The world champion talked about the behind-the-scenes of the transfer to Skra. He was very hesitant
PGE GiEK Skra Bełchatów wants to get back on track after the worst season in PlusLiga. Organizational problems seriously affected the historic club. In the new season, fans can see Dawid Konarski among others in the squad. The former Polish representative talked about the background of joining Andrea Gardini’s team.
Skra Bełchatów fans want to forget about the previous season as soon as possible. The club, which had been collecting PlusLiga medals for years, at one point might have wondered whether it would go bankrupt. Significant problems within the team led, among other things, to the departure of the long-time president, Konrad Piechocki. The new authorities had to act in time to ensure that the club entered the next competition with the strongest possible squad.
The world champion was unsure of the situation in Skra Bełchatów
In the summer, a great personnel revolution took place in Bełchatów. The key figures who remained were mainly Grzegorz Łomacz (player of the Polish national team) and coach Andrea Gardini. Skra was looking for players on the transfer market, but unlike in previous years, it could no longer afford European or world-class players as before.
Dawid Konarski, among others, joined the club. The former Polish representative is the first player to play for all four national champions of the 21st century – Jastrzębski Węgiel, ZAKS Kędzierzyn-Koźle, Resovia Rzeszów, and now Skra. The two-time world champion said in an interview with Przegląd Sportowy Onet that the move to Bełchatów was accompanied by many question marks. Konarski also heard about the club’s problems, but now admits that he and his colleagues cannot complain about the playing conditions.
– I was one of the last players to sign the contract and I was assured that all issues were settled. But there were definitely a lot of question marks and I didn’t make a decision overnight. At the moment, everything is going very well, the club’s organization is at the highest level. We, as volleyball players, received everything to rebuild Skra Bełchatów from the sports side, because it is a well-deserved brand in Polish volleyball, said Konarski.
Dawid Konarski’s career
Dawid Konarski is the world champion in 2014 and 2018. In addition, he is a bronze medalist of the World Cup, European Championships and Nations League. In 2022, he announced the end of his career in the Polish national team.