Oleksandr Syrota: "The youth national team of Ukraine plays interesting, bright and effective football"

Defender of "Dynamo" and the youth national team of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrota in an interview "TEAM1" shared his emotions and memories of the team's performance in the youth Euro-2021 (U-21) selection cycle, as a result of which, let's remind, the Ukrainian "youth" reached the final part of the European Championship.

"It's nice that they always wait for me in the youth center

— During the group round, I only attended two youth meetings, but they were very bright moments in my football life, said Oleksandr Syrota. — The youth national team has a very good team, always a positive atmosphere, mutual respect, and most importantly, the team plays interesting, bright and effective football.

In fact, there is nothing difficult in the fact that I come to different national teams. It is clear that the national team is the lifelong dream of every football player. And if you have even a chance to play there, you have to hold on to it. It's another matter when you're sitting on the bench. In this case, it is probably better to get practice in the youth team. In my situation, it was so.

In September of last year, I made my debut in the main team of the country in a sparring match against the Czech Republic, and when the opportunity arose and Oleksandr Petrakov decided to do so, I went to the youth team. In June, he was in the national team again and now played in an official match against Ireland, and in the playoff match he came to Ruslan Rotan's team. It is good that we have a full understanding with the coaches of both national teams on this matter. Of course, I am very pleased that they are always waiting for me in the "youth club".

"In Macedonia, I first had a goal, and then..."

— My first collection in this cycle left two impressions. In the away match with North Macedonia, I had two "resultative" actions - a goal plus a goal error. In the first half, after a great corner kick from Mykhailo Mudryk, I scored my first goal in my career at the national team level, and after the break I passed and led the opponent one-on-one with Anatoly Trubin. It was very unfortunate, I was very worried, but everyone immediately supported me, and the head coach was the first to do it. No one said a bad word.

Then we played, I think, one of the best matches in the group round against the Serbs in Lviv. It was a very important game, and as a defender I am pleased that we did not allow the opponent to create almost anything in attack. I admit that it was not easy, because I was a right central defender. However, it was a good experience for me.

In the same way, on the right, I acted in the first playoff match with Slovakia. There, in Žilina, we did not play our best game. There was no special mood like in the second match. It was as if they adjusted very well and understood everything, but after the game they could not understand why everything did not go as it should.

In a few days, everything fell into place and, I believe, we simply destroyed our opponent in terms of football. They showed the game that we will need at the European Championship. It's very important that we didn't just play our game, but showed great dedication. They took an example from the ZSU, thanks to which we continue to play in general. Without them, there would be no Euro. Thank you to our soldiers for everything they do for our country.

"We have a lot of theories, but they are very short"

— In the "youth" I never had a special status - no one there has it. We are all normal guys, all equally useful to the team. Yes, we have our leaders on the field, and everyone understands this perfectly. And off the field, everyone is equal. We have our "uncle" there - this is Danya Alefirenko. We have him everywhere, he is always heard, and a lot of positivity comes from him (smiles).

However, I really like the discipline in the team. No one is screwing anyone, we have no fines, but everyone works clearly like a clock. I did not see any tardiness, violations of the regime in the "youth", although the approach of the coaches is, so to speak, European.

We have many theories, but in reality, little time is spent on them. Trainers single out the most important thing - there is no such thing as sitting in the hall for even half an hour. 10-15 minutes - and that's it, we went to training. The individual qualities of the opponents are analyzed separately - a video arrives on the phone, which is then explained if you do not understand something. It was like that from the first day when I got into the "youth".

"Arrived from the first team and... sat down as a substitute"

— I received my first challenge in the "youth" in the spring of 2020. I was pleasantly surprised, because at that time I had not even made it to the application for Dynamo first team games. Unfortunately, that fee was canceled - covid intervened. After the resumption of the championship and at the beginning of the new season, I started playing in the Ukrainian Premier League, and in the fall I got into... the national team. I understood that I was going there to get acquainted, so to speak, for the number, so I was completely upset that, after a few days of training, I was sent to the "youth team", which was already about to leave for matches with Denmark and Finland.

It is clear that the trainers have already managed to record something. In addition, Yevgeny Cheberko, the captain of the team, acted in my position at that time. I was warmly welcomed by the team, and Ruslan Rotan immediately explained why I was not playing. But he assured me that he would count on me in the future.

The debut in the "youth" came at a home match against Romania - we held it at the Obolon stadium. I remember that it was a difficult field, but even then there was a bet on the kind of football we are playing now. The Romanians had a very strong team, but we pulled out the victory in the last minutes.

The following collection was also remembered. After the victory in Malta, we came to Kovalivka, where we hosted Northern Ireland. Then the team was badly affected by covid, but I felt good. We had the last practice before the game. It seems that there were 10 minutes left before its end - and then the doctor gives a signal from the corner, calls Ruslan Rotan, and I am removed from the class. The test result just came and it was positive for me.

Of course, I was very upset, although mentally I was ready for this. The fact is that at the very beginning of the gathering I lived in the same room with Ruslan Nescheret, and he was immediately diagnosed with the virus. I understood that now I had to wait for myself. It's good that the guys then confidently beat the British - 3:0. That autumn, in fact, this team, which you see now, was built.

"I was sent to the defense center by Serhiy Rebrov's assistant"

— For me, this Euro, by the way, may become the second in my life. However, of course, more significant. In 2017, he was at the European Championship with the youth national team of Ukraine, but did not play there. At U-17, at U-19, I was not considered a main player, although it was very nice to be called up to the national team of my age. The national team, "Dynamo" - these were my childhood dreams. It was my father's dream that made me fall in love with football. For me, the first word in life was: "Ball". Not mom, not dad, but the ball.

I was seven years old when my father died, and as soon as Dynamo school opened a recruitment for boys my age, my mother immediately took me there. I managed to get through quite a competition, and then everything turned upside down. I am very happy that I have fulfilled my father's dream, although I understand very well that this is still only the beginning.

The turning point in my childhood was the arrival of Spanish specialists to the "Dynamo" academy. Almost all the time I played in the position of the left defender, and here I waved in the summer by centimeters for 20. The current assistant of Serhiy Rebrov - Alberto Bosch - came out with the offer to transfer me to the center of defense. I loved it and have been a central defender ever since.

It is interesting that my partner in the club and the "young man" have the same story, but everything turned out the other way around for him. The fact is that Kostya Vivcharenko was a central defender in his childhood and youth, and then moved to the flank. With him, until things, it's always comfortable to play. I hope that we will be together at Euro 2023, and we will go there in a great mood - after this difficult period that we are going through at Dynamo is over. But the most important thing is that the war ends. ..

Yuriy Denisenko