Bulgaria will meet with "Druzyna Polska" twice this summer.
Poland's head coach Nikola Grbic announced that his focus is now directed not only towards the 2025 season but also towards the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. The expanded squad includes 30 volleyball players, among whom many young names stand out, some even surprising. The reason is a long-term development strategy, not just current form. "This is a chance for me to see young players in a training process. I hope that even if they don't establish themselves this season, it will happen in the next," Grbic commented to Polish journalists after the start of the first camp of "Druzyna Polska."
The selection is based on serious analysis: conversations with club coaches, staffs, and detailed research. "The decisions were not easy, but they are dictated by the future of the team," explained the Serbian specialist.
The new direction: Los Angeles 2028
Grbic emphasized that now is the time for change, not in 2027, when it will be too late for serious corrections. He pointed out that a similar process is underway in other leading teams USA, Serbia, Japan, and Slovenia. "It is normal for some experienced players to be replaced by young talents," he added.
Changes in the setter position
This season we will not see the established Marcin Janusz and Grzegorz Łomacz. Instead, Marcin Komenda and Janek Firlej will get a chance. Grbic recalled that Janusz also started similarly without experience, but with huge expectations. "I believe both Komenda and Firlej will do well."
Flexible selection and Universiade
Grbic does not intend to make changes to the squad for now but specified that he will assess whether some players should be sent to the Universiade or remain with the first team. "We only started training on Monday, I need more observations," he explained.
First test Silesia Cup
The team's debut will be at the Silesia Cup against Bulgaria, Germany, and Ukraine. "I will rotate the squad, try different options. I'm not so interested in the result as I am in the players' reaction in official matches," Grbic said. Bartosz Kurek and Bartosz Boladz will also participate in the tournament.
Captain without Kurek
The captain for the tournament in China will be new
Bartosz Kurek will not play this role. Grbic will choose from eight players with experience in PlusLiga and the national team but emphasized that this decision will be collective and will not burden anyone unnecessarily. "The main role remains to play well; the captain's armband will not change that."
Poland's squad for the 2025 season by position
Setters:
Jan Firlej
Marcin Komenda
Łukasz Kozub
Kajetan Kubicki
Opposites:
Bartłomiej Bołądź
Bartosz Gomułka
Bartosz Kurek
Aleksiej Nasewicz
Kewin Sasak
Outside Hitters:
Bartosz Bednorz
Tomasz Fornal
Michał Gierżot
Wilfredo Leon
Mikołaj Sawicki
Kamil Semeniuk
Artur Szalpuk
Rafał Szymura
Aleksander Śliwka
Middle blockers:
Sebastian Adamczyk
Norbert Huber
Szymon Jakubiszak
Jakub Kochanowski
Jakub Nowak
Mateusz Nowak
Mateusz Poręba
Jordan Zaleszczyk
Liberos:
Mateusz Czunkiewicz
Maksymilian Graniczny
Kuba Hawryluk
Jakub Popiwczak
The Bulgarian national team will face this refreshed Polish squad twice during the season: first at the Silesia Cup, and then in the third VNL tournament in Gdansk between July 18 and 20. These matches will be an excellent opportunity for our team to test themselves against a strong opponent and gain valuable experience before the upcoming World Championship.
