Dynamo football player Alexander Karavaev said whether he is satisfied with the role of a player who more often comes on as a substitute, and not in the starting lineup.
Alexander Karavaev. Photo: fcdynamo.com— All football players want to play from the first minutes. Since the game is only 90 minutes long, you want to make the most of that time.
But the coach has been telling me for two years that he relies on me as a reinforcement [during the match]. Such players are very important to him, he talks about this at every theory, at the installation. This is a key role that can change the course of the game. It is very important for him when there are not 11 starting players in the team, but all those who can come out and strengthen.
You understand that this is the coach's instruction, you need to follow it. He is the head coach, he makes the decision. And football players carry out these decisions without arguing.
- Did you have a personal conversation with Lucescu already at Dynamo about your relationship at Shakhtar, where Mircea hardly attracted you to the first team?
- There was no such conversation. I have been at Dynamo for a long time, he has not been a Shakhtar coach for a long time. Yes, I remember that I went to a training camp with his Shakhtar once. He was pleased with me then, he talked about it. Even then, he planned for me to play more as a right-back, citing the example of Darijo Srna, who at first was also an attacking midfielder, and then became a right-back. I think he was one of the strongest right-backs of his time.
Lucescu explained that I would not play because there was Darijo. He said that I needed to go on loan so that I could keep my level and progress. Which I agreed with, because just sitting is not an option. Moreover, such an age - 22-24 years old - when you need to constantly play.
It turned out that he was right. Just like my decision was right - you need to go on loan, constantly play to be in good shape. I ended up in the national team and in Dynamo.
