Poland coach Urban targets Lewandowski return as World Cup qualifiers loom
Urban was named on Wednesday to replace Michal Probierz, who resigned in June following a row over his decision to replace Lewandowski as captain.
Poland sit third in their World Cup qualifying group behind Finland and the Netherlands and the Barcelona forward is widely seen as vital to their hopes of reaching next year's tournament.
"I'll do everything... so that Robert comes back, because we know what situation Polish football is in," Urban told reporters on Thursday.
Lewandowski, 36, is Poland's all-time top scorer with 85 goals in 158 appearances.
"As of today, we can't afford not to have Robert in this team," the new manager added.
Urban acknowledged the challenges faced by Poland, following a 2-1 loss to Finland in June and amid uncertainty surrounding Lewandowski's role.
"Above all, we're talking about this difficult moment not because of the defeat to Finland. We have several problems to solve, including the matter of Robert Lewandowski's resignation," Urban said.
"All of this needs to be properly sorted out to build a good atmosphere for this team to function.
"We're aiming for a situation where every player wants to come to the national team and feels good being part of it."
Poland's next World Cup qualifier is against the Netherlands away on September 4 before they host Finland three days later.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Khaleej Times
3 minutes ago
- Khaleej Times
Tour de France: Spectator hit by team car during stage
An Ineos-Grenadiers team car hit and knocked down a spectator during the 14th stage of the Tour de France cycle race, TV footage showed on Saturday. The team car was in the middle of the road to the Col de Peyresourde, about 200 metres from the top of the ascent, when it struck the spectator, who was cheering the riders on.
Int'l Cricket Council
4 hours ago
- Int'l Cricket Council
Russell votes his explosive semi-final heist as career-best
As Andre Russell prepares to call time on his international career, the Jamaican all-rounder has named his quickfire innings in the 2016 T20 World Cup semifinal against India as his proudest moment representing the West Indies. Chasing home favourites India's total of 193 in the 2016 T20 World Cup semifinal, Andre Russell walked in at No. 5 with the West Indies still needing 77 runs off 41 balls. "Definitely [my best moment was] the 2016 World Cup, that semi-final game against India where I brought the team home, me and Lendl Simmons, and obviously the start that we got from the other batters," Russell said in a Cricket West Indies (CWI) interview. In a knock characteristic of his explosive style, Andre Russell smashed 43 runs off just 20 balls to take the West Indies home with two balls to spare. He sealed the victory by hitting a boundary off the bowling of Virat Kohli, "Chasing 190-plus in that semi-final in India, with the crowd supporting India only, that was already a bit of pressure, but the wicket was a very good wicket, so the confidence that we had in the changing room and the batters that were left to come, it gave me the freedom and the confidence to go out and play the role that I did." The knock was crucial in helping the West Indies book their ticket to the final, where they went on to beat England in a thrilling contest in Kolkata. This victory secured the team's second T20 World Cup title, with Andre Russell being part of both of the World Cup triumphs. "Obviously, two World Cups, it's just a different emotion," he said. "You sleep, you wake up [on the morning after the final], and you realise you've only been sleeping for two hours, but you feel well-rested because you just want to see what's going on on the internet, you want to see all of those memories and all of those good comments. Russell and Simmons launch West Indies into WT20 final Russell and Simmons launch West Indies into WT20 final with seven-wicket win over India Andre Russell recently announced his decision to retire from international cricket after the first two T20Is against Australia on July 20 and 22 both being played in his home ground at Sabina Park, Jamaica. Days before the first game of the series, Russell looked back at his cricketing career with pride. "It's a pretty good feeling,I think, [from the] first time I came to Sabina Park as a kid, and then to actually walk on the grass and feel the atmosphere and look in the stands and everything, and [to] now, I've achieved so much out of cricket for the last couple of years. I did my best in every chance I got, representing the West Indies. "I think it's the perfect ground and the perfect series - against a good team as well, Australia - to end my international career.'
The National
8 hours ago
- The National
Tour de France 2025: Relentless Tadej Pogacar extends lead to more than four minutes
Tadej Pogacar powered to victory in an uphill time trial on Stage 13 of the Tour de France on Friday to stretch his lead in the race to more than four minutes. Jonas Vingegard and Remco Evenepoel clung on to their places in the overall top three, but this 10.9km time-trial triumph was defending champion Pogacar's second crushing win in two days. UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider Pogacar was last down the start ramp of the 171 riders setting off and stunned rivals by using a road bike instead of one typically used for time trials. 'It's more comfortable and I ride that 95 per cent of the year,' he explained. 'I went without a radio too, there are time clocks along the way so I just looked at them.' Decked out in his overall leader's yellow kit, the 26-year-old Slovenian was faster from the off, despite his exertions from the previous day, when he finished over two minutes ahead of main rival Vingegaard. 'I was feeling good all day, from when I got up. I was planning to go all in from start to finish and that's what I did,' said Pogacar, who won the Tour de France in 2020, 2021 and 2024. Pogacar had a sticker of the Hulk comic book superhero on his bike but said after the stage his hero was Spider-Man. 'Hulk though, he's the one you don't want to make angry,' said Pogacar. By the time he finished Dtage 13 at the Peyragudes Altiport where the opening scene of the James Bond movie Tomorrow Never Dies was shot, Pogacar was 36 seconds faster than Vingegaard, while Primoz Roglic was third at 1 min 20 sec. Evenepoel was overtaken close to the line by Vingegaard, but said he was too tired to care. 'I was drained,' he said, slumped in a chair. 'I didn't give a damn when Jonas went past.' 'I just wanted to finish. To be honest I'm relieved it's over,' said the double Olympic champion. Most riders warmed up for the time trial wearing ice jackets to combat the sizzling 30C temperature at the foot of the climb. Australian champion Luke Plapp set the early pace and sat in the hot seat all day before suddenly packing his case and vacating it on seeing Vingegaard storm up the mountain. Pogacar was even faster. At 1580m altitude the ride remained beneath the clouds and below the tree line, but even on top of the hill it was punishingly hot. American Quinn Simmons gave hundreds of high-fives on the home straight as one of the rare riders appearing to enjoy the climb. Saturday's Stage 14 is another punishing affair with around 50km of climbing but it will likely be raced in rain. It starts with the famous Col de Tourmalet and ends at the Luchon-Superbagneres ski resort. Stage 15 is a hilly run to the walled city of Carcassonne but for Pogacar there remains the spectre of three more massive mountain stages in the final week. There is also the prospect of potential chaos in Paris with three ascents of Montmartre's old cobbled lanes on the final day.
