A city with 12,000 inhabitants in the top league. “Someone pinch me”

The coach of Puszcza Niepołomice, Tomasz Tułacz, confirmed in an interview with us that he will continue to work with the “Żubr” team. – I hope that we will play in the Ekstraklasa in Niepołomice – he emphasized after winning relegation. A city with 12,000 inhabitants still has the top league!

Coach Tomasz Tułacz led Puszcza Niepołomice  to stay in the PKO Ekstraklasa . Before the season, the vast majority of experts predicted that the newcomer from Niepołomice would be relegated due to a modest budget and lack of experience in the football elite. Despite this, “Żubry” – after a 1-0 victory over Piast Gliwice – ultimately took 12th place in the league, ahead of the more seasoned teams in the top league.

After the match against Piast, Puszcza’s team moved to Niepołomice to celebrate this success with a crowd of fans. In a conversation with us, coach Tułacz announced that Puszcza would use the ball more often and play more offensively in the next season. – I would like us to develop as a team – he emphasizes.

Justyna Krupa, WP SportoweFakty: Are you more happy about maintaining this than last year’s promotion to the Ekstraklasa?

Tomasz Tułacz, coach of Puszcza Niepołomice : This is a bigger success. Even though I take it more calmly. Only after some time has passed will we fully understand what we have done. We opposed the tycoons of Polish football, it must be said. And as a result, we stayed in the Ekstraklasa. Now the “headache” is to function in such a way as to extend this stay in the Ekstraklasa from year to year.

With the victory over Piast, you not only secured your survival, but also an additional financial injection, ending the season in 12th place.

This is great satisfaction for the players, for people working in the club, for the management board and for us, the staff. Do you remember what the negotiations were before the start of the games, how the Forest was approached. I’m glad that we showed that this little guy, not necessarily rich, can do it. Of course: in your own way, with your own idea. Life showed that this idea would be the most effective. Huge congratulations to the boys, because thanks to them we are all where we are: 12th place in this league. Someone pinch me!

Although we had a difficult start. Initially, we wanted to play the way we finished the first league, i.e. with a 4-4-1-1 system. This is how we took the field in the first and second matches in the Ekstraklasa. However, the league quickly verified us. Then came pragmatism, but also complaints about our desire to score points at all costs. We had to make some decisions and we did. The first away victory against Warta gave us a lot. The guys believed it was possible. Although we also experienced difficult moments in the spring round, when we lost points at the end. Generally speaking, hats off to the players. We know what we need to do to do it again. I’m not going on any vacation. This is my decision. The family will suffer a bit, but we are focusing on working with the staff. We will prepare everything together with the presidents.

What has Ekstraklasa taught you?

Certainly, you have to believe in yourself. On paper it may look unconvincing, but our players rose to the challenge. We also gave them great support. I’m also talking about the entire community, the fans. I also want to thank my staff for their great work. And also to the fans, because they showed that they are in this Ekstraklasa, without a doubt. However, compared to last year, I am a different coach today. I don’t want to glorify myself at all, but a lot of things have changed. I think we will benefit from this experience, both the players and me.

The coach once mentioned that he would like Puszcza to play a bit more offensively next season so that the players would enjoy the game more. The most important thing, however, is that you can officially confirm that you will continue to run Puszcza, because the rumors were different on this topic?

Football at this level is accompanied by various speculations. Just look at how many programs there have been lately about our football. However, I am a person with certain principles that I apply in life. I have a valid contract, we are at the Ekstraklasa level. There is nothing to talk about. I am only focused on Puszcza playing better and better, the players developing, and the fans and everyone around them having great satisfaction from the fact that we are among the football elite.

Could there really be some modification of Puszcza’s style in the next season? Regardless of these taunts or outside opinions: do you want to add some new elements to the current way of playing “Bisons”?

We would definitely like to have more possession of the ball and use it more. The work the players did without the ball is – so to speak – the Champions League. Huge determination, work, dedication. However, I would like us to develop as a team. It’s not about keeping the ball for the sake of keeping the ball, but to create chances. We will certainly also need talks regarding the club’s finances, we will see what we can afford. And then we will also see in which direction we are going.

Will it be a lot of fun: moving to Niepołomice with the Ekstraklasa for the second part of the next season? That’s what it was all about from the very beginning, to play at our own stadium.

This is my coaching dream. So that people don’t have to go anywhere, just walk the hundred or three hundred meters from home to the stadium and watch their club’s top league match. This would be a coaching fulfillment for me in terms of all my work in Niepołomice. I really hope that we will play in Niepołomice, at our stadium, in front of our fans.

Comments are closed.