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Poland boss to stay despite Euro 2024 flop: football chief

25.06.2024 11:00
Poland boss Michał Probierz will keep his job even though his players failed to make it past the group stage of the Euro 2024 tournament, the country’s football chief has said.
Michał Probierz
Michał ProbierzPAP/Leszek Szymański

Poland crashed out of the European championships after losing its first two group-stage matches.

The Polish team was beaten 1-2 by the Netherlands in its opening Euro 2024 fixture on June 16 and lost 1-3 to Austria in its second Group D game last Friday.

On Friday night, group rivals France and the Netherlands played out a goalless draw, extinguishing Poland's last hope of achieving Euro 2024 glory. The Poles had needed a win by the Dutch over France to prolong its chances of staying in the tournament.

After two rounds of matches, France and the Netherlands are level on four points at the top of the group standings, with Austria on three, while Poland have no points and cannot advance to the knockout stages of the tournament.

Cezary Kulesza, head of the Polish Football Association (PZPN), told reporters on Tuesday that he would not fire Probierz even though the national squad's early exit from the tournament left many fans heartbroken.

Prezes PZPN Cezary Kulesza i selekcjoner Michał Probierz Cezary Kulesza and Michał Probierz. Photo: PAP/Leszek Szymański

"We have full confidence in the head coach and are happy with his work, which is why we made this decision," Kulesza said in Dortmund, western Germany, where the Poles were set to play their final group game against France on Tuesday evening.

Kulesza added: "As a fan, I expect the team to win its matches. The Nations League is ahead of us, as well as the World Cup draw in December."

Probierz was named the manager of the Polish team in September last year to replace Portugal's Fernando Santos.

The Euro 2024 tournament, held by the European football governing body UEFA, opened on June 14 and runs until July 14 in 10 cities in Germany.

Probierz said ahead of the tournament that his team was aiming to advance to the knockout stages of Euro 2024 and would "do everything to make that happen."

Poland failed to get past the group stage at the postponed Euro 2020 tournament, where they suffered a defeat to Slovakia before drawing with Spain and losing the decisive game against Sweden.

The Polish team made it through to the quarterfinals of the Euro 2016 championships in France, losing to Portugal on penalties.

Poland reached the last 16 of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar before being eliminated by eventual runners-up France.

(gs)

Source: TVP Info, IAR, PAP