Poland manager Probierz resigns after Lewandowski row
Lewandowski, 36, said on Sunday he would no longer play for the national team with Probierz at the helm, and told a Polish news site on Monday he was hurt by the way the manager had told him he was being replaced with Piotr Zielinski.
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Business Standard
a day ago
- Business Standard
Poland coach resigns after dispute with star striker Robert Lewandowski
The coach of Poland's national soccer team announced Thursday has resigned as head coach, days after a spat with star striker Robert Lewandowski. I have come to the conclusion that, given the current situation, the best decision for the good of the national team is my resignation from the position of head coach, Michal Probierz said in a statement published by the Polish Football Association. Probierz stripped Barcelona striker Lewandowski of his position as team captain on the eve of a World Cup qualifier against Finland earlier this week, and named Inter Milan midfielder Piotr Zielinski as the new captain. Lewandowski reacted by saying he would no longer play for the national team as long as Probierz remains head coach. Poland went on to suffer an embarrassing 2-1 defeat to Finland, to put its qualifications hopes into jeopardy. The 36-year-old Lewandowski, who has played a record 158 games for his country and is the leading scorer with 85 goals, is arguably the most outstanding player in the history of Polish soccer. Lewandowski pulled out of last Friday's friendly over Moldova, citing tiredness from a La Liga title-winning season with Barcelona. Probierz, who took over in September 2023 after the disappointing tenure of Fernando Santos, managed to secure qualification for the 2024 European Championship but has since struggled. The Polish Football Association's president, Cezary Kulesza, had summoned Probierz on Wednesday to discuss the matter. I give coaches a lot of freedom, but with that comes responsibility. I expect results, first and foremost," Kulesza said. These were difficult days for the fans of the national team. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Deccan Herald
a day ago
- Deccan Herald
Poland manager Probierz resigns after Lewandowski row
Lewandowski, 36, said on Sunday he would no longer play for the national team with Probierz at the helm, and told a Polish news site on Monday he was hurt by the way the manager had told him he was being replaced with Piotr Zielinski.
India Today
a day ago
- India Today
Poland manager Michal Probierz resigns after Lewandowski refuses to play under him
Poland manager Michal Probierz has resigned after a public falling-out with captain Robert Lewandowski, who announced he would no longer play for the national team under Probierz's dispute was sparked by Probierz's decision to strip Lewandowski of the captaincy in favour of Napoli midfielder Piotr Zielinski. The 36-year-old Barcelona striker revealed that he had received a brief phone call from Probierz while he was putting his children to bed, and shortly afterwards, an official statement announcing the change appeared on the Polish Football Association (PZPN) to a Polish news outlet, Lewandowski - Poland's record goalscorer with 85 goals in 158 appearances - said he felt betrayed and deeply hurt by the manner in which the decision was communicated. "After so many years of dedication, I believe I deserved more respect. This should have been discussed face to face," he Sunday, Lewandowski declared that he would not return to the national team as long as Probierz remained in charge. He also missed Poland's 2-1 World Cup qualifying defeat to Finland on Tuesday and their 2-0 friendly win over Moldova on Friday, citing physical and mental exhaustion following a long club who succeeded Fernando Santos as manager in 2023, led Poland to Euro 2024, but his side became the first team to be eliminated from the tournament. Despite this setback, Poland currently sit third in Group G of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, with six points from three matches-just one behind group leaders a statement announcing his resignation, Probierz said:"I have come to the conclusion that, in the current situation, the best decision for the good of the national team is my resignation. Serving as national coach was the fulfilment of a lifelong dream and the greatest honour of my professional career."The Polish Football Association expressed its gratitude, stating:"The Polish Football Association would like to thank Michal Probierz for his cooperation and dedication in leading the national team. We wish him every success in his future endeavours."Poland's next World Cup qualifier is a challenging away fixture against the Netherlands on 4 September. With Probierz's departure and Lewandowski's international future in doubt, the national team faces a period of uncertainty at a crucial stage in their qualifying campaign.
