“The alliance between the Serbian specialist and FC “Minai” lasted 14 monthsβ, β write: sport.ua
About his period of work in the club from Uzhhorod Zhelko Lyubenovych said in an interview with Sport.ua.
– I assess this period as positive, – he said. – Especially the first six months, which included the spring part of the 2023/24 season in the Premier League. It’s nice to remember how many good emotions there were in the games of that period. But unlike this period, when everything worked out for us, in the second half of the year, I think I grew more as a coach.
– How was the procedure for your dismissal?
– While in Belgrade, we discussed all the nuances of terminating the contract with the club’s management over the phone. The next day, together with Nikolay Ignatievich, I left for Uzhhorod by car. At the stadium in Minai, the management was already waiting for us, with whom the contract termination procedure was completed.
– How true is the information that after the failure in the tournament for the right to continue playing in the Premier League, the president of “Minaya” Valery Peresoliak lost interest in football?
– I can’t say anything positive about it. He attended matches of “Minaya”, the team was paid a salary. But many people from the management of FC “Minai” left, and others did not come to their places.
– From the summer until the end of 2024, information appeared from time to time that one or another club was interested in your services. Were they fakes or did the invitations really take place?
– Unfortunately, there were fakes (smiles). Only one “Ingulets” was really interested in my services. Everything else is rumours.
– With what feelings do you leave the Transcarpathian club?
– Only positive ones. Be that as it may, this team was the first to give me a chance to work as a head coach. And I repeat: I will remember this period only in a positive way.
– Do you keep in touch with the football players who played under your leadership in “Minai”?
– Yes. Many of those who left Mynai call or text me very often, supporting me in every possible way. And now, when the information about my resignation appeared, many guys called me too. It can be seen that this news did not leave any of them indifferent. I am glad that they were interested in our joint work.
– The question arises: what next?
– The answer is simple: I will wait for new offers.
– Is Ukraine a priority?
– In the first place. Always was, is and always will be. When I was still finishing my career as a player at Zora and submitted documents for training at the UAF Licensing Center, even then I dreamed of working as a coach in Ukraine. During the fourteen years of my work in Ukrainian football – first as a football player, and then as a scout of “Zorya”, I became attached to your country with all my soul. It is like a second Motherland for me. It was here that most of my professional career was spent, so it is not surprising that I intend to continue it there.
Earlier, we reported that the First League club Minai terminated cooperation with the head coach Ε½eljko Lyubenovych.