Niels Frederiksen – “The Cold Marshal” in Poznań
Niels Frederiksen is a Danish coach who took charge of Lech Poznań in the summer of 2024, taking on the task of rebuilding the team after an unsuccessful previous season. He had previously worked with several Danish clubs and managed Denmark’s youth national teams, while his biggest club achievement was winning the Danish championship with Brøndby IF in the 2020/21 season.
In Poznań, Frederiksen quickly became known as a coach who prepares his team well tactically, emphasizing organization, intensity, and collective responsibility. His calm demeanor contrasts nicely with his demanding approach to work. At Lech, he also focused on greater stability and consistency, helping the team return to the fight for the highest honors.
The Dane has earned some distinctive nicknames among the fans. Because of his composure, he is sometimes called “The Cold One”, while his firm, almost military approach to managing the team has also earned him the nickname “The Marshal.”
Lech Poznań’s favorite coach – Maciej Skorża
Maciej Skorża is one of the most decorated Polish coaches of recent years, and his career is particularly closely associated with Lech Poznań. He managed Kolejorz twice, and on both occasions he led the team to the Polish championship.
Skorża first took charge of Lech in 2014, during the 2014/15 season. At the time, the team were several points behind the league leaders, but under their new coach they began an effective pursuit of the top spot. The end of the season was outstanding – Lech lost just one of their final thirteen matches and went on to win the Polish championship. It was Kolejorz’s first league title in five years. At the beginning of the following season, Skorża added the Polish Super Cup, defeating Legia Warsaw 3–1.
After that spell, Skorża and Lech went their separate ways, but in April 2021 he returned to Bułgarska. His comeback proved to be a great success. During the 2021/22 season, he built a team that competed for the highest honors throughout the campaign and eventually won the Polish championship. It was Skorża’s second league title with Lech and his fourth Ekstraklasa championship overall.
His second spell, however, ended unexpectedly. After the championship-winning season, Skorża decided to leave the club for personal reasons. He was replaced by John van den Brom, who led Lech during the historic European campaign of 2022/23. It was the Dutchman, not Skorża, who was in charge during Lech’s victories over Bodø/Glimt and Djurgårdens and their subsequent run to the UEFA Europa Conference League quarter-finals.
The next stage of Skorża’s career took him to Japan. In 2023, he took charge of Urawa Red Diamonds, inheriting a team that was competing in the decisive stages of the Asian Champions League. The Polish coach led Urawa to victory in the 2022 AFC Champions League, whose final was played in spring 2023. In the two-legged final, the Japanese club defeated Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal 2–1 on aggregate, with Skorża making history as the coach who guided the team to Asia’s most prestigious club trophy.
For Lech fans, Skorża remains above all the coach of two championship-winning teams. He won the Ekstraklasa twice in Poznań and, several years later, confirmed his credentials on an entirely different continent. From winning the Polish championship with Kolejorz to triumphing in the Asian Champions League, Skorża’s career shows that his football could succeed not only in Poland but also at the highest level outside Europe.
Lech Poznań
