The head coach of the Poland Women’s Volleyball National Team, Stefano Lavarini, has announced a wide list of players for the 2022 FIVB World Championship, making a surprising decision to omit Malwina Smarzek.
Polish players won’t have good memories of the first tournament at which they were commanded by Stefano Lavarini. Poland Women’s National Team recorded the worst result in the history of their performances in the Volleyball Nations League – they took 13th place.
The Italian expert has announced a wide list of players for the upcoming FIVB World Championship, which will be played in Poland and the Netherlands at the turn of September and October. The fans can be happy because Magdalena Stysiak, who was injured just before the start of the VNL, found herself on the 15-player list. Monika Gałkowska (ex-Bociek), who hasn’t been on the national team for some time, was also called up. The real surprise is that one of the world’s best opposite hitters, Malwina Smarzek, isn’t on the list. She gave up on playing VLN but was supposed to be ready for the World Champs. Lavarini, however, omitted the leader of Poland in recent years. Whether or not he holds a grudge against Smarzek for her explanation in regard to not playing VNL isn’t known. Lavarini didn’t want to go into detail about crossing her off but gave hint for his decision.
“I’d rather talk about those who are here. All I can say is that we watched all the players who were available, healthy, and motivated to play. I bet on such volleyball players. Of course, sometimes we change the team, like in the Nations League. Magda (Stysiak) worked with us from the beginning, and so did Gałkowska, whom you mentioned. Three weeks ago they got a schedule on what to do to be in the best shape possible. That’s why I prefer to talk about the heroines of this grouping,” Lavarini stated to Polsat Sport.
