The coach of the Polish men's national volleyball team, Nikola Grbić, gave an extensive interview toSport.pl, in which he revealed details about the start of the new Olympic cycle towards Los Angeles 2028, the motives for some difficult selection decisions, and his view on the future of players and the championship.

New season and selection:

Grbić spoke about his personal approach to players before announcing the list, having conducted about 40 conversations. He also shared amusing moments with debutants, such as Mateusz Czunkiewicz's shock during their first conversation. The coach emphasized the importance for players to hear information about call-ups and preparation directly from him.

Absent players and difficult decisions:

Five players from the Olympic squad received a break this summer. Grbić commented on his decision not to include the experienced middle blockerKarol Kłosin the list. The reason is the desire to give a chance to young players, and the decision is not just for this season but is related to the long-term plan for Los Angeles. Grbić expressed his great respect for Kłos's contribution and left him the opportunity to announce his future in the national team himself.

The coach also revisited a difficult moment from last summer – the exclusion ofBartosz Bednorzfrom the Olympic squad for Paris. Grbić admitted that this was very painful for Bednorz, but he was very impressed by the message he received from him a week after the Games, in which Bednorz expressed disappointment, but also understanding, as well as hope for a future in the team. Grbić confirmed that Bednorz is part of future plans, but the player is currently dealing with health problems (calf).

Injuries and their impact:

Grbić expressed concern about his players' injuries, mentioning Bartosz Kurek's back,Bartosz Kurekknee, and Marcin Janusz's back,as well as Jakub Popiwczak's recent injury. He explained that the rest some players receive is valuable for recovering from chronic problems that don't have time to heal during the busy season, but it cannot permanently solve all health issues. и гърба на Марчин Януш, както и скорошната контузия на Якуб Попивчак. Той обясни, че почивката, която някои играчи получават, е ценна за възстановяване от хронични проблеми, които нямат време да се излекуват през натоварения сезон, но тя не може трайно да реши всички здравословни проблеми.

The future of veterans and captaincy:

Grbić is adamant thatno one has a guaranteed spot for the Olympic Games in Los Angelesregardless of past merits or age. Everyone must earn their place with their level of play. He discussed the likelihood of older players likeBartosz KurekandGrzegorz Łomaczbeing in the squad in 2028, noting that for Łomacz, the chances might be smaller, making way for younger setters. For Kurek and others like Bieniek and Paweł Zatorski, the key is performance and health. Grbić compared Kurek to players like Matt Anderson and Georg Grozer, who play at a high level at a later age, but admits that Kurek's injury problems are increasing.

The most valuable role ofBartosz Kurekfor the team isleadership. Grbić described him as a "second coach in the locker room," who is an example for the young and whose words are listened to.Kurek himself asked not to be captain anymoreas he felt that this role was "too great a burden" and excessively burdened him with responsibilities off the court, which prevented him from focusing on the game. Grbić had a conversation with Kurek on this topic two years ago. The coach has not yet decided who will be the new captain, believing there is time for that and will discuss the matter with the players. He notes that Śliwka also has a similar tendency to take on great responsibility as captain.

Selection philosophy:

Grbić's decisions are based on the current level of play, potential, behavior, attitude towards different situations and chances, as well as the long-term plan for Los Angeles. He gave an example of the decision not to call upKarol Butrynthis season, in order to try younger opposite hitters likeKévin Sasak (Alex Grozdanov's teammate in Bogdanka), Bartosz Gomułka, and Aleksiy Nasewicz, seeing great potential for development in Sasak, for example. Grbić emphasizes thathis decisions are never personaland the priority is the victory of the Polish team, regardless of who is in the squad. He also commented on the absence ofBartosz Kwolekin recent years, revealing that two years ago Kwolek did not show up on time for medical examinations, and Grbić needs players ready to "do everything to play in the national team" and communicate problems. He also commented on the debate surrounding the absence ofDawid Wochfrom the list, explaining that he does not see potential in Woch to reach the level of leading Polish middle blockers such as Kochanowski, Huber, and Bieniek in the context of the Los Angeles Olympics, but he does not rule him out for the future.

Reflections on past matches (Paris Olympic Games):

Grbić watched the Olympic final several times, and the semi-final against the USA once with his son. He continues to analyze what could have been done better. He mentions two specific situations: the management of Marcin Janusz's injury before the quarter-final (perhaps he should have been more decisive about Łomacz's start, regardless of the uncertainty surrounding Janusz) and a possible substitution of Tomasz Fornal after the two blocks by Antoine Brizard (he did not want to take him out of the game immediately after such moments).

Grbić's own future:

The coach has considered returning to club work, but the market is busy and opportunities are limited. He admits that sometimes he misses the pace and pressure of club work, but at the moment he truly enjoys time with his family, especially his teenage sons. His job as coach of the Polish national team limits him to working in Polish and Italian clubs. He does not consider Russia as an option. He is unsure about Turkey, despite the growing level of the league there.

Opinion on the Polish PlusLiga:

Grbić predicts that the level of the PlusLiga next season will most likely be weaker than the current one, due to anticipated departures of key players such as Kurek, Boyer, Perri, Fornal, and Huber, as well as financial changes in some clubs such as Jastrzębski Węgiel. However, he does not believe that the lowering of the level of the domestic league will negatively affect the national team, as the main players either remain at a high level in Poland or move to strong foreign leagues.

photo:Sport.pl