“Communication is essential”

Matus Putnocky, Vernon De Marco, Volodymyr Kostevych and Darko Jevtic are some of the senior team players who have mastered Polish in order to communicate effortlessly. The Slovakian keeper has already known the language well enough before he joined Lech whilst the other mentioned footballers worked hard and spent long hours learning the language at the club and in their free time. Currently, Jan Trawinski, a translator and tutor at one of the local language schools, teaches other foreign players Polish language.

Among those still exploring the language are the Scandinavian footballers – Thomas Rogne and Christian Gytkjaer – as well as the recent transfers.

“The boys know that effective communication with their teammates is essential. They are very focused and committed during the language classes they attend even though Polish is so much different from their mother tongue. They’re very motivated and show eagerness to learn,” explained Jan Trawinski. “Of course, the players also learn outside of the classroom, in the dressing room, during training sessions and when interacting with teammates,” added the language teacher.

Lech’s midfielder Tiba on a recent pre-match press conference was asked a question whether communication on the pitch is problematic. “The player highlighted that football has a universal language and there are phrases which are common and understood by everyone, especially if repeated regularly,” explained the language teacher.

Christian Gytkjaer and Thomas Rogne have been learning Polish for nearly a year now. The beginnings were tough but with each lesson, it became easier for the two players. “At first, whenever I heard someone speak Polish, I didn’t understand a single word. To me, it was like they were speaking Chinese!” explained the Norwegian. His Danish teammate agreed. “It’s a very difficult language but we learn a lot during classes and whilst talking to other teammates.”

The two Scandinavian footballers emphasized the importance of learning Polish, especially now when the coach uses this language to communicate with the team. “Knowing Polish is even more important now than it was last season when Nenad Bjelica spoke to us in English. It’s essential we understand as much as possible,” explained Rogne. “I am able to say a couple of sentences and I understand basic phrases. It’s a bit more difficult when the conversation becomes more complex. However, I am continuously working on improving my Polish,” added the Norwegian player.