Tudor: Raków arrives at Hajduk at the perfect time
Former Hajduk player Fran Tudor, now captain of Poland's Raków, told Dalmatinski portal that he is struggling with a shoulder injury and that his team is going through major changes.
Former Hajduk player Fran Tudor, now captain of Poland's Raków, told Dalmatinski portal that he is struggling with a shoulder injury and that his team is going through major changes.
Hajduk will host Polish side Raków at Poljud on Thursday in the Conference League playoff, and advancing to the group stage would bring much-needed financial resources to the Split club. Although Hajduk are not favorites, Raków arrive at a time when the Polish team is facing a serious crisis.
The captain of the Polish team is well known to all Hajduk fans, as Fran Tudor played senior football only for Hajduk until he left for Poland in 2020. Today, he is a club icon and captain with 255 appearances, but his participation at Poljud is doubtful due to a shoulder injury.
"The shoulder is not in the best shape. I'm not training with the team yet," he told Dalmatinski portal, adding: "I'm definitely coming to Split, but I don't know if I'll play."
At the pre-match press conference, Tudor further clarified his health condition: "I'm slowly getting back, I hope to play, it will all depend on how the shoulder reacts after training."
Tudor recounted how he ended up at Raków. After a period without a club, during which he waited for offers from bigger clubs, he decided to accept the first concrete option that came up before the winter transfer window.
"I was without a club because I expected bigger clubs. There was a lot of talk, but nothing materialized. As the winter transfer window approached, I said I would accept the first offer, and it came from Raków," he recalled. In his first season in the Ekstraklasa, the club finished 10th, then they took second place and won the cup, followed by the league title.
Tudor did not hide his excitement about returning to Split. "I'm excited, happy, proud, and I can't wait for training to start," he said at the press conference, adding: "I got the best possible opponent in the draw."
A particularly emotional moment was his arrival at the stadium: "I'm emotional; when I was coming, my heart started beating a bit faster." He also recalled the best moments in the white jersey: "It's hard to say, I remember the people who work here, my debut, and the win over Dinamo."
There are also acquaintances in the opposite direction. Robert Graf, now sporting director at Poljud, previously worked on building that strong Raków side.
"He probably knows Raków better than I do; I'm not as well-versed as he is. That's not my expertise; he watches players more. Although, I also watch Hajduk matches. He can definitely help Hajduk in preparation, even though we changed coaches. He can convey the culture and the Polish spirit that prevails here to the staff," Tudor said.
Raków have started the season poorly, with three losses at the start of the league, sitting at the bottom. The coach is under great pressure, and the team has undergone numerous changes.
"I think if we had been drawn against Hajduk last year or the year before, we would have been clear favorites. For Hajduk, we are definitely arriving at the ideal moment. We are a bit shaken. Many key players have left, big players for Raków. This is a season with a lot of changes, new players, a new coach. Their absence is felt. We are still looking for players; our transfers are not yet complete," Tudor concluded.
Raków coach Dawid Kroczek emphasized at the press conference that his team does not erase poor results but analyzes them: "We don't need to erase, but to analyze and draw conclusions. We are working on solutions; nothing is more important. We must be ready in the same way for every match. We are focused on Hajduk."
Kroczek is aware of the opponent's strength: "Hajduk is a big and experienced club, a demanding opponent, but our league has come a long way, and we will be ready for the match against Hajduk."
