Wisła Kraków defeated Wieczysta Kraków. Coach Mariusz Jop assessed the defense, the implementation of the tactical plan, the players’ behavior, and the team’s adaptation process in the PKO BP Ekstraklasa.

Match assessment and the team’s performance
Summing up the derby, coach Mariusz Jop congratulated the team on the victory: “A big congratulations to the team. Wieczysta is certainly a demanding opponent with many offensive strengths. I think that in today’s match we showed that we can control the game both when in possession and without the ball. I think the whole team did a good job defensively today. There were some fairly long spells of medium and low defending in the second half, but we also scored the first goal after a counterattack and winning the ball back. So I’m very happy that we kept a clean sheet. I’m happy that we were effective in what we did today. We had our moments to finish the match earlier, but it was a good job. I’m very pleased that the three points stayed at our stadium. I also congratulate the fans. Fantastic support, a full stadium—that is something we have become accustomed to, and I thank you for the support.”

The first half and creating chances
Asked about the more cautious course of the first half and the lack of a large number of scoring chances, the coach replied: “In the first half, we were definitely building our attacks for longer periods. We were waiting to create space so that the player with the ball would have time. It must be said that Wieczysta also closed down the center well. We had more opportunities to attack through the wide areas. We also had several good moments there, when I mainly felt we lacked the decision to shoot. There were two or three moments when, knowing that their goalkeeper had played very few matches over the previous three years, that was something we wanted to exploit. We wanted more shots from around 20 meters, roughly from central areas. I felt we were missing that a little in the first half. However, I would not say that we were limiting ourselves in any particular way. In my opinion, it was more the result of both teams being well organized defensively.”

Low defending and the clean sheet
Asked to assess the defense, which kept a clean sheet for the first time this season, the coach said: “I did not even look at it in terms of us being the first team. We knew the strength of this team offensively, and our low block was particularly good today. We made several adjustments, were more proactive and more aggressive, and defended the center better. We also defended shots from that space in the box effectively. So we are certainly pleased, but more importantly, while defending in a low block, we also used our moments to launch quick attacks, because we had chances to score from those situations as well.”

The start of the season and adapting to the league
Asked about the team’s performance in the opening rounds of the competition, Mariusz Jop summed up the process of adapting to the new level: “I think the start of the season was somewhat nervous from our perspective. It was clear that some players felt the pressure of playing in the top division. I saw it on the pitch because I had watched them during the week and seen how we could build attacks and what the players’ individual movements were like, but then the first matches came and I saw different behaviors. That resulted from the pressure and from needing to get used to this league. I think that in the last two matches we have looked more like the team that played in the first division. Of course, the teams here are different—I mean different in terms of quality, definitely at a higher level. Still, I think we are gradually feeling more confident and more comfortable here. It is clear that the team is making progress, and that makes me very happy.”

Kacper Duda’s early substitution
A journalist asked why Kacper Duda was withdrawn at the start of the second half, in the context of his yellow card and the risk of committing further fouls. “That is why he was substituted fairly quickly in the second half,” the Wisła Kraków coach briefly explained.

Joy at winning the derby
Asked how satisfying the derby victory was after previous draws at first-division level, the coach admitted: “I already said that I am happy and that I congratulate everyone. It was not a matter of luck; I think we deserved this victory through hard work. Of course I am happy, and the team is happy too. I think they deserve praise today, and the victory was fully deserved on our part.”

Work on defending the penalty area
Noting the effective interventions in their own penalty area, the coach was asked how intensively the team trains this aspect: “Box Defense is one of the topics we have repeated regularly every week for almost two years. So it is not something we have just started doing. We work on it very regularly because it is a very important element,” the coach replied.

The reaction on the touchline
Asked about his emotional interaction with and instructions to Ángelo Rodado in the closing minutes, the Kraków coach clarified: “Perhaps it was some adjustment to move across or restore his position. The players know that when it comes to attacking actions, I give them freedom. However, when it comes to tracking back and defensive work, everyone has to give their maximum. I do not know whether it was directed at Rodado, because I do not remember the exact situation or which one you mean. Sometimes I try to correct and motivate the players to give even more, because I know it is a difficult moment for them. I know they are working very hard, and sometimes they need an impulse from the sideline to push a little harder.”

Analysis of Wieczysta’s tactical and personnel changes
Asked to identify differences in the opponents’ play following the change of coach and personnel adjustments to their lineup, Mariusz Jop explained: “There were four changes compared with the last match. The coach changed the goalkeeper and two full-backs, and brought in Koulouris, moving Christiansen into midfield in place of Lederman. I think what was visible was that they closed the center of the pitch quite well. They focused on shutting down our two holding midfielders when we were building our attacks. It was clear that they did not really have an answer when we involved Marcel in the buildup, because they had no idea how to approach that aggressively. Those were also moments when we could rest a little with the ball and prepare our attack. Sometimes we closed things down too quickly, because I think we could have made them run even more without the ball. That was also one of our objectives for the match: to force the opponent to do something they generally do not like, namely defend. I think defensively this team was perhaps a little less mobile than in the last match. In terms of offense, there was still a lot of rotation in midfield; that did not change compared with what coach Moskal preferred.”

Possible departures from the club
In response to a question about potential squad moves involving players seeking regular playing time, Mariusz Jop replied: “For now, there are no moves. If there are any, the club will probably announce them.”

The plan for the match against Odra Opole
Asked about his squad selection and whether players who have played less might get an opportunity before the upcoming match against Odra Opole, the coach said: “There are still several days before the match, so we do not want to announce who will play and who will not before the players receive that information.”

Summary of the opposing coach’s comments (Željko Kopić)

Željko Kopić after #WISWIE: “I am very pleased with how we started the match.”

The start of the match and the goals conceded
Wieczysta’s coach assessed the team’s opening performance and the mistakes that led to the goals conceded: “Congratulations to Wisła on the victory in this match. I liked how we started it: we had possession, attacked, and controlled the game. In the second part of the first half, Wisła began to impose themselves, created slightly more chances, and the game became more even. The plan for the second half was to continue what we had done in the first—to keep attacking and exploit the space behind Wisła’s defensive block. But in that situation, when they had the ball, they lost it and conceded from a counterattack. They tried to attack after conceding the first goal, but once again they were caught by a Wisła counter. Wisła scored the second goal with a long-range shot, and the match was practically over. I would like to praise my team for the spirit with which they started the match and for the amount of energy they showed. However, we certainly need to focus on our defensive play, because once again we conceded after poor behavior in the penalty area, as had also happened in previous matches, so we have plenty to work on. The same applies up front—at times we tried to play too intricately and touched the ball too many times in Wisła’s penalty area instead of being a little more effective and direct.”

How he came to join Wieczysta
A journalist asked why he accepted the offer and what objectives had been set for the new coach: “That is how the football market works. When the board and the owner decide to change the coach, I received a phone call. We talked about the project, the quality of the players, and the quality of the team, and I made my decision after analyzing everything the club had been doing. The development prospects convinced me, and I believe in this project.”

Tactical conclusions and work with the team
Asked about shortcomings in the team’s defensive and attacking play, as well as planned adjustments, the coach said: “Overall, we have to be more competitive, because we have some really good moments in games, but in the most important ones we have to play more directly. We also have to fight more on the pitch. These are technical and tactical issues that we need to improve in training, through analysis and the right way of working. We will analyze every training session and match and look for the best solutions.”

The need for squad reinforcements
Asked to assess the current squad’s potential and possible transfers before the window closes, he replied: “The team has quality, but we have also discussed the size of the squad. We talked about two or three positions, but only if a player becomes available who would raise the team’s level.”

Assessment of the atmosphere at the stadium
Asked about his impressions of the derby presentation and the atmosphere in the stands, he said: “The pitch, the stadium, the fans, the atmosphere—all were at the highest level. But of course I would have been much happier if we had won the match. I do not want to be the coach of a team that plays beautifully in beautiful stadiums, in front of a beautiful atmosphere, but does not win in the end. I am focused on my team’s result.”

The debutants’ performances
Asked to comment on the performances of the new players, Efthymios Koulouris and Marko Marić (Chavlina), he said: “Koulouris has tremendous quality, as he has proved throughout his career, but he needs some time to build an understanding with the team. The same applies to Chavlina, who joined a little later and needs time to settle in. There were some mistakes, but we have to build cohesion, team spirit, and develop from match to match, regardless of individual errors.”

His vision for managing the team
A journalist asked whether the attacking and dominant style shown in the opening stages of the match would be the team’s target style: “Yes, that is exactly how I see football and how I want my team to play. There are different ways of playing, and I respect other approaches, but I want my team to control matches, have strong midfielders controlling the game between the lines, and switch play quickly. I want the players to play with confidence, which requires time and cohesion. That also includes defensive stability and winning one-on-one duels. I know it is not an easy style, but throughout my career I have tried to manage my teams in this way.”

The character of the league
Asked to compare the realities of the PKO BP Ekstraklasa with his previous coaching experiences, he said: “I have watched and analyzed PKO BP Ekstraklasa matches, but please give me some time before making detailed comparisons. It is clear that the PKO BP Ekstraklasa demands great intensity, competition in duels, and places a strong emphasis on set pieces. I respect the style presented in this league, but I want to implement my own vision.”

The time needed to implement his ideas
Asked how long it would take to organize the team’s play according to his principles, he replied: “In football, coaches have everything except time. We spent three days analyzing and introducing the first elements, and from next week we will continue this work to improve our play as quickly as possible.”

The full recording of the press conference is available on Wisła Kraków’s official YouTube channel—we encourage you to watch it and subscribe to stay up to date with the club’s content.