Ukrainian defender Oleksiy Dityatyev commented on the early termination of his contract with Lviv and explained what was happening at the Lviv club.
- Oleksiy, we read your post on Instagram, where you say goodbye to FC "Lviv". What happened?
- We terminated the agreement by mutual consent.
- What was the term of your contract?
- I think, for another year. But I came on the condition that the team retain their place in the UPL. So I doubt that the agreement would have been in force after the relegation. When I came in, we did not even considered the possibility that the team will depart. But it happened as it happened.
- Why did you terminate the contract in the middle, and not at the end of the season, as there were only four rounds left?
- That is a question for management. There`s a lot of strange things going on at the club.
- What kind of things?
- I find it hard to discuss what is going on in the offices and somehow analyze it. There are different rumors and I will not tell you anything new. I do not know whether FC "Lviv" will exist after the team has failed to fulfill the task of keeping its place in the UPL. You need to ask the owner.
- FC "Lviv" owner Bohdan Kopytko is not a public person. Have you ever seen him?
- I have never seen this man and I do not know him. The [general director of the club] Vadym Olehovych Levchuk keeps in touch with the team more.
- In the spring everyone was shocked by Dulubu's dismissal. What happened then?
- It was unexpected for everyone. Yesterday Dulubu was coaching the team, but today they came and said that the coach was no more. Nobody explained anything to us, they didn`t even let the team say goodbye to Oleg Anatolievich.
- What can you say about his replacement, Anatoliy Bessmertniy?
- He found himself in a very difficult situation. I have great respect for the man that he was not afraid in such a difficult time to take responsibility and try to change the situation. I can only say good things about him, he is a decent man.
- What do other players of FC "Lviv" say? Will someone stay in the team after the relegation to the first league?
- I am not sure that some of the current players of the team will make it to the new season if they are in the first league. You can see that FC "Lviv" has a very big turnover of the squad and many players have been recruited for the next UPL season. But the task was not fulfilled, so I'm sure that most of the players will leave the team. In addition, everyone has doubts whether FC "Lviv" will exist at all.
- Why do you think FC Lviv failed to retain its place in the Premier League?
- I do not know. Perhaps the team has too many young players who have no experience, a lot of Legionnaires. There are many factors.
- Are FC Lviv legionnaires stronger than Ukrainian players or not?
- I will not answer this question, because I can't say bad things about my teammates. Maybe I was not up to the mark, that's for sure(laughs - AP comment).
- The club has settled with you in full?
- If I cancelled the contract, then yes. Everything is OK.
- What are your future plans? Are you negotiating with someone?
- I'm currently in search of a new club. I don`t have any options, because most people only found out about my departure today.
- Are you interested to stay in Ukraine or will you consider foreign options?
- I think I have no opportunity to leave Ukraine now [due to the martial law], so I will consider options from the UPL. The First League is not interesting for me now.
Andriy PISKUN