Polish top-flight newcomers Wieczysta Krakow have appointed Croatian manager Zeljko Kopic to replace Kazimierz Moskal after just five matches of the Ekstraklasa season.
Kopic, the former manager of Dynamo Zagreb, Hajduk Split, Botev Plovdiv, and Dinamo Bucharest, will take charge on Wednesday after signing a contract valid until the end of the season. According to Polish sports outlet Meczyki, the agreement includes an automatic extension clause if Wieczysta maintain their top-flight status.
The decision marks the first managerial change of the Ekstraklasa campaign. Moskal was dismissed with Wieczysta sitting second from bottom in the table on three points, having recorded one win, three losses, and one postponed fixture across four played matches.
Criticism of managerial turnover
The swift dismissal by owner Wojciech Kwiecien has drawn widespread criticism from Polish football commentators. Writing in a newspaper column, analyst Michal Trela stated that Kwiecien was turning into a caricature of former Wisla Krakow owner Boguslaw Cupial by seeking his tenth head coach in five years despite continuous lower-league success.
Trela noted that Moskal had been removed after just four Ekstraklasa fixtures, adding that it was surprising the owner had waited so long given his impatient track record.
Wieczysta considered several alternative candidates before settling on Kopic, including Goncalo Feio, John Carver, and Valerien Ismael. Meczyki reported that negotiations between Kopic and the club were complex and experienced several turns before an agreement was finalized.
Krakow derby test awaits
Kopic assumes control of a team with a history of brief managerial tenures. Since Kwiecien began investing in Wieczysta, only two managers have remained in the post for longer than twelve months: former Poland national team coach Franciszek Smuda and former international winger Slawomir Peszko.
By contrast, the shortest stint belonged to Gino Lettieri, who was relieved of his duties after less than a month and just three matches in charge.
Wieczysta are competing in the Ekstraklasa for the first time following a rapid rise through the Polish football pyramid. The Krakow club was founded in 1942 and historically played in regional lower leagues before receiving major private investment.
The new head coach faces an immediate high-stakes fixture in the city. Following a derby loss to Cracovia, Wieczysta return to action on Saturday, August 29 at 17:30 when they host seventh-placed rivals Wisla Krakow in the sixth round of the Ekstraklasa season.
