“I am disappointed because we were unlucky,” said Polish volleyball coach Nikola Grbic after the defeat to France in the final of the Paris Olympic Games. He also drew attention to the number of injuries in the team and the need for changes to the rules of the Olympic tournament.
The Polish team won the silver medal, but it was difficult to build on it immediately after the final, which they lost 0-3 to the host team.
I know it’s a great achievement, but right now I’m disappointed because we had the misfortune to suffer so many injuries at the most important moments. That’s no excuse, because we still beat the USA. To repeat that feat against the Americans twice in a row, at that level and in that tournament, is practically impossible.
– said the Polish coach.
The world ranking leaders were the unluckiest team at the Paris tournament. Tomasz Fornal twisted his ankle in the first group match but managed to return in full force for the knockout stage. In the quarter-finals, Mateusz Bieniek suffered an injury that ruled him out of the game completely, and in the semi-finals, Paweł Zatorski and Marcin Janusz were injured.
Given the situation we were in and how we managed to get out of it, I have to be proud of the boys because we had the chance to fight for the gold. What we did in the semi-final is practically impossible. To compete against such a competitive opponent as the USA, when you have a team with three injured players… We have to be proud of ourselves.
— Grbic summed up the tournament.
It’s hard for me to be happy right now, but in a few days I’ll understand what we’ve achieved.
– he added.
For the Polish volleyball team, silver is an even greater achievement because they have waited 48 years for a medal. In 1976 in Montreal, coach Hubert Jerzy Wagner’s players won gold. However, in the last five editions of the Olympic tournament, the Polish team has been eliminated in the quarterfinals.
If someone had asked us before the tournament if we wanted a silver medal, we would have happily accepted it, but when we reached the final we knew we were in for a disappointment. However, I know how important the discus coach will be and how important it will be for future generations. I hope we don’t have to wait 48 years to win another Olympic medal.
– said the Serb.
The coach added that at the highest level the absence of a player makes a difference, just as when an important player does not play at the highest level. This was the case with quarterback Janusz.
His performance was a big question mark. The day before the final, he went with doctors to a center two hours from Paris to get injections. He took painkillers to play. However, it was clear on the field that he had a problem. I hope that after the tournament he will recover and be able to play normally for the club and that this will not cause him any chronic illness.
said Grbic.
Under his leadership, the Polish national team won its sixth medal in the international competition. Since 2022, when he took over as the first coach, Poland has not left the podium. It started as world runner-up two years ago and a year later won the European championship.
I would be very happy if we won gold after every silver medal. However, it is very important for me to be on the podium in every tournament we compete in. It means that we maintain our high level. Unfortunately we did not win the silver medal, but in the end I think everyone can be satisfied with how we finished the competition.
– concluded the coach.
A call to change the rules of the Olympic Games
However, speaking to reporters after the final, he strongly called for changes to the rules of the Olympic Games. In previous editions, each team was only allowed to name a squad of 12 people for the games, rather than 14 as in the case of other international tournaments. This year, the squad was expanded to 13 players, but one of them was a reserve only in case of injury to one of the other players.
In the case of Poland, the substitute was striker Bartłomiej Bołądź, who replaced central defender Bieniek. The Polish team had only two midfielders in the semi-final and final. Libero Zatorski, however, had no substitute.
I hope there will be a change in the regulations regarding the number of players. However, we need to address this issue now and not wait until 2028 to start fighting for it. Without two extra players, when you have health issues it becomes difficult.
– Grbic admitted.
I hope they expand the roster to 14 players. They are introducing so many changes, new sports that I have never heard of, and we are one of the creators of the current look of the Olympic tournament. Our world federation has the most national federations and we still only have a 12-man team. That is incredible to me.
– he added.
The next Olympic Games will be held in Los Angeles in 2028.
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evil/PAP
