Men's Football UEFA European Championship 2024

[Roamingrover86 856]

Havertz is not a striker , he can play off the striker but he can’t do what  Fullkrug can do i.e play like a striker (A no9 ) 

 

[Monzanator 4,498]

It's been confirmed that Wojciech Szczęsny won't play in the last group match vs France and the previous rumours about him retiring from NT after Euro have gained more momentum. Apparently our HC didn't convince him to change his mind and one of the Nations League matches in September (vs Scotland or Croatia) will be his farewell appearance.

[copravolley 253]

12 minutes ago, Monzanator said:

It's been confirmed that Wojciech Szczęsny won't play in the last group match vs France and the previous rumours about him retiring from NT after Euro have gained more momentum. Apparently our HC didn't convince him to change his mind and one of the Nations League matches in September (vs Scotland or Croatia) will be his farewell appearance.

A bit strange, because he isn`t to old for a goalkeeper (34 year) and could play for a few more years. Lewandowski should end his career sooner.

[heywoodu 15,135]

15 minutes ago, copravolley said:

A bit strange, because he isn`t to old for a goalkeeper (34 year) and could play for a few more years. Lewandowski should end his career sooner.

Not strange at all, he may simply not want it anymore  

 

It's not always a matter of not being able to.

[copravolley 253]

12 minutes ago, heywoodu said:

Not strange at all, he may simply not want it anymore  

 

It's not always a matter of not being able to.

I think that Lewandowski has always been the face of Polish football and during every major football event, a lot of advertisements with his participation are broadcast, so I suspect that he will prolong his career, just like C. Ronaldo. Szczesny has always been in the shadow - also due to his position on the pitch, so he can actually leave whenever he wants and there will be no pressure from sponsors/advertising companies, etc. Perhaps that's even better? I`m not a supporter of forcing careers just because of sponsorship obligations.

[Monzanator 4,498]

1 hour ago, copravolley said:

A bit strange, because he isn`t to old for a goalkeeper (34 year) and could play for a few more years. Lewandowski should end his career sooner.

 

It was speculated that Lewandowski would end his NT career if we didn't qualify for the Euros but now the notion is he will continue for two more years since the next World Cup is in USA and there is a thought he could leave for MLS after Barcelona lets him go. Obviously it's anyone's guess if anyone in MLS would take him when he would be 38yo? But it's to be expected he will resign from NT if we don't qualify for the next World Cup anyway.

 

Also the news is Kamil Grosicki will resign from NT after the France match. The Austria subs were widely panned in our media (especially Probierz sending Grosicki on before Urbański).

[copravolley 253]

7 minutes ago, Monzanator said:

 

It was speculated that Lewandowski would end his NT career if we didn't qualify for the Euros but now the notion is he will continue for two more years since the next World Cup is in USA and there is a thought he could leave for MLS after Barcelona lets him go. Obviously it's anyone's guess if anyone in MLS would take him when he would be 38yo? But it's to be expected he will resign from NT if we don't qualify for the next World Cup anyway.

 

Also the news is Kamil Grosicki will resign from NT after the France match. The Austria subs were widely panned in our media (especially Probierz sending Grosicki on before Urbański).

In my opinion Lewandowski had his peak in 2016-2021. Back then he was the leader of the Polish team, although it was not always 100% visible at biggest events. However, thanks to his goals, Poland regularly qualified for big events, which is not always obvious, e.g. the example of Italy. From 2022 Szczesny is the leader of the team and this was see at the 2022 World Championships and qualifying rounds for the current European Championships. So his goodbye from the national team will be quite a symbolic end to an era that will come to an end after Lewandowski's final resignation in 2? years.

[Roamingrover86 856]

Tbf Poland always had decent goalkeepers even before Szczesny. Both Boruc & Fabianski competed with him. Before them it was Dudek. 
It depends on the position also, Lewandowski is a generational talent & carried Poland to major tournaments with his goals. I feel once Lewandowski eventually retires it will leave a big vaccum for the Polish football system, Szczesny will not have that same effect. 

[copravolley 253]

Boruc, however, was not at that level - the best club that he played was Celtic Glasgow. Dudek played for Liverpool some of seasons and had his great time - the Champions League final in 2005 but he wasn`t able to play at such a high level for as long a period of time as Szczesny. In Poland acutally is better stadium and training infrastructure compared to 20 years ago, when Lewandowski and Szczesny started their careers. Poland's problem, I think, is a weak league and a large number of weak foreign players playing in it. At the moment, the only chance for a Polish player to have a great career is to go to Western Europe as soon as possible.

Edited June 24 by copravolley

[heywoodu 15,135]

1 hour ago, copravolley said:

I think that Lewandowski has always been the face of Polish football and during every major football event, a lot of advertisements with his participation are broadcast, so I suspect that he will prolong his career, just like C. Ronaldo. Szczesny has always been in the shadow - also due to his position on the pitch, so he can actually leave whenever he wants and there will be no pressure from sponsors/advertising companies, etc. Perhaps that's even better? I`m not a supporter of forcing careers just because of sponsorship obligations.

Pretty sure Lewandowski has earned plenty enough money to stop whenever he wants as well, as long as he doesn't need to break a contract  

Edited June 24 by heywoodu