Honoured coach of Ukraine Myron Markevych summed up the results of the season in the Ukrainian championship for Team1 and assessed the prospects of domestic clubs in the international arena.
Myron Markevych- I think that the participants just played for the places they took. Of course, before the start of the season, almost all experts considered Dynamo to be the favourite, but as the tournament progressed, the Kyiv team slowed down and at the finish line they no longer even claimed to be in the top three. I am convinced that everything is fair: "Shakhtar not only outperformed their pursuers in terms of stability, but also in terms of tactical variety. Unfortunately, in recent matches, Dnipro-1 slowed down and fell far behind the champion, as they could not boast of a long squad, and the opponents managed to neutralise Dnipro's striker Artem Dovbyk at a crucial moment. And without him, the attacking potential did not cause the opponents any fear. As for the bronze medallist, Zorya, they lost too much in the first part of the season.
- You've already mentioned Dynamo as the main disappointment of the season, but from whom else did you expect more?
- Oleksandriya. I have to admit that the restructuring initiated by the new coaching staff of the "citizens" was ineffective. It's a pity, because they missed a chance to try their hand at the Conference League.
Still, it is very good that, despite martial law, we managed to hold a full-fledged championship. First of all, I would like to thank the Armed Forces of Ukraine for repelling the Russian aggressor. But, to be honest, the level of training of the UPL participants was not impressive. And how could it be otherwise in the absence of constructive action, passivity in attack with few finishing shots, and all this at a slow pace... Who likes this kind of football? Moreover, I am of the opinion that the managers of Shakhtar and Dnipro-1, Igor Jovicevic and Oleksandr Kucher, respectively, squeezed the maximum out of their wards...
- Among the losers who have said goodbye to the UPL is Metalist, who once made a loud statement on both the national and international stages with your help...
- Of course, it's a shame that Kharkiv lost their "residence" in the elite division. The departure of a long-standing sponsor was immediately noticeable. However, there is hope that Metalist will not disappear, because I know that there is no shortage of talented replacements in the club's training groups, and I hope that in a few years Slobozhanshchyna will return to the top flight.
- Is there anyone from the coaching staff worth singling out?
- Perhaps Volodymyr Sharan from Minaya. Having led a team that from year to year thought only about not being relegated, he has formed a fairly capable team. You can feel the coach's hand, each of Sharan's players clearly knows their manoeuvre. And if Sharan stays at Minaj, I think the Transcarpathians will continue to improve.
- Which of the young players can be called the discovery of the season?
- I remember only Artem Bondarenko, although he is already well known to football fans. However, despite his youth, he has started to play an increasingly prominent role at Shakhtar this season. And if he improves in the selection process and performs better on the outskirts of the penalty area, he will increase in value significantly.
- Then finally, what can we expect from our clubs in the next European Cup campaign?
- Unfortunately, the prospects are bleak, but there is still a chance to improve the situation. To do this, our representatives should invite strong legionnaires to their ranks in the off-season.
Vasyl Mykhailov
