– Unfortunately, we failed the first two games. I think they failed based on the result. There were different halves, but as I said, now we have a young team, and we try to play football, try to control, finish every attack. We had big problems in the transition phase when we lost the ball, didn’t commit fouls and scored a lot of goals on counterattacks. We are working on it.
But it is also important to give a chance to players who now deserve it with their performance in the championship of Ukraine. Or the same Yarmolyuk, who really deserved a chance to get into the national team. Unfortunately, we didn’t give him a chance to play – we planned to release him in the last game, but due to injuries and fatigue, we changed other players. There will be no more chances for any experiments in the selection cycle. It is necessary to call the best players and do everything to get to the World Cup.
I don’t know why the journalists said that I am not at all interested in the League of Nations. On the contrary, I always say that every game of the Ukrainian national team, whatever it may be, is now an emotion for our people. You go to any game – you have to play to the maximum, show the power of Ukraine, show what our fighters are showing on the front line.
I always say this to players, but not everyone can handle it. Although in every game of the national team of Ukraine, regardless of whether it is friendly or official, the players really go out and play to the maximum. Even in the first match against Albania, we used only Kabaev from among the newcomers. He had never been to the national team camp before, and he played in the main team. You cannot change 4-5 players from the first match.
I’ll say it again: before it was generally a friendly meeting, but now this tournament gives an additional chance to get to the world championship. But it is necessary to find an opportunity to give a chance to players who deserve it.
You know, journalists, when there is no expected result, look for some problems. Something is wrong there, then there is a problem with the number. I didn’t even know about this problem with the number, but when I asked the players, they answered: “We are adults, we have solved everything.” There is no such problem. Compared to what is happening in our country, this is nothing at all.
There are no conflicts, there are requirements for each player. In any case, 11 players enter the field. Players who do not go on the field – well, there are both. But I always tell the players: “There can be resentments, you can sit and not talk to the coach, but when you go to a training session with your partners or to a game – for five minutes, for two – as part of the national team, everyone forgets about all this.”
A football team is a family. It always happens that someone is offended. But I don’t see that the players create any problems for the existence of the national team or that there are any misunderstandings in the team. I don’t see it. If journalists see it, let them tell, let them take the players, take them to the detector, let them tell.
I am very pleased with all the players coming to the camp of the national team. The national team of Ukraine works like any organism. There are some problems, but I am satisfied with the microclimate that exists in the team now.
Work as a vice president of UAF? When Andrey Shevchenko asked me to be vice president, I also asked him: “How do you see it?” Because I didn’t work as a vice president at all. He explained that I will do the same thing that I did in Dynamo – the structure of the national teams. What I did in “Dynamo” with U-21, U-19, U-17. They will deal only with this and help with their experience on any issues that will arise in the football federation.
Then I agreed. If Andrey Nikolayevich gave me this job – here I answer, I understand what is happening with the national team, the youth team. I never go where I don’t understand. We are constantly in contact with all coaches. I constantly watch the matches of U-21, U-19, U-17, in connection with Una Melgosa, with Dmytro Mykhaylenko, with Yuri Moroz, with all available coaches. I like it. I think I can definitely handle this. I am responsible for this.
I am very pleased with the fact that when we started working, all our national teams made it to the European Championship, made it to the elite rounds. The result is very important, but for us it is even more important that when a player moves, for example, from U-17 to U-19, he does not have many obstacles. So that teams play roughly the same way, so that the requirements for a player in this position are roughly the same.
The style of the game may change, even the scheme – two or three central defenders – but the requirements for the position, the requirements in the attack, in the defense, collective play – it is very important that everything works according to the same structure. How we progressed to “Dynamo”. Practically, after every training session, we were all at the base, the coaches gathered and shared their impressions after training sessions and games. It is important to do the same in the national teams, because today the player plays in U-17, and tomorrow he will go to U-19. And the coach will know much more about this player if he talks and shares his emotions during training and in the game.
As for Yarmolyuk, I was very much in touch with Una. After each game, we talk, and when I have some problems with positions, I ask what he thinks: will this candidate be able to pull the level of the first team. We are constantly in touch. The same U-19, U-21 now there is already a U-15 team. Therefore, it is important that the coaches communicate and help each other in their work in the team.
Resumption of the championship of Ukraine U-21? I did not completely abandon this idea. But you need to talk to the clubs. Now in the most difficult situation, it is important that they can pull this U-21. I am sure that we will return to this question after the war, it is important for the institute of collectives. Now we play the way we play.
Source: sport.ua