Well-known Ukrainian journalist Artem Frankov discussed the possible change of the head coach of the Ukrainian national team. Recall that now this position is occupied by Alexander Petrakov.
Artem Frankov“For starters, I’ll note that we have nowhere to rush - the selection for Euro 2024 starts in the third decade of March next year, especially when you consider that qualifying for the continental championship is almost twice as easy as qualifying for the mundial.
There is time to think. Several theses to these reflections.
one. Not a single task has been solved - they didn’t get to the 2022 World Cup, they didn’t take first place in the League of Nations group. Of course, the coaching staff has reinforced concrete, titanium excuses:
a) a war that, among other things, led to the formality of its field;
b) at least with the mundial, much was lost even before Petrakov;
c) both times it was not enough just a little bit;
d) it’s not a fact that we even in peacetime have the right to set such severe tasks - the level of football we have is not division “A”, and the state of our leaders (those who exist!) Are now not Petrakov’s fault.
And yet, and yet... Moreover, the pogrom that was arranged for us in Scotland is desperately fresh in our memory - this soreness has not been knocked down. Moreover, I recommend to your attention a list of personnel losses of the Scots before the decisive battle - yes, they were left without defense!
2. The behavior of Alexander Petrakov at press conferences is humanly explainable (I'm sure the match on September 27 meant a lot to him personally, as well as work with the first team in general), but it is completely unacceptable from a professional point of view.
And a strange, with a spit, reaction to the questions of journalists, and criticism of the players, which looked, excuse me, an attempt to shift their guilt and their mistakes onto the heads and shoulders of the wards ... I do not exaggerate this factor, but I would not allow it to be ignored either. The Ukrainian national team is not a yard or children's team, where liberties of this kind can get away with.
3. Rumors about upcoming changes in the leadership of the FFU/UAF are multiplying. I do not have any specific information, but if there is at least some truth in it, then the issue of appointing a new coach or extending the agreement with the old one should be decided by the new football commanders.
four. Availability of candidates to replace Petrakov and his staff. They exist, of course, how not to be - up to crowbar options with youth coaches, but even without them there are considerable reservations.
Let me point them out, these same reservations about two virtual applicants. I emphasize: again, I do not know anything about their true intentions and plans.
Miron Markevich: over 70 years old (you were not among those who yelled about Mircea Lucescu); resentment towards the FFU/UAF — he was clearly scammed after Shevchenko left (the number of those with whom Andriy Pavelko and his family did this is steadily increasing — of course, I’m talking about the “Sobutsky incident” and about the money that he invested in veteran football of Ukraine for six-odd years); it is not yet a fact that it will be possible to agree; Miron Bogdanovich's alleged lack of a coaching team (I insist that applicants should not be considered individually, but with a staff and a program - despite any wars).
Sergey Rebrov: the same as in August last year - the presence of a valid contract with Al Ain from the UAE; As for the desire of Sergei Stanislavovich, as far as I know, it has not dried up, but the negotiations are no less difficult. It only seems that it is enough to beckon, and top-level specialists will line up...
At least the bold involvement of young people speaks in favor of Petrakov and his headquarters - there are guys who show promise, there is someone to work with in the future. It is unlikely that WUA is so afraid of binding decisions - for example, Tymchik played two matches, despite the almost complete absence of playing practice in Dynamo, Ignatenko arrived from the second division of France, etc.
In a word, I do not expect an immediate resolution of this conflict. The draw for the Euro preselection on October 9 in Frankfurt is approaching, but it does not require the indispensable presence of the "long-playing" chief - and so they will manage.
We are switching to national championships and European cups,” Frankov wrote in the latest issue of the electronic version of the Football magazine.
