"Be ready"

"Progress" is a word that has been used very frequently throughout the season 2019/20 when referring to Filip Szymczak. It’s no surprise since the 18-year-old has been impressively hard working. The effort Szymczak has been putting in, day in day out, helped him take big steps in senior football. In addition, in the past campaign, the youngster was among the best Polish goal scorers on the central football tier. “The start was tough but it got easier as I went along. I felt that I was starting to play better and better, and then goals and assists started coming in,” said Lech’s homegrown player.

The top goal scorer of the reserves (12 goals in 25 games) gradually started gaining confidence as he spent time on the pitch. “I was back after a long break caused by a knee injury, hence the tough start of the season. In addition, it was my first season playing at such a high tier. When you’re out for some time, you tend to lose self-confidence, therefore you must work harder to rebuild that self-trust. Regular appearances gave me the confidence that I needed to feel ready for new challenges. I don't like to talk about myself much, I’d rather let my performances speak for themselves,” added the striker.

The past few months have been an intense period for the youngster. He debuted in the senior team, extended his contract, helped Lech’s reserves avoid relegation… And yet Szymczak is already concentrating on other objectives. “Pre-season is crucial. To be honest, I don’t pay attention to what ‘number’ I am. The only thing I focus on is to be ready whenever the opportunity comes along and the coach wants me in. I want to play as much as possible and improve my statistics in Ekstraklasa and Polish Cup,” highlighted Szymczak.