Fernando Santos’ future as Poland coach is unsure after poor begin to Euro 2024 qualifying

WARSAW, Poland — Fernando Santos’ place as Poland coach remained unsure Tuesday after he met with the president of the nation’s soccer federation following the crew’s poor begin to European Championship qualifying.

The 68-year-old Santos, who has solely been within the job since January after spending eight years as coach of his native Portugal, will maintain additional talks with Cezary Kulesza this week and no last choice has been taken on his future, federation spokesman and crew supervisor Jakub Kwiatkowski mentioned.

Poland, with star striker Robert Lewandowski, is fourth in its five-team European Championship qualifying group – behind Albania, the Czech Republic and Moldova – after dropping three of its 5 video games thus far. The outcomes and performances have prompted criticism from followers and nationwide media.

Santos parted methods with Portugal after final yr’s World Cup in Qatar. He is Poland‘s third foreign-born coach, after Leo Beenhakker and Paulo Sousa.

He was tasked with enhancing Poland’s underwhelming file at latest main tournaments, with the crew having solely superior from the group stage at one World Cup (2022) and one European Championship (2016) since 1986, however it may not even get to Euro 2024.

With three matches remaining in qualifying, Poland is 4 factors behind first-place Albania and two factors off the Czechs in second place. The high two qualify mechanically.

Santos was requested after the 2-0 loss to Albania on Sunday if he would resign, and he mentioned he wouldn’t as a result of “not everything is lost yet” for Poland in qualifying.

Poland‘s subsequent sport is towards last-place Faeroe Islands on Oct. 12.

Polish sports media have speculated that Santos could possibly be changed by a Pole, with Marek Papszun and Michal Probierz potential choices.

Raków Częstochowa turned Polish league champions for the primary time final season beneath Papszun and in addition gained the Polish Cup twice beneath him, in 2021 and ‘22.

Probierz coaches Poland‘s under-21 crew.