With Jerzy Dudek firmly in possession of Poland's No 1 jersey, Adam Matysek knows his chances of even a sniff of World Cup action are slender.
In Liverpool's Dudek, the national team coach Jerzy Engel has arguably one of the world's greatest goalkeepers at his disposal.
Matysek is not yet certain of a place in the squad having been left out of recent friendlies, although Engel has long been an admirer..
Repeatedly the coach has said that, should injury or suspension strike his first-choice custodian, then in Matysek he knows he has a more than able deputy.
"
I came to Radomsko in order to play football, not to go sightseeing
"
Adam Matysek
Earlier this year Matysek, 33, signed for RKS Radomsko in a bid to boost his chances of first-team football in the run-up to the World Cup.
Having become frustrated at being left on the bench with Bundesliga club Bayer Levekusen, Matysek had a short spell with Wolfsburg before returning home to Zaglebie Lubin last autumn.
Somewhat controversially, he quickly upped sticks from there to join Polish rivals Radomsko, where he will stay until at least the end of the season - and maybe beyond.
After riding the transfer merry-go-round all season, Matysek is now pleased to settle at last.
"I came to Radomsko in order to play football, not to go sightseeing," Matysek told Polish newspaper Pilka Nozna.
"At first, I avoided contacts with the press. I wanted to calm down a little and concentrate on my daily work.
"Every goalkeeper is an individualist who can usually only count only on himself in a match.
"
Jerzy plays in a very good team, but I think I'm going to be a bit of a nuisance for him
"
Adam Matysek
"In the first weeks at Radomsko, I was an individualist off the field as well."
Matysek now hopes that the time spent out of the limelight and concentrating solely on his game will send him into the World Cup in perfect condition.
He already has more than 30 caps to his name and, like any true professional, he has not given up hope of wresting the starting position from Dudek.
"Jerzy plays in a very good team, which is on the top all the time," Matysek said.
"But I think I'm going to be a bit of nuisance for him.
"Apart from that, every match I play for the national team is a reward and a kind of promotion for me."