The Charlotte FC centre-back is enthused for his move to the Carolinas, and fully focused on developing his game in the Polish second division
CHARLOTTE—After officially becoming part of Charlotte FC’s inaugural roster in February 2021, Jan Sobocinski is heading into his third season with Polish second division side LKS Lodz. The 22-year-old centre-back is keen to make the most of his time in his homeland before joining up with Charlotte’s first training camp in January 2022.
“I hope that I will help to get as many points as possible for LKS, and that my teammates and fans will be able to celebrate promotion at the end of the season,” says Sobocinski. “I want to make the most of these few months. I will gain even more experience and prepare as best as possible for my move to Charlotte.”
In 2019-20, LKS reached the second division playoffs, but narrowly missed out on promotion. Sobocinski—who represented his native Poland at the 2019 U-20 World Cup and has made six appearances with the U21 side—is satisfied with his recent performances, and aware that his mission is not yet complete in Europe.
“I know that I have a lot of work to do in Lodz and I will be fully focused on their promotion campaign,” says Sobocinski. “I am happy with my performances from last season, although not all of them were exactly what I would have liked. But in general, I considered this season a successful one.”
In addition to a successful season with Lodz, and a spot on Charlotte’s inaugural roster, Sobocinski had another reason to celebrate this year: he was married over the summer.
“We had to return to Lodz quite quickly from the coastal location where our ceremony took place, because I had to start preparations for the next season,” says Sobocinski. “But it was a very special day, and one which we will always cherish.”
With only a few months until Charlotte’s first-ever training camp, Sobocinski is relishing the opportunity that lies ahead in the Queen City. He is preparing his new family for the trip—including his four-legged friend.
“I am very much looking forward to coming to Charlotte!” says Sobocinski. “We are starting to browse for homes and have started preparing our dog, Manto, for the flight. We’ve even started sorting out which toys he may be able to bring! It’s all very exciting!”
