A seemingly secondary topic concerning the Polish men's national team is starting to gain increasing importance on the eve of the Men's U22 European Championship in Portugal. The reason is related to a group of leading young players who are part of Nikola Grbic's extended squad.
Among the names discussed are Kiedos, Grabek, Gajek, Bien, Graniczny, and Novak – volleyball players who play a key role in Michał Graban's selection. The main question revolves around them: to what extent Poland will be affected at the U22 level.
A similar scenario is not excluded for Bulgaria, where the talented Zhasmin Velichkov is almost certain to be included in the extended squad for the Nations League, which could affect his preparation and teamwork with the U22 team.
Initial indications from the Polish side suggest that it's more about a short preparatory period with the men's team rather than a permanent removal from the youth team. The expectation is for some of these players to go through a training camp with the 'A' team and then return to the squad for the European Championship.
However, this does not close the topic; on the contrary, it opens it.
Internal sentiments in Poland suggest that not all cases will be the same. There are indications that for individual players – especially among those more advanced in their development – a longer retention with the men's team is possible. This means that Graban's selection could be affected unevenly, without clarity until the last moment on exactly who will be available.
Even in a more moderate scenario, where most of these names return for the tournament, a significant problem remains – time away from the team. Missed weeks in preparation, limited joint training sessions, and disrupted game dynamics are factors that are difficult to compensate for in a short tournament.
And precisely teamwork is one of the traditional trump cards of Polish formations across all age groups.
For Bulgaria, this opens up an interesting perspective. The two teams are in different groups, but with the expected development of the tournament, a direct clash in the knockout stages is entirely possible. At such a moment, even a slight hesitation in the opponent's structure could prove decisive.
The situation, however, remains dynamic. Poland could appear in Portugal with an almost full squad or with a partially altered lineup. And the difference between these two options is not only in the names but in the level of interaction on the court.
It is there that the eventual clash will be decided – not so much by who is on the roster, but by which team enters the tournament with better rhythm and more refined team play.

photo:volleyballworld.com