"Sad, but not surprised," Fedorchuk about Petrakov's call-up of Russian players to the Armenian national team

Famous Ukrainian coach Oleg Fedorchuk commented on the call by the head coach of the Armenian team Aleksandr Petrakov to his team four players playing in Russia.

"It is high time for us to move away from illusions about the conscientiousness of athletes and artists. These are very specific professions that imply a very closed circle of communication. I've been working in soccer for 46 years and I know the intellectual level of players and coaches, what they live by. Believe me, they do not interpret many things as they really do.

And the fact that the most patriotic Tymoschuk ended up on the wrong bank is a vivid illustration. Likewise with Petrakov, he stated one thing, but he signs a contract with a Russian ally who was transferring weapons. Either he does not know this, or he was dishonest at the time.

We need to find out once and for all for ourselves that players have no political awareness. For example, there is a group of Shakhtar players, I don't want to spoil anyone's evening now, in '14 at the checkpoint, leaving Donetsk, were very kissing and hugging the "Dnrovtsy" who were killing our people. Then these players played in our national team, and now from them "Glory to Ukraine" and everything else. They are little kids who don't always understand what they are doing.

Petrakov is the same, I've known him for 40 years. That's why I don't consider him the kind of person who understands everything he does. I'm not saying that he is limited in any way, you have to understand that athletes have a very narrow circle of communication, they are not aware [of all the nuances of the political situation].

Of course, it's [calling players from the Russian championship to the Armenian team] wrong, but if he didn't declare his pro-Ukrainian position, I wouldn't even notice it. After all, even when the Armenians played us recently, they had many legionnaires from Russia. But Petrakov says one thing, but demonstrates another, that is what is incomprehensible. I am upset by his behavior, but not surprised," Fedorchuk said.