'I'm a Pole' - Poland appoint Fernando Santos as coach

2023-01-25 12:13

'I'm a Pole' - Poland appoint Fernando Santos as coach


Fernando Santos has been hired as Poland coach more than a month after Czesław Michniewicz left.


As confirmed by the Polish Football Association (PZPN), Santos' term will end in 2026 and his primary goal is to secure Poland's qualification for Euro 2024.


Coaching Poland this time is the third time that Santos has been in charge of the national team after Greece (2010-2014) and Portugal (2014-2022). He once led Portugal to win the European Cup in 2016 and the UEFA Europa League in the 2018/19 season. He is known as one of the most successful and best-performing head coaches in the history of Selecção das Quinas.


"I am a Polish"

Coaching an unfamiliar team at the age of 68 is undoubtedly a new challenge for Santos, but the coach himself is eager to try it. "Poland has many good players and is one of the top teams in the world. We are honored to continue our career in such a great country," Santos said.


"From today, I am a Pole, and I am one of you. I will do my best to bring joy to the Poles. A lot of work will be necessary for this, but we are ready."


“I will be settling in Warsaw to get to know the country, the culture and the mentality of the Poles. It is very important for me to meet people.”


"As soon as we feel at home, we will get to work. We need to create the conditions and develop the habit of working together. I promise I will work with ambition and confidence. Happiness doesn't just happen, you have to earn it. I believe we will achieve the goals of the national team and all Poles."


"Leave a Legacy"

PZPN president Cezary Kulesza believes that Santos' immediate priority is to qualify for Euro 2024 and then qualify for the 2026 World Cup. However, Santos still has big ambitions in his heart: "I want to win everything, and my ambition is always the same. I didn't come to Poland to fail. To do this, we must fully understand our opponents."


"The FA presented me with a new project and it was very important for me to do in Poland what I did in the past. I wanted to leave a legacy in Poland, to leave something for the future. The world of football is changing, Some people come, some people go, but you have to leave your mark. One of the tasks is to help build the future."


"I want to go to the stadium, watch the players play, meet the coach. I hope we can lay the foundation for a better future together and find more young players."