Southampton defender Jan Bednarek has described playing in the Championship as being like playing rugby when he was asked to compare the division to the Premier League, as reported by Hampshire Live.
Bednarek is currently on international duty with Poland after his form for Russell Martin’s Saints has seen him earn a recall to Michal Probierz’s squad. The defender has played 14 times this season as Southampton sit fourth on their quest for an immediate return to the Premier League.
Bednarek joined the Saints in the summer of 2017 from Lech Poznan but didn’t make his Premier League debut until March after Mark Hughes had replaced Mauricio Pellegrino in the dugout at St Mary’s. The Pole would become a near ever present in the side once Ralph Hasenhuttl replaced the departing Hughes.
The final months of the club’s stay in the top division would be chaotic, with Bednarek losing his place in the team and being loaned to Aston Villa only to be recalled by new boss Nathan Jones. Jones was then shown the door and it was Ruben Selles who took charge of the final matches as the Saints were relegated.
The 52-cap international has since become key to Russell Martin’s approach as the club looks to stabilise and regain their status in the top flight. Bednarek was on media duty this week when asked what the differences were between playing in the Championship and the Premier League. He said, “There is definitely a difference between the two leagues. The Championship is definitely more physical.”
He added, “Whenever I talk to someone, I say that when we stand in a circle before a match, I feel like we are playing rugby. The players are tall and physically strong. There are definitely differences in quality, but this league is strong and demanding. The number of games is also physically demanding.”
Writer’s View
Bednarek suggesting that playing in the Championship is like playing rugby could be seen as a little derogatory towards the players in that division and it will surely inspire the attacking players in the league to show Bednarek just how physical they can be in their matches against the promotion chasers.
Southampton’s approach sees them sitting in fourth but they have conceded more goals than 20th-place Coventry City so the Polish international and his teammates will need to improve their ability to handle the demands of the Championship if they are to successfully chase down the top two.
