The resounding success of Rukh in the UEFA Youth League, the preparation of the country's leading teams for the second half of the season, the transfer of goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk from Vorskla to Shakhtar and the shameful situation around the Ukrainian national team, which still remains without a head coach - these topics have caused most media attention over the past week.
Andrey PavelkoEuropean breakthrough "Rukh"
Last Wednesday, matches of the 1/16 finals of the UEFA Youth League took place. Ukraine at this stage was represented by two clubs at once - Shakhtar and Rukh, which, of course, was a priori assessed by the press as a great achievement.
In principle, leaving the group or passing the Cup Champions Path is nothing new for us. In 2015, Shakhtar even made it to the decisive match of the UEFA Youth League, in 2014 they played in the 1/8 finals. Three times at this stage of the tournament, Dynamo Kyiv turned out to be especially impressive in the 2021/22 draw, when they beat Benfica (4: 0), Barcelona (4: 1) and twice Bayern (4: 1) in the group stage. 0, 2:1).
“Also, in the 2022/23 season, we took away two representatives in the winning rounds of the draw at once,” the Tribuna website focuses on the historical fact (Ua.tribuna.com, 08.02.23).
Unfortunately, on Wednesday one of them was eliminated - Shakhtar U-19 players lost in a hard-fought Split to their peers from Hajduk (0:1). The journalists did not have any special claims to the team of Oscar Ratulutra. It's simple: in the confrontation between two approximately equal teams, one was a little more persistent and successful.
Well, in general, the lion's share of media materials on the topic of the UEFA Youth League was devoted to Rukh. After all, the debutant of the tournament created a real sensation by knocking out the formidable Italian Inter (1:1, 4:3 on penalties).
The press unanimously agrees that Rukh played a very solid match in general against a clear favorite, which includes 12 collections from different countries. And although the victory was obtained in the post-match 11-meter series, no one had any doubts that our team was worthy of going further.
It is obvious to the press that the Rukh players are well aware of how and by what means they can achieve a positive result. At the forefront is teamwork. This, in fact, is also said by coach Vitaly Ponomarev, who was quite actively quoted by various sources after the match:
“Before such a lad is in front of us for manifestations of character, to that in such a grіt pershochergov. The stench vikonali set on the gro, and the most heady - the right team was on the field.
The lads trimmed the structure of the grit and increased it to the end of the skin moment and skin episode, one trimmed one, the gravel did not fall off during the midst of the season” (Sport.ua, 11.02.23).
In this context, the statistics that Andrey Kudyrko cited even before the match with Inter were also indicative, analyzing the path that Ponomarev's wards went in the UEFA Youth League:
“Lviv’yans should finish modestly with a ball (40% of an hour in the YLCH), but they can also get one of the best defenses in Lizi (missing 0.47 goals for 90 whips). Football analysts can also see another average xG of allowed shots (0.073) after MTK (0.059) and one of the best indicators of average xG of first shots (0.162). Here Rukh plays only a few giants, among them - Chelsea, Man City, Liverpool, Porto, PSG, Shakhtar, Napoli and Rangers (Ua.tribuna.com, 08.02.23).
Here we add the fourth indicator among the participants of the YLCH in terms of accuracy of strikes (51.2 percent), as well as in interceptions (44.3 in 90 minutes). And we get a fairly strong team, which has its own clear style - albeit not very elegant, but very solid.
But, of course, the results of Rukh U-19 are based not only on coaching and good selection of players. The key factor that the media write about is the general development vector chosen by the club's president Grigory Kozlovsky. In "Rukh" excellent conditions for work have been created and a clear pyramid has been built, the basis of which in the future should be its own Youth Sports School and the Club Academy.
“Rukh” sounded rich, both in a direct and in a figurative sense, - notes Artur Valerko. – Gorgeous zamіska base, stockpile of talents in the current century categories, vlas scouting has worked for child-youthful football… As critics say at once, saying, “Rukh” U-19 – tse resurrected “Karpaty”, then it’s fair to recognize that vikhovantsiv “ Karpaty" "Rukh" vryatuvav at that moment, if the old club was dying, and there were no fears of those who could take a fighting base and practice over them "(Ukrfootball.ua, 08.02.23).
Apparently, everything is in order with Rukh and with internal communications: the youth and main club teams train according to the same program, and Ponomariov has recently been assisting Leonid Kuchuk in the UPL. Therefore, it is not surprising that a number of U-19 players are already constantly getting practice in the main Ukrainian division.
“Rus U-19 has a whole group of football players from time to time playing in the main team, regularly turning up to the team of their age. Among them Ruslan Nepeypiev, Vitaliy Roman, Mark Sapuga... 19-year-old Sapuga, before the speech, є - not too rich, not too little - as the captain of the main "adult" team "Rukh", - says Kyrylo Stadnichenko (Vesti.ua, 08.02.23) .
So the current European success of the Rukh U-19 looks absolutely natural. This is confirmed by the results in the current youth championship of Ukraine, where Ponomarev's team is fighting for leadership with Dynamo, ahead of Kiev by two points.
By the way, they competed closely a year ago, as some media now remembered. After the winter holidays, Rukh was 4 points behind Dynamo, but played fewer games. Despite the fact that the season was interrupted due to the large-scale Russian invasion, Rukh received the right to finish the matches with Ingulets and Kolos, after which they climbed to a clear first place and qualified for the Youth Champions League.
“I respect, my lads, how importantly they worked with the stretching of the first stake and winter gatherings, they deserved their chance. Vdyachny to everyone who helped Rukh to be conceived in life,” Vitaliy Ponomarev said last fall in an interview with the Football Club (Footclub.com.ua, 26.10.22).
The gratitude of the Rukh coach was addressed, among other things, to the leadership of Dynamo Kyiv in the person of Igor Surkis, who in that controversial situation behaved like a gentleman and went towards competitors.
“The president of Rukh has turned up before me. Kazhe: “I had the opportunity to play in the [youthful] Lisa champions for the first time in history. Give us such a chance”… You could know a lot of reasons. Ale wine is a normal person, like developing football, investing in football…”, commented Igor Surkis in the ProfootballDigital program (Ua-football.com, 26.05.22).
Thus, it can be stated that the president of Dynamo once again took a position that met the interests of all Ukrainian football. Rukh got an extremely important European Cup experience. Albeit at a youth level. And, by the way, now the players of this team are the backbone of the Ukrainian U-19 team.
Dynamo: the principle of a "single team"
The Kiev club has traditionally been in the spotlight of the media throughout the week. And, not only in connection with purely football aspects.
The press actively disseminated information about the next social action of Dynamo. On Wednesday, the club and the Surkis Brothers Foundation handed over another batch of humanitarian aid, this time for the Security Service of Ukraine.
“The charitable foundation of the Surkis brothers continues its work, continues to invest money in those who help us as much as possible, who are at zero today. Three days a day vantages go. This year, our guests - representatives of the SBU, still win, like representatives of the Ministry of Defense won on Monday, dry soup. All those things that are necessary for us to be able to eat hot on the front line of our war,” said Vitaly Sivkov, First Vice-President of Dynamo.
Such, behind the yogo words, one of the Basic, the fund to the fund by the premium of the Zbroynim forces of Ukraine, the baches of the purchase of non -chief tech -harsh is the subject of the Pershi -Dyudosti (Zokremi is a special time, Yaki is so closely, the worships of the bite, worshiped. technical assistance for communication and development of drones for air defense units of ZSU.
In addition, transport equipment, including cars and a boat, was purchased and handed over to the ZSU pilots,” the RBC-Ukraine news agency reports (rbc.ua, 08.02.23).
In less than two weeks of February, the Surkis Brothers Foundation delivered four containers of dry food from the United States with a total weight of 70 tons: in addition to the SBU and the Ministry of Defense, the border troops of Ukraine and the Main Intelligence Directorate received one container from Dynamo. In addition, the fund and the club sent generators and essential products to Dnipro, which were delivered from the UK, and 4 tons of sanitation supplies to the hospital of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.
As for the preparation of the Kyivans for the second part of the season, the press first of all draws attention to the fact that Mircea Lucescu professes the principle of a “single team”. Here is what Igor Dashkov writes about this:
“Turechchyna employs both the main and the youth warehouse, and the head coach gets to sparring in the first club warehouse all of the young people who can only need you. With whom, Mircha Mikhailovich looks even more widely - in just one hour from the mental youthful cohort of wines, we have already called 12 graves at the game ... Having spent the rest of the river Kendzer, Zabarny, Verbich, Tsigankov and Bessedin Lucescu, introduce new names at the warehouse "(Sportarena.com, 07.02.com 23).
In particular, defender Navin Malysh and midfielder Nazar Voloshin try on the right flank, exposed after the departure of Kendzera and Tsygankov. Goalkeeper Valentin Morgun, defenders Anton Bol and Maxim Dyachuk, midfielders Oleksandr Yatsyk, Anton Tsarenko, Maxim Vasylets, Kirill Pashko, Dmitry Kremchanin, forwards Igor Gorbach and Matvey Ponomarenko also get game practice...
In turn, Sport.ia journalist Sergey Tishchenko is studying the question of who in Dynamo will be able to replace Ilya Zabarny, who moved to the English Bournemouth for record money for the capital club.
It is clear that the list includes long-tested fighters Nikita Burda and Denis Popov, but along with them there are still very young football players, among whom Anton Bol seems to be the most likely candidate.
“Anton has long been called a potential replacement for Zabarny. Luceska turned his respect to Bol as soon as I arrived at the club. But then again, a folded injury forced the native of Zhytomyr to break through to the first team.
The pain that Zabarny is about one century old. I can lose my anthropometry, strong football strength. Globally, nothing will ever happen to the Zakhist. It’s just that one player can replace another,” Tishchenko believes (Sport.ua, 02/07/23).
At the same time, according to the author, Zabarny's departure should in no way affect the reliability of the Dynamo defense center, since Lucescu has enough options in terms of personnel.
This is partly confirmed by the results of recent sparring: during the week, Dynamo played three matches and won everything dry (Shkendia North Macedonia - 1:0, Sileks North Macedonia - 4:0, Politehnica Romania - 2:0) . At the same time, Lucescu tried different combinations in the center of defense: Pain - Dyachuk, Burda - Popov, Popov - Sirota ... It is clear that the last pair will most likely be considered the main one. But the search for options is obvious.
The same goes for the most problematic position - center forward. It's no secret that Dynamo is looking for a foreign striker. But it is likely that even here you will have to cope on your own, in connection with which the article by Dmitry Vartas “The Rebirth of Supryaga” attracts attention.
The observer analyzes the actions of the players that Lucescu used at the cutting edge of the attack and draws an interesting conclusion - it is likely that Vladislav Supryaga, whom many have already rushed to write off in circulation, will become the primary option.
The material very accurately noted that after a summer operation on the back, the former lightness in the legs and maneuverability returned to the attacker. And now he again demonstrates the basic and effective skills for a player of this role: reasonable openings to the operational space, constant jerks behind the backs of the defenders, the ability to take the initiative and good work with the ball, the willingness to work in the selection ...
“In advance, we won’t go into bold predictions, it’s just stating that Supryaga is at least ready for his damn chance at Lucescu. How it goes in official matches is a mystery, but the singers are encouraged by the rice. Here both teams in the UPL can be taken advantage of, and a potential change in Dynamo's style of Gris after Tsigankov's loss,” states Vartas (Ua.tribuna.com, 12.02.23).
In general, the current off-season at Dynamo turns out to be richer and more interesting than ever. It can be said that Lucescu devoted a significant amount of time to scouting, assessing the available personnel and forming a group of players that will make up the main clip for the second half of the season. How seriously the coach counts on the youth, only the official matches will show. But there is no doubt that only the "old guard" Lucescu will not manage.
“It’s too early to shout about the “buddova new team”, but the first few steps are broken for everyone,” the Tribuna website concludes (Ua.tribuna.com, 12.02.23).
Shakhtar and Dnipro-1: readiness number one
If Dynamo is scheduled to start the second half of the season on March 4 (against Ingulets in the 16th round of the UPL), then the main rivals of Kiev - Dnipro-1 and Shakhtar - will play their first official matches in 2023 already next Thursday. Dnipro will play the first match against AEK in Cyprus within the framework of the 1/16 finals of the League of Conferences, the miners at the same stage of the Europa League - with the French "Rennes" on their conditionally home field in Warsaw.
Our vrokupkovye plenipotentiaries completed their Turkish training camp at the beginning of the week, finally scoring a major victory. Dnipro-1 defeated Auda from Latvia (5:1), Shakhtar dealt with Sarajevo from Bosnia and Herzegovina (4:0). After that, the team of Alexander Kucher headed for Cyprus, and the wards of Igor Yovichevich relocated to Poland.
“It made sense that the calendar of two teams should talk about those who are already guilty of being closer to ideal conditions. However, it’s important to objectively evaluate the current camp, for example, the Dnipro team, it’s important to finish it, even though they played friendly matches with not so strong super players,” writes Igor Krovny, a columnist for the Fan (Volel-ik.com.ua, 08.02.23).
In his opinion, the strongest opponent of Dnipro-1 at this stage was the Slovenian Mura, which Kucher's team beat with a score of 2:1. In total, the Dnipro team had eight sparring matches: 5 wins, 2 draws and 1 loss. From the details of the press, first of all, it notes that the main goalscorer of the team Artem Dovbik (6 goals, 2 assists) has clearly gained a good shape, and it seems that newcomers-legionnaires came to court - the Brazilians Peglow and Hainer, as well as the Costa Rican Matarrita.
Shakhtar's statistics in the matches of this off-season look more modest: one win, three draws and a defeat. But as the team's coach Igor Jovichevich said, it should be taken into account that during the training camp, the miners regularly dropped out of the process several players at once due to microtraumas, viruses and temperature. The main thing, according to the mentor, is that the Orange-and-Blacks played the final stretch in good shape.
“In the rest of the days, we picked up, stabilized, and tsya gra (against “Sarajevo”) showed that through emotions we had a re-check before “Rennes”, we saw the relish of victory and went to the microcycle near Warsaw. I can be satisfied with the team’s energy, structure, goals scored, combinatorics,” summed up the Turkish team Jovicevich (football.ua, 09.02.23).
However, the topic of Shakhtar's readiness was partially overshadowed by the team's next transfer - now "to the entrance". On Friday, it was announced that the Donetsk club had bought goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk from Vorskla, who would cost the Pitmen €3m plus bonuses.
The transfer of Riznyk caused a stir in the press, which is not surprising - as noted, this is the largest deal on the domestic Ukrainian market since 2018, when Dynamo paid Dnipro 6.5 million euros for Supryaga.
The media are studying transfer from a variety of angles.
For everyone, for example, it is obvious that the arrival of Riznyk to Shakhtar automatically means that the Donetsk team will sell Anatoly Trubin in the summer. After all, it is no longer a secret that he wants to continue his career abroad, categorically refusing to renew the contract with the Orange-and-Blacks, which is valid until the summer of 2024. So the next transfer window is the last chance for Shakhtar to get a decent amount for Trubin.
“Ask such a strong competitor, like Riznik, not only to boost internal competition in the ranks of your goalies, but to prepare to change your head goalkeeper,” read Bogdan Grischuk’s material (Sportarena.com, 11.02.23).
Undoubtedly, Riznyk himself should be the winner - he gets new motivation and opportunities for professional growth. In fact, for him, this is a transition to a new level.
Of course, Vorskla, which has recently experienced financial difficulties, should be satisfied. The club gained a substantial amount, which will allow them to stay afloat for quite a long time. In addition, Riznyk's departure opens the way for promising Pavlo Isenko, who, remember, pulled Vorskla into the final of the Ukrainian Cup-2020, flashing reactions in the post-match penalty shootout with Mariupol.
Well, the main question is how organically Riznyk suits Shakhtar? Several publications speak on this topic at once. Of course, some points will need to be perfected (interaction with partners), in some ways Riznyk is inferior to Trubin (playing on the exits), in some ways he is superior (a master of repelling penalties, more often he saves). And, let's say, the fact that Dmitry is able to give accurate long-range passes, can give variety to the game of the Donetsk team right now.
In general, the conclusion of the press is that Shakhtar made a reasonable and timely investment:
Shakhtar, having arranged the transfer of the best Ukrainian goalkeeper available on the market, which would potentially allow Trubin to get in trouble. We don’t name the retailer as we are preparing the material, but it’s definitely the best solution available under the hour of the war. To this very fact, 3 million euros do not look like a great overpayment, but instead - an investment in today's future.
From a perspective, the transfer looks reasonable and logical, since it closes the position of the goalkeeper for a long time and allows us to support the progress” (Ua.tribuna.com, 11.02.23).
And one more significant point: this transfer can have a positive impact on Ukrainian football in general:
“Sales of the leader and the arrival of a distinguished goalkeeper to the championship, the club of which, on the basis of the cost, secure its own finances for the song period of the hour - it is even more similar to the health of the functioning of the domestic market” (Ua.tribuna.com, 11.02.23).
Ponte Association
Speaking about the transfer of Riznyk, it is appropriate to assume that he will also have a positive impact on the goalkeeping competition in the national team. At least we will get one more keeper with practice at the highest club level. But this is in a slightly distant perspective. So far, the main team of the country cannot get a head coach in any way. In this connection, the press again addressed the flow of well-founded claims and criticism against the Ukrainian Football Association, headed by A. Pavelko.
“Among all the national teams in the selection for Euro 2024, Ukraine is left without a coach,” Ua.tribuna.com indignantly recorded (08.02.23).
“Steps of the intransigence of the situation, in a kind of success of “professionals” from the UAF, the selection of Ukraine appeared, continuing to grow. Supposedly, since the contract with the UAF ended with the now great coach of the Ukrainian national team Oleksandr Petrakov, the head team of the Ukrainian national team continues to be left without a coach,” journalists of the Shurik website (Dynamo.kiev.ua, 08.02.23) say in a similar vein.
And this is - a little over a month before the start of the Euro 2024 qualification, which we are opening not just anywhere, but in London - a duel against the England team.
Moreover, the most surprising thing is that the UAF does not even hint that it is doing some real work to solve the main issue today.
So what do the figures from the UAF count on, leaving the main team of the country actually decapitated? And who should we still expect to be the helmsman of the country's main team? And then after all, it turns out that there is simply no real candidate available.
The press is tormented with conjectures, putting forward a variety of versions.
According to Mikhail Spivakovsky, the UAF planned that Alexander Petrakov would lead the national team until the summer, after which he would hand over the reins to Rebrov. But this option was dropped as Petrakov accepted the Armenian national team. Therefore, now Pavelko and his associates are frantically looking for an option with another “temporary worker”.
Kirill Krutorogov on Fanday.net lists a couple of dozen possible options, among which the most likely is a short-term contract with one of ... representatives of the Association:
“The UAF has a committee of national teams, which since the summer of 2021 have been heading the Blokhin-Mikhailichenko duo as co-chairs, their deputy is Oleg Protasov, and then Anatoly Demyanenko comes in the hierarchy ... Such a committee usually deals with control and coordination of the coaching issue in all national teams and / or in which case, interferes with his work ”(Fanday.net, 09.02.23).
Although one can only imagine the reaction of the public if the main team of the country (even if only for three matches) is accepted by one of the “downed pilots”, whose coaching unsuitability has long been beyond doubt.
And Kostyantyn Varvarik offers Andrei Pavelko to appoint himself to the post of coach of the national team. According to the journalist, who flashed with subtle irony, the leader of the UAF has enough skills for such work:
“Andriy Pavelko, if necessary, drink in defense and explain why everything is not to blame. If necessary, drink on the attack. Maybe just don’t say anything - trim the hour. Tobto, while changing your tactics, the ice is not on the move and so that some supermen do not know the offensive move. Did you want to succumb to the unpaid choice?..” (Ua.tribuna.com, 09.02.23).
But seriously, the situation around the national team once again clearly reflects the complete incompetence of the head of the UAF and his entourage. Moreover, we are talking not only about another incident with the choice of the national team coach.
Here, for example, is what Viktor Vatsko says on the air of his author's YouTube channel, comparing the infrastructures of the national teams of Ukraine and Armenia, which is now headed by Petrakov.
“Virmenia has a basis for the chosen lands. The base is called “Technical Center of the Football Federation of Virmenia – Academy of Football” and won in 2010 as early as 2010.
11 waterings, both natural and artificial, fitness center, cool swimming pools, hotel complex, tennis courts and futsal room…
І everything is in the choice of Virmenia. And in us there is a lot of pathos. One hundred vice-presidents, 200 clerks, a ponty about the riven of the chosen cities of Germany and Spain.
And in fact, the choice of Ukraine cannot bring its own bus” (Ukrfootball.ua, 07.02.23).
Gleb Skripchenko covers the problematic topics somewhat wider, calling the activities of the UAF a complete failure:
“To enter here and absolutely unreasonable diplomatic activity at the hour of war, and impossibility to explain to the press the facts of establishing criminal records, and absolute unreasonableness of the situation on the coaching bridge... before the playoffs of the championship of the world, day after day of such stars after successful matches and, obviously, thousands of legendary photos on Facebook Pavelka with boxes…” (Football.ua, 10.02.23).
Is there a way out of this vicious circle? Certainly there is. The media have repeatedly spoken out about the vital need for a change of power in Ukrainian football. Only this should not be just castling in the main office of the UAF. A large-scale restructuring of the football economy is ripe, as Igor Linnik writes on his Facebook page:
“Vignati in shii z Budinka football Pavelka is not enough! It is necessary to change the model of the inner pyramid. Otherwise, the deputy of one incomprehensible person will show up otherwise, or throw a damn confession on football ...
First of all, first for everything, the main investors in football in Ukraine are the football clubs of those Vlasniki” (Ukr.net, 10.02.23).
According to the journalist, sooner or later, professional clubs will not avoid interference in management processes, which must be brought into line with the requirements of the time.
“According to all appearances, the UAF will have to experience it again - it was initiated by the clubs themselves! (even if only close to them, the stake may be preparing new personnel) - I will establish a conference. I'll reinstall.
Even for a singing period, perhaps, for one elective cycle, the management of football in Ukraine can be supported by professionals and huge people (so as not to waste the field, not to spend, among other things, mass, amateur and other varieties of live football) - say, at 50 50 (organizational may look different).
There will be no more damage, even if there is a greater fall on the football of Ukraine,” Igor Linnik delivers a verdict (Ukr.net, 10.02.23).
