Former coach of Dynamo Kyiv and the Ukrainian national team Jozsef Szabo told what he thinks about the possible replacement of Oleksandr Petrakov.
— Are you personally for Oleksandr Petrakov to remain at the head of the Ukrainian national team or for replacing the head coach?
- If only there was someone to replace it. When he first took office, I said that he was a good coach, thinking, but he only worked with young people. It's a completely different job. How will he work with such masters as Malinovsky and Yarmolenko? This is a question.
— If it is true that the UAF is waiting until the contract of Sergei Rebrov with Al Ain ends, is it normal to start the qualifying round with acting head coach Vicente Gomez?
- It's hard to say. Qualifying games will be in March. Another coach will come and what to do? From January to collect? No, it needs to be done now. A month will pass and you need to work, train, play friendly games, and so, in order to collect in February and play in March ... This is stupid and unreasonable.
I will personally say that some football players who have no experience, young ones are invited to our national team. They still have to grow and grow. In terms of craftsmanship, they do not fit. And we lost to the Scots only because there is no skill that is developed over the years. Wanted, yes. But skill is lacking. Petrakov has something that if you put pressure, then you need to put pressure all over the field. Put guys who are physically ready and can do it.
Gomez? I do not know him. They write about him, but I don’t know how he works with our guys. An assistant is one thing, but when one takes full responsibility, it’s another. If you change Petrakov, then you need an experienced coach. Only in this way can one hope for success. And, of course, we need experienced players, not young ones. They will wait some more. You can let in one or two, but the whole team so that it is 19-20 years old?! It doesn't fit.
Evgeny Chepur