New stars and coach refuel new hope for Oilers

It is a clear trend in this season of the VELUX EHF Champions League to sign new coaches, who are also responsible for national teams. In most of the cases the NT job was first, then the club was added.

Orlen Wisła Płock are an exception as they had signed Spanish coach Manolo Cadenas as an successor for Danish Lars Walther (after missing the quarter-finals of the EHF Cup in April 2013), before Cadenas was also appointed as new Spanish national team coach as successor of legendary Valero Rivera.

And in contrast to other Spanish coaches, who made it to Hungary for example, Cadenas was not accompanied by a huge number of Spanish players.

Cadenas and the club preferred to sign top Polish players – including one arriving from Spain: Mariusz Jurkiewicz, who played for Atletico Madrid before.

But the biggest name among the newcomers is the current VELUX EHF Champions League champion Marcin Lijewski, who returned to home-country after nearly a decade in Germany, where his last club was HSV Hamburg.

And also thanks to those experienced newcomers, “the Oilers” managed to end their one year absence from the VELUX EHF Champions League.

After they were beaten by Vive Targi Kielce in the Polish league finals, they had a high hurdle ahead in their Champions League qualification Wild Card play-offs, but managed to stand strong against French record champions MAHB Montpelier, who are are going to miss the Group Phase for the first time since 2000.

And after this successful start Orlen Wisła Płock including the new manager Piotr Robert Raczkowski are aiming for the biggest international success in club history, as the goal is set for “Champions League quarter-finals”.

In the 2011/12 they were part of the Last 16, but as expected they failed against THW Kiel that time.

And the three times Champions League winners are one of their opponents in the Group Phase now.

But the biggest match for Płock will be the re-match of the Polish league finals with their arch rivals from Kielce. Additional opponents in group B are Dunkerque, Kolding København and debutants from Porto.

Three questions to coach Manolo Cadenas:

What are your expectations for the upcoming season of the VELUX EHF Champions League -  concerning your objectives and your group opponents?

Manolo Cadenas: Our first goal is to be a tough opponent for every team and we hope to reach at least the fourth place of our group to proceed to the Last 16.

What does the participation in the VELUX EHF Champions League mean to you and your club?

Manoel Cadenas: It is important to be part of the Champions League for our club, our city and our fans. We want to see the best European teams in the Orlen Arena.

What teams are your personal favourites to reach the VELUX EHF FINAL4 and for winning the title this season – and why?

Manolo Cadenas: As usual THW Kiel, HSV Hamburg, FC Barcelona, Vive Targi Kielce.

Orlen Wisła Płock (POL)

Coach: Manolo Cadenas (since 2013, forerunner Lars Walther)

Newcomers: Marcin Lijewski,  Mariusz Jurkiewicz, Zbigniew Kwiatkowski, Mateusz Góralski , Mateusz Piechowski , Adam Morawski Ivan Milas
Left the club: Michał Kubisztal, Piotr Chrapkowski, Christian Spanne, Adam Twardo , Michał Zołoteńko

Qualification for the VELUX EHF Champions League 2013/14 season: Winners of the wild card matches against MAHB Montpellier (FRA); Polish runners-up

VELUX EHF Champions League records:
Participations (including 2013/14 season): 9
Last 16 (2): 1995/96, 2011/12
Group Phase (5): 2002/03, 2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2008/09
Qualification (1): 2012/13

Other EC records:
EHF Cup: Quarter-finals 1993/1994, Group Phase 2012/2013

Polish champion: 1995, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2011
Polish Cup winner: 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008