Michal Helik’s debut season in English football has already proved sweet beyond his fondest imaginings, but the best could be yet to come for Barnsley’s newly-capped Poland international.
The goalscoring centre-half arrived at Oakwell last September and has proved a key figure in the dramatic emergence of Valerien Ismael’s side as Championship promotion contenders.
Helik’s form has been rewarded with a maiden Poland call-up and he made his debut in last Thursday’s 3-3 World Cup qualifier with Hungary alongside his idol, Bayern Munich star Robert Lewandowski.
Lewandowski will miss Wednesday’s clash with England with a knee injury – and four players are absent due to Covid-19, including Leeds midfielder Mateusz Klich – but Helik is hoping to feature.
The 25-year-old, who has netted six goals for Barnsley this term, said: “When someone thinks about Polish football, they think about Robert Lewandowski because he’s a talisman in Poland.
“What he has achieved in football, there is no higher level – he’s at the top now and to play with him for my country was amazing.
“To play against England at Wembley would be extra special and there are a lot of good players coming from Poland.
“Mateusz Klich at Leeds and Kamil Grosicki at Hull played in the Championship last season, so that’s why I think it’s a good place for me.
“We’re a young group at Barnsley, hungry for results, and we never stop believing.”
The Tykes have been a team transformed under French boss Ismael and lie fifth in the Championship with eight games remaining.
Helik has settled in South Yorkshire after seven years in his homeland where he made 137 appearances with KS Cracovia and Ruch Chorzow.
Barnsley has become a home from home as Helik explained: “After I came here, one of my friends from primary school messaged me to say he had been living here for three years.
“We had a coffee and it was nice to meet with him again so, when circumstances allow, we will go out for lunch somewhere.
“I had heard about the big Polish community in Barnsley and the restaurants.
“I was in a Polish shop in Barnsley and it was just like being back in Poland. It made me feel like I was at home.”
Helik said of his upbringing: “I had a good life as a kid and parents because they gave me everything I needed to learn about life and football.
“They helped me a lot, drove me to training all the time and made sure that I ate well – not just sweets and McDonalds food.
“I don’t think I ever went to McDonalds with my parents!”
Helik’s family have yet to see him play live for Barnsley due to the pandemic but have followed his progress closely.
He said: “Hopefully the coronavirus will be over soon and I can invite my parents here to see me play.
“But they have iFollow in Poland, so they’re watching all the games, which is good, and I can always call them on WhatsApp with video so it’s not hard to stay in touch.
“But first and foremost I’m here to play football and see how much I can achieve – for my club and country.”
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from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/2QGu1c7
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