Paulina Kawalec wants Poland's U17 women to show a distinctive identity at the World Cup in Morocco. In a FIFA interview first published on October 15, the coach set a group-stage progression objective before looking any further.
A path from playing to coaching
Kawalec represented Poland at youth and senior levels and began coaching courses while still a player. She describes ten years working with the Polish association, starting as a U15 assistant before leading younger national teams.
Her staff has spent the last two years with the U17s, reaching consecutive European championships and qualifying for the World Cup. Patience, humility and listening are among the professional lessons she identifies.
Those are reflections on an established journey rather than a new appointment announcement.
Preparation focuses on small improvements
Poland planned its preparation after qualification, playing Germany in August and testing itself against China after arriving in Morocco. Work with players' clubs supported the different training phases.
Kawalec says analysis of the European campaign led to targeted adjustments rather than a complete replacement of the system. Competitiveness, tenacity and discipline define the approach she wants.
She considers the opener against Nigeria particularly important and identifies direct play, long balls and physical strength as challenges. Those observations support preparation without establishing a match result.
Reaching the knockout stage remains an objective, with each additional game offering further development. Kawalec frames the event as another stage in developing her players, with objectives that depend on performances rather than expectations alone.