Alexander Ischenko, the head of Dynamo Children's and Youth Sports School named after Valerii Lobanovs'kyi, told about how the Kyiv players compete with Rukh in the youth championship of Ukraine.
- Dynamo junior team has not been the champion for three years. This season there is a gap with Rukh. How can you evaluate the performance of Ihor Kostiuk's team?
- It is impossible to say unequivocally. The championship has not been finished twice in that period: first through Kovid and then through the war. "Shakhtar were ahead of us only in extra points the season before last.
It is great that there is such a rival as Rukh. They have been actively selecting players in the west and center of the country. Grigory Kozlovsky has built an excellent base. They hired young coaches who are working hard. That has paid off. The guys go there. They have a good team, good aura and a good methodology. It's a rivalry worthy of respect. The competition was not unnecessary for anybody.
I'll let you in on a secret. In June-July, we plan to hold the Challenge Cup in four age groups against Rukh. We are ready to accept the challenge. After the DYFL Cup and the return of our teams from Cologne, we are ready to hold these sparring sessions. These will be very useful matches for the coaches. We will see the real balance of power in youth soccer.