Poland coach Paulo Sousa asked to end his contract by mutual consent after getting an offer from Brazilian top-flight club Flamengo but Polish football association president Cezary Kulesza has rejected the request.
Portuguese media reported that Sousa was due to start working in Rio de Janeiro in January, although his contract with Poland ends in March. Sousa's agent told Polish press agency PAP on Monday that Sousa had not yet signed a contract with Flamengo. "This is extremely irresponsible behavior, inconsistent with the coach's earlier declarations. Therefore, I firmly refused," Kulesza said in a statement on Twitter.
Sousa has been appointed Poland's coach in January, 2021, by the then FA chairman Zbigniew Boniek. He became the 48th manager of the Polish team, but the first Portuguese one.
Although his predecessor Jerzy Brzęczek had led the team to win the first place in a Euro 2020 qualification group, it was Sousa who took over the team before the tournament. Despite hopes that the Portuguese coach would make the team play more effectively and with better style, Poland only managed to secure one draw in three games.
Sousa led Poland to finish second in a World Cup 2022 qualifying group, behind England. Now the team will face Russia in a qualifying play-off in March.
Under Sousa, Poland has played 15 games so far, winning 6 of them, drawing 5, and losing 4 times.
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, Reuters
Źródło zdjęcia głównego: eurosport