“We do not want to set winning the CLJ as our goal, but we want to win every subsequent match. I will keep emphasizing that we want to bring players up to the first-team level. Our DNA will remain unchanged, and we will follow the same path,” emphasizes U-19 head coach Karol Nędza. The Biała Gwiazda’s older juniors finished the autumn round of the Central Junior League in second place, having fought for league survival until the final matchday a year ago. “Many people had already written us off, but we were able to turn the entire season around. The experience we gained is now paying off,” adds the coach of the Wisła team, who summarizes his side’s autumn round.

When we spoke before the start of the season, you mentioned the wealth of experience that you, as the coaching staff and team, had gained from the previous season. After the preparation period, however, the first league match was like a bucket of cold water. Was the 0–4 defeat to Jagiellonia Białystok a major warning sign for the entire team?

The result of the first match certainly showed that we, as coaches, had made a mistake during the preparation period. Jagiellonia proved to be a much stronger opponent than all of our other sparring partners. I do not hide the fact that not everything worked out as we would have liked during the preparation period. At the tournament in Zabrze, it turned out that Górnik did not play with their optimal lineup, and the draw meant that we ultimately did not face Śląsk Wrocław.

No friendly match provided us with as much material for analysis or proved to be as serious a test as the game against Jagiellonia. We drew conclusions from it quickly; even during our analysis with the players, we said that no one had tested us as thoroughly as the team from Białystok. It is also worth emphasizing that Jaga arrived with a very strong lineup, including players who later established themselves permanently in the first team. We were somewhat surprised, but fortunately we quickly made up for all the shortcomings.

Jagiellonia is, in fact, a very uncomfortable opponent for you. Two of your five defeats in the autumn round came precisely in matches against the Białystok side.

We have to admit that Jagiellonia is a very strong team in the CLJ, and on both occasions we were simply weaker. That has to be said clearly. Jagiellonia were better than us in footballing terms, and we deserved those defeats. We could not put them down to luck or coincidence.

The team reacted very quickly and, in the second round, defeated Cracovia 4–1 away from home. We know how prestigious derby matches are. We also remember what happened in last season’s away game against Cracovia.

We certainly drew conclusions quickly. We were extremely determined for that match. Last season we lost the derby, but until the penalty was awarded and the red card was shown, we had been involved in an even contest. Nothing suggested that it would end that way. Everything fell apart in a single moment, although that is obviously no excuse for us. Nor do we want to look for one. The most important thing is to draw conclusions from such matches. It is also a lesson for us, one we use to become a more aware team on the pitch. I think this is our strength: over time, we can turn such matches into something positive and an opportunity to rebuild.

You went on a winning run in the autumn round. You managed to win five matches in a row on two occasions. From the coaching staff’s perspective, what is the most difficult thing at such a moment in order to keep the team in the right rhythm, especially mentally?

It is certainly very difficult because the boys do not yet have much experience. Players of this age very often experience extreme emotions. After defeats, the mental side is extremely important, and we remember that many circumstances did not help us last year. My role, as well as that of the entire staff, is to instill humility in them. This allows them to remain alert and sustain winning streaks. I am pleased with that, but at the same time I remind the players not to look at the result of a match in a short-sighted way. I do not want the result to be the determinant of the entire season, although it is certainly important. We want to show the players the path to success from a longer-term perspective.

A single win is not an end in itself, but merely a means to an end: for them to one day play either for the reserve team or for the first team at the stadium on Reymonta Street. We always approach this very calmly. It is a process; the goal is to produce players ready to compete at the central level. I do not want the players to be satisfied with results achieved in the Central Junior League. We base our work on facts, keep extensive statistics on the players, and do not want to attribute everything to the final result. We often give them feedback during team meetings so that they can improve their skills in the positions they play. The aim is for them to be able to compete as soon as possible with the player occupying their position in the first team. In any case, players must constantly be made aware that winning in junior football should not be an end in itself for them.

Players who joined from the U-17 team are playing an increasingly important role in the side. At first they were introduced very gradually, but over time Eryk Daczewski, Szymon Urbanik, Szymon Kawała, Maciej Szmydt, and Łukasz Staniów, among others, received more and more opportunities and took advantage of them.

I do not hide the fact that I am very pleased with working with them. They gradually became part of the team and made significant progress from week to week. Their increasing share of playing time is the result of hard work. They are adapting to the conditions of the higher age category ever more quickly. In the final rounds, we were essentially playing in a 50/50 proportion when considering the older players and those who had joined us from the U-17 team. This is extremely important from the Academy’s perspective. The most important thing is that they did not receive minutes simply because they were younger; they earned them through their attitude. It is a reward for them.

In the autumn round, you managed to defeat leaders Legia Warsaw and Lech Poznań. You also drew away to Escola, among others. From the coach’s perspective, which match was your best performance in the first part of the season?

I have to admit that it would be difficult for me to identify a single match that stood out from the entire autumn round. I think we had several games that gave us confidence. They were often different in terms of the level we displayed and other aspects. In general, I would divide our matches into two categories: those we played well from a footballing perspective and those that were extremely important from the standpoint of mental work.

We played very well against Pogoń Szczecin, but in terms of mentality and our determination to win, I would point to the match against Legia, where we left our mark. However, we did not always dominate or showcase our leading qualities. We were often able to fight fiercely and demonstrate our mental strength. It was certainly encouraging that, as time went on, we were able to make up for our footballing shortcomings through our mentality during difficult moments. This is the result of the experiences from last season, when we went through many difficult moments. Nevertheless, we were able to get back up the day after a defeat and work even harder. Many people had already written us off, but we were able to turn the entire season around. The experience we gained is now paying off, and we have developed a natural determination to fight until the end. I know that we will never give up, even when we feel that a match is not going our way.

Last season, the away win against Lech was precisely a milestone in securing your place at CLJ level.

Definitely, but let us remember one thing. The sporting result is supposed to be the outcome of all the qualities and actions we are discussing. If we achieve the desired result without the mental and footballing aspects, then that result will have no significance. It is certainly encouraging for the players when they win such matches against Legia and Lech. It boosts their morale and serves as a stimulus for further hard work.

Have you set a specific goal for the team for the spring round? Has the idea of fighting for medals crossed your mind?

It is still too early to talk about that, because decisions have not yet been made regarding squad changes and movements between the individual teams. This will be crucial. Our attitude will remain unchanged. Regardless of what changes are made, the team that takes the field will fight to move forward and, mentally, fight for victory. We do not want to set winning the CLJ as our goal, but we want to win every subsequent match. I will keep emphasizing that we want to bring players up to the first-team level. Our DNA will remain unchanged, and we will follow the same path.

The autumn round was also marked by an injury crisis. Maciej Jania and Adam Pieniądz, among others, are dealing with serious injuries. This was particularly noticeable toward the end of the round.

These were serious injuries that ruled the players out for a longer period. They were often mechanical injuries, such as Adam Pieniądz’s. We support them throughout the rehabilitation process, but the team must continue fighting to achieve its next goals on the pitch. We do not want to use the injury crisis as an excuse for setbacks. We have to accept it; it is part of sport. We have to take it into account. We accept the circumstances that everyday life brings us and look for ways to emerge from our problems safely. We do not keep reopening old wounds; we move forward.

Now that several weeks have passed, does the coach feel satisfied with what you showed in the autumn round and with your tally of 34 points? Or is there a sense that more could have been achieved?

There is no sense that more could have been achieved—simply humility and respect for the work carried out by the entire team. I know that at several moments we could have handled certain situations on the pitch differently, but that is also part of the development of the whole team and of us as a coaching staff. We view what happened very positively. The matches against Jagiellonia may be a source of some disappointment, but we draw conclusions from them and continue moving forward consistently.

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