When Rakow Częstochowa hosts Rapid Vienna on Thursday evening, important points in the Conference League table will be at stake. However, head coach Marek Papszun is causing a stir. The 51-year-old wants to move to Legia Warsaw and is making no secret of it.
Marek Papszun’s achievements in his coaching career to date are impressive. There is the dazzling championship title with Rakow Częstochowa in 2023, two cup victories in 2021 and 2022, the national Super Cup victories in 2022 and 2023, and the march from the third to the first Polish league. The rise of the former teacher, whom club owner Michal Swierczewski once found on the internet, went hand in hand with the development of Rakow, which was still in the third division in 2016 and has now been represented internationally for several years.
What sounds like a romantic and beautiful success story is now likely to come to an abrupt end. The paths are set to part ways, permanently – at least if the coach himself has his way. Papszun, who took a year’s break in 2023 and returned to the Rakow coaching seat exactly one year later, wants to leave. And the 51-year-old knows exactly where he wants to go. Legia Warsaw, currently only twelfth in the Ekstraklasa, would like to sign him, and Papszun himself would have no objection to moving to his hometown, as he surprisingly candidly admitted on Wednesday.
“Legia Warsaw wants to hire me as coach, and I want to become Legia’s coach. I hope we can reach an agreement, and if that happens, I won’t have to comment any further,” said Papszun—during a press conference that was actually supposed to be about the Conference League match between Rakow and Rapid Vienna.
Since then, the Polish soccer world has been in an uproar, and in Częstochowa, the former championship coach seems to have already fallen out of favor with some fans. A larger-than-life mural on a building wall was defaced during the night, with unknown individuals spraying the words “I could have been a legend” over the coach’s name. Social media is already full of montages that swap the colors of the mural from red and black to white and green—the colors of Legia. There are alternating calls for his immediate dismissal, dishonorable release for a transfer, or even demotion within the club.
The media and commentators accuse the coach, who in the past stood for clear rules of conduct and strict team management, of breaking his word, lacking credibility, or even betrayal.
Papszun and Legia had already reached an agreement once before
The matter is also emotional because Papszun and Legia have a history. Back in 2021, the wealthy capital club wanted to sign the up-and-coming coach. And even then, Papszun had made his intentions clear, albeit in a much more defensive manner. An agreement was even reached, and Rakow’s management would have been willing to let him go. However, internal upheavals at Legia led to the arrival of a new sporting director, who quickly and publicly scuppered the deal. Papszun stayed at Rakow. And later became champion. It seems unlikely that history will repeat itself – but it also seems unlikely that Papszun will actually move.
Because while the fans are furious – “embarrassing” and “unprofessional” are still the nicer comments the coach is getting under the YouTube recording of the press conference – Rakow officials are keeping a low profile. There is no official statement on the club’s website, and officials are not participating in the media storm. Speculation is growing – is this about securing the best possible negotiating position, will there be a big bang and a parting of ways before kick-off, or are they simply sitting out the problem?
It is likely that Papszun will “have to” stand on the sidelines at least once more as Rakow coach on Thursday evening. After all, he is likely to have kept the evening free anyway. Legia Warsaw is also playing in the Conference League on Thursday.
