Lewandowski is an inspiration to whole Poland squad – Michniewicz

Poland head coach Czeslaw Michniewicz says having a world class striker like Rober Lewandowski gives him confidence going into the FIFA World Cup in Qatar this month.

Michniewicz was appointed as Poland head coach on 31 January, giving him very little time to prepare himself and his team for their crucial play-off against Sweden.

The 52-year-old former goalkeeper withstood his baptism of fire to lead the Poles to a 2-0 victory against Sweden and book their place at the FIFA World Cup.

Lewandoski of course also played a role in helping Poland qualify for the tournament and Michniewicz is happy with the role played by the FC Barcelona striker especially on his role model role for the Polish youngsters.

“Robert is a fantastic player and someone that every team in the world would want in their line-up. Although he’s a striker, he does much more for our team than just score goals. He’s a true captain not just on the pitch but also off it. He’s a role model, particularly for young players,” said Michniewicz.

“At national-team training camps, I often see him talking to the young players and giving them advice. Our co-operation is going very well. We talk a lot about what could be done better when it comes to the team. Robert really wanted to go to this World Cup, and it was evident that he did everything he could to make that happen. That attitude filtered down through the entire team. Robert is an excellent ambassador for Polish football,” he added.

With the World Cup getting under way in Qatar in just a matter of days, Michniewicz is looking forward to leading a country for the first time in the global showpiece.

“I’m definitely looking forward to it. It will be my first time as a coach at a tournament like this, so the excitement is huge. It will certainly be a unique tournament and a beautiful one too, I hope. I’m convinced the conditions in Qatar will be very good and that we won’t lack for anything. I’ve already seen our base and there’s nothing to complain about.”

Poland are in Group C at the FIFA World Cup with Argentina, Saudi Arabia and Mexico.

They begin their group campaign with a clash against Mexico on Tuesday, November 22.