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Michał Probierz has been named the new head coach of Poland’s national football team, according to an announcement made by Cezary Kulesza on Twitter. This move comes after Fernando Santos’s departure, and it confirms the speculations that Probierz was a top contender for the role even before Santos’s dismissal. Probierz, who previously coached the U21 national team, will now take charge of the senior squad.
Before transitioning into coaching, Probierz had a career as a professional footballer, playing for several top-tier clubs in Poland, including Ruch Chorzów, Górnik Zabrze, Widzew Łódź, and Pogoń Szczecin. Unfortunately, his playing career was cut short by a knee injury, which led to his retirement in 2005.
Following his retirement, Probierz quickly shifted his focus to coaching and had the opportunity to lead teams at the highest levels of Polish football. He worked with clubs such as Widzew Łódź, Polonia Bytom, ŁKS Łódź, and Wisła Kraków. However, his most significant achievements came during his two stints with Jagiellonia Białystok, where he secured a runner-up position in the Polish top-flight (2016/17 season) and won the Polish Cup (2009/2010) and Super Cup (2010). Notably, it was during his time at Jagiellonia that he crossed paths with Cezary Kulesza, who was the club’s president at the time. After leaving Białystok, Probierz took charge of Cracovia, winning the Polish Cup (2019/2020) and the Polish Super Cup (2020) before being let go in 2021 due to poor results.
✅ OFICJALNIE
— Łączy nas piłka (@LaczyNasPilka) September 20, 2023
Michał Probierz nowym selekcjonerem reprezentacji Polski! 🇵🇱
Konferencja LIVE o 12:00 na naszym kanale YouTube. https://t.co/Wy7TMHJv0I pic.twitter.com/MKSBv6EgaC
Starting in July 2022, Probierz began working with Poland’s U21 national team, where he managed the squad through 10 matches, securing five wins, three draws, and two losses. However, after just two World Cup qualifying matches against Kosovo and Estonia, he was selected by the Polish Football Association (PZPN) to lead the senior national team, succeeding Fernando Santos.
The news of Probierz’s appointment as the new head coach was officially confirmed by Cezary Kulesza, the president of PZPN, through a statement on Portal X. Kulesza expressed confidence in Probierz’s abilities, stating, “Michał Probierz has been appointed as the head coach of Poland’s national team. It’s the best choice we could have made. We wish the new coach the best of luck in his new role.”