Asseco Resovia Rzeszów head coach Gheorghe Cretu has publicly backed 32-year-old opposite Łukasz Kaczmarek to reclaim his elite form after a prolonged dip, pointing to a fresh club environment as the key to his resurgence, sport.interia.pl reported. Kaczmarek enters the new club campaign following two challenging seasons in which his output dropped significantly from the stellar performances that powered Poland to the 2023 European Championship and Volleyball Nations League titles under national team coach Nikola Grbić.
Gheorghe Cretu Forecasts Łukasz Kaczmarek Resurgence
Cretu expressed absolute confidence when asked whether the veteran opposite could scale the heights of international volleyball once again. “In my opinion, it’s only a matter of time,” Cretu told TAURON Liga. The Romanian manager emphasized that Kaczmarek’s current struggles stem from external pressures and changing life circumstances rather than a permanent loss of capability.
“I think he needs a solution tailored to the situation he finds himself in now,” Cretu stated to TAURON Liga. “A few years ago, he was younger and had different goals. Now, for two or three years, his situation looks completely different. Maybe in the meantime, he didn’t meet the right people and somewhat forgot what it’s like to focus on his own path rather than looking at what’s happening around him and what others are saying.”
National Team Depth Versus Club Realities
The coaching transition to club volleyball places Kaczmarek in a markedly different ecosystem than the Polish national team. Cretu contrasted the unrelenting depth of the Polish squad under Nikola Grbić with the day-to-day contractual obligations of club sports. According to TAURON Liga, the Resovii coach noted that if a national team player requests a break, the system absorbs the absence immediately without desperate persuasion because ten other capable players stand ready to step in.
By contrast, club environments require a stable, contractually bound partnership between players and coaching staff. Kaczmarek steps into Rzeszów alongside fellow national team veterans, including Artur Szalpuk and setter Marcin Janusz. Cretu highlighted the presence of Janusz—with whom Kaczmarek has shared significant court time in the past—as a vital asset in helping the opposite hitter recover his rhythm and emotional well-being on the floor.
Rebuilding Emotional Joy on the Court
Cretu recalled that Kaczmarek was once a player whose trademark was a constant, radiant smile during matches.
“Right now, it takes a bit of time for Łukasz to regain the right feel and positive emotions,” Cretu told TAURON Liga. “I remember very well that a smile used to practically never leave his face. I would like to see that guy again, who derives huge joy from playing.”
Gheorghe Cretu Becomes Sixth Coach in Five Seasons
Starting from the 2020/2021 season, Klemen Čebulj and Michał Potera have seen five successive managers in Rzeszów under Alberto Giuliani, Marcelo Mendez, Giampaolo Medei, Tuomas Sammelvuo, and Massimo Botti, making Gheorghe Cretu their sixth coach in that span. Cretu previously worked in Rzeszów during the 2018/2019 season after joining the team mid-campaign. Meanwhile, newly crowned European champion Mateusz Nykiel joins Asseco Resovia Rzeszów’s coaching staff as an assistant coach, bringing prior experience alongside clubs in Jastrzębie-Zdrój, Olsztyn, Bełchatów, and Istanbul, as well as national teams including Canada, Australia, Slovenia, and Poland U23.
Asseco Resovia Rzeszów Season Opener
Asseco Resovia Rzeszów will officially launch its PlusLiga campaign on Saturday, October 17, traveling to face Steam Hemarpol Politechnika Częstochowa, sport.interia.pl reported. The opening whistle is scheduled for 3:00 PM local time (UTC+2), with live television coverage provided via Polsat Sport 1.
