– We knew what opponent was waiting for us. We were preparing for it, but quickly conceded the first goal. The goalkeeper could have acted in this episode more simply and simply picked up the ball. Also then we had some good moments on the half hour to equalise. They scored their goal – a good goal after the combination.
But then our players were not one hundred percent ready to block shots, to play reliably in defense. And I’m disappointed by that, because we talk about it a lot. Then we got the second goal and at half-time I said we have to keep playing our football. After the break, we made good attacks, earned a penalty, and equalized the score. They could have won 3:2, but they didn’t realize their potential. And we need to work on this, on realizing moments.
– Tell me, please, in 11 rounds, “Kryvbas” scored 20 points. Is this too much or too little for you as an experienced trainer?
– I think we should have had more. For example, in the match against “Polyssia” they did not get their points. But we are a young team with ups and downs. And we also need to work even more on our defensive game.
– What is the current microclimate in “Kryvbas”? After all, it seems that after the match against “Dynamo” he is not very good.
– The overall atmosphere in the team is good. Yes, the players are not satisfied with their certain decisions, not everything always works out for them, and they think about it. In the match against Dynamo, they gained this invaluable experience and, I hope, also learned a lesson for the future in order to progress.
– After the break, the team entered the field much more energetic, with a fighting spirit. How did you manage to motivate the players at halftime?
– I just tried to remind them about the mentality. We talked about it even before the match, during training during the week – about which team we will play. I reminded them that they have to play their football, because even in the first half we created good moments and made dangerous attacks. In the second half, they continued – tied the score 2:2, continued to attack, and, I think, deserved the winning goal. But we lacked a little more determination to finish the match properly.
– You have not made any substitutions during the game. Can you explain this decision?
– This is not unusual for me. If I feel that the team on the field has the right mindset and the right energy to see the match through, then I don’t see the point in making substitutions. The players didn’t look tired, didn’t give any signals that they needed rest, so I decided to leave everything as it was.
– Was today’s match more about character or about tactics?
– The beginning was certainly a test of character. But when the ball is at our feet, everything depends on how we implement our style of play and whether we bring the match to a logical conclusion.
Source: sport.ua