's not just look at it because we didn't stay in the Nations League, but we advanced to Euro 2024, where we played good football. I believe that in many of these Nations League matches we played well at times – said Michał Probierz at a press conference after the 1-2 defeat against Scotland, which resulted in the Polish national team being relegated to the B division of the Nations League. A few months earlier, our team was the first team to say goodbye to Euro 2024.
Kulesza wanted Sousa to leave? Boniek has no doubts
Before Touchstone's era, Fernando Santos, Czesław Michniewicz and Paulo Sousa worked as the coach of the Polish national team. Especially during the tenure of the younger Portuguese, the team was praised for its brave and often effective style of play. Sousa's team drew, for example, with England (1:1) and Spain (1:1). The continued employment of the current Al-Ahli Dubai coach seemed to be a wise decision.
Meanwhile, at the end of 2021, the Portuguese coach unexpectedly ended his cooperation with the Polish Football Association. He went to Brazilian Flamengo, and in Poland he was quickly called a traitor and earned the nickname “Siwy Bajerant”. At first glance, it actually seems that Sousa simply abandoned our team for big money. What were the circumstances behind his departure? This topic was featured in the last program Dwa Fotele broadcast on the channel Meczyki.pl moved by Zbigniew Boniek.
According to the vice-president of UEFA, the new PZPN authorities, headed by Cezary Kulesza, wanted the Portuguese fired from the very beginning. – In Poland it was invented that Sousa escaped from Poland, but this is not true. From the first day of work of the new PZPN authorities, there was a narrative: “We need to take him on the carpet and talk to him. Don't let him throw himself around.” Everything was explained to him, so he saw what was happening, said Boniek.
In his opinion, it was enough for the new head of the Polish Football Association to simply declare his willingness to continue cooperation with Sousa. However, this did not happen. – So he went to those in power in the union and said: “Gentlemen, if you want, I can leave. My manager has a club that wants me.” It was enough to say: “You are good and we want you to stay.” And there would be no problem – added Zbigniew Boniek, who employed Paulo Sousa during his term. It has long been known that both men are on good terms.
After the Portuguese left, journalists regularly reported that his relationship with Kulesza – to put it mildly – was not the best. Sousa was said to be disturbed primarily by the smell of alcohol, which apparently often lingered around the president of the Polish Football Association. Ultimately, the Portuguese coach left Poland. Under his leadership, the team played 15 matches, winning six. Five matches ended in a draw and four with a defeat. Currently, Paulo Sousa is the coach of Al-Ahli Dubai from the United Arab Emirates.