Former Dynamo Kyiv coach Oleksandr Khatskevych has shared his opinion about his former club's early termination of the contract with Artem Besedin and Andrii Yarmolenko's return to the Bilo-Syni.
Aleksandr Hatkevich- Besedin will leave Dynamo early. Whose initiative do you think it was? The player or Ihor Surkis?
- I also know it only from the press. The president and the football player met and they came to this decision, although Besedin has the contract with Kyiv "Dynamo". Whose initiative was it? Only two people can answer this question - those who directly participated in the process.
- Why was such a decision made?
- I do not even have any definite thoughts about it. Because Artem found himself in a difficult situation recently, and he was disqualified for doping through no fault of his own. Then he recovered with dignity, regained his form and went to the European Championship to defend the honour of the country, and he was seriously injured.
The club was waiting for his return, signed a long-term contract with him. Now, as I understand, he has an injury again.
Why has it happened? (We are talking about an early termination of the contract.) Perhaps, the break-up suited both parties. That is why such a situation with the relationship between Artem and Dynamo.
- Was Besedin able to compete with Vanatu next season or has he not got the same physical condition?
- I do not know the extent of Besedin's injury. A month of treatment or longer? I do not know what the situation is, but Suryaga was left for three or four months to recover. In fact, it is better to ask Besedin himself whether he was a competitor for Vanatu or not.
It turns out that Dynamo enters this season with two strikers (Vladislav Vanat and Eric Ramires - ed.). So, Lucescu is satisfied with it.
- What is Besedin's psychological state after Omonia and the injury?
- He went through this doping disqualification. Not through his fault, I would say. Then he had a serious injury in the match for the National team. And now this situation...
I do not think that he will break psychologically. Of course, it is a difficult moment, but the decision was made. So far we have only heard Surkis' statements on this situation. Artem will answer you more in this situation. But I am sure that he should not break psychologically.
- Besedin's problems are more psychological or physical?
- He needs to recover physically first. Psychologically, he has already gone through two difficult situations that he has had recently. Now there is more trauma. That is why I say that I am confident in him, that psychologically he will not break down.
- In youth football Besedin showed great promise and Petrakov even took him to the youth team one year older. Why has Artem not turned out as "the new Shevchenko"?
- There is no need to put labels. Where is Shevchenko and where is Besedin? Let's also get down to earth. Many players are labelled and hung for their incomprehensible merits. When a footballer has just learned to kick a ball, but they are already predicting a future like Shevchenko's.
Shevchenko is one such person. After him, there were no forwards in Ukrainian football. You should not compare Besedin and live up to expectations. He played at his level and was useful both at Dynamo and for the national team.
If a football player plays in the national team, it is the highest level of a football player. So we must only support him, not compare with what was once. If you live in the past, you have no future, neither do you have memories. We just need to support Artem now both for journalists and the people who are near him. And the fact that Petrakov once took him there... This is a story that no one remembers anymore, they only remember the present.
- Is it possible that Besedin was simply overrated in his youth?
- He had a difficult fate for the last three years. Exactly in terms of his football career. When a player at his prime, at such a football age, misses a lot of time, it is difficult to regain his best form. It was this doping suspension that got him down in the first place. And the people responsible for it should be held accountable, and the club should be on the side of the player until the end.
- In what championship and at what level should the team expect the forward in the new season?
- He now needs to recover. Where will he recover? Under the care of which team? What doctors? The situation is such that I can`t say at what level Besedin will play.
- How do you assess Yarmolenko's return to Dynamo?
- I have great expectations for his return. I had great expectations from Dynamo this season.
Of course, Yarmolenko will bring a certain number of points to the team. His experience is a plus. But one football player doesn't play alone. And Yarmolenko will also need help from the players on the pitch. It is a team sport.
Therefore, we should not expect the team to be competitive in Ukraine right away after Yarmolenko's arrival. Shevchenko returned, so did Rebrov. Yarmolenko came. It means he has the potential to strengthen the current Dynamo's game.
- Andriy could have found a more financially rewarding offer abroad, but he came to Kyiv. What is his motivation?
- According to him, it is to return the championship to Dynamo. And, as I understand it, he remains in the structure of Dynamo after his career ends.
I think Andriy is not a poor man, and today he has chosen to continue his career. This is his choice and any choice must be respected.
- Will Yarmolenko not close the way to the first team for the youth?
- Yarmolenko left, Tsygankov started to play. Now Vitya has moved to Girona, and Andriy will play. Who can he close the way to?
Tsitaishvili? Lucescu has already seen him two or three times in the pre-season training camp. If the coach needed him, he would put him on. He will not close the way for Tsitaishvili, because the current Dynamo head coach does not see this player in his team. Who else will play at this position for Dynamo?
If someone young man competes with Yarmolenko and sits him on the bench, it will be a plus for the same young footballer.
- Will Yarmolenko's up-to-date form help Dynamo in the UPL, but in European competitions?
- Let's get to European competitions first. We must go through the third qualifying round and playoffs of the Conference League to get to the group stage.
Let's start the championship, and then we will talk about European competitions and whether Yarmolenko will help or not. I once again say that football is a team sport. Yarmolenko alone can not do anything.
- There was information that Surkis decided to cut salaries at Dynamo, and Buyalskyy refused such a development and even wants to leave. What do you think about it?
- If a club makes a commitment to the players and signs a contract with the players, it must fulfill the agreement.
But if a club takes on financial obligations and then says, sorry, we can't pay you, then let the players go.
- Aleksandr Nikolayevich, lastly a question for you: do you plan to return to coaching in the near future?
- I have my own issues that I need to solve. But I am always open and ready. That is all.
Yevgeniy Chepur
