The new coach of the Polish national volleyball team surprised us with the first appointment of the players. Nikola Grbić did not find a place for the setter Fabian Drzyzga. 32-year-old Asseco Resovia Rzeszów player admitted in an interview with TVP Sport that the Serbian’s decision was a shock to him.
Before the Easter break, the coach of the Polish national volleyball team announced a list of 29 players to be considered for the upcoming games of the Nations League. Nikola Grbić did not find a place in the squad for some world champions, and his decision led to Piotr Nowakowski, Damian Wojtaszek and Dawid Konarski announcing the end of their representative careers. The biggest surprise was the absence of Fabian Drzyzga.
The setter of Asseco Resovia Rzeszów, who won the Volleyball World Championship twice with the white and red team, admitted he was very surprised by the lack of appointment.
“I told coach Grbić that this was a big disappointment for me. I won’t hide it. I’m not 40 years old and I don’t have any terrible injuries which do not allow me to play volleyball at the highest level. Yes, it was a shock to see how it was solved later. All experienced volleyball players were either in the squad. It can be concluded that the decision for me was not about the age or the rejuvenation of the staff,” Drzyzga said in a conversation with Sara Kalisz of TVP Sport.
Will Fabian Drzyzga still play on the team?
The 32-year-old volleyball player still wants to play for the Polish national team. However, Drzyzga admitted that as long as Nikola Grbić serves as a coach, the chances are slim:
“I will not follow in the footsteps of my friends who have finished their careers. I think I’m too young for that, especially considering my position. Will I be able to play with the coach in the future? In my opinion, the odds are slim,” Fabian Drzyzga said.
The Polish national volleyball team will start the new season with the Nations League. In 2022, the White and Reds will also defend the World Championship title, while the World Cup, which was originally scheduled to take place in Russia, will be held in Poland and Slovenia.