Sergei Palkin: "I am sure that Jovicevic already has a queue of clubs inviting him"

Shakhtar CEO Serhiy Palkin has commented on the appointment of Patrick van Leeuwen as the team's new head coach.

- First of all, I want to congratulate Patrick van Leeuwen as our team's head coach. If you look at the history, we have a very deep relationship with Patrick. In my opinion, over the last 20 years he has been the best academy head coach we have had - very systematic, very professional. "Zorya, I think, was the apogee of his career: they built this team virtually from scratch and finished third in the championship of Ukraine, and Patrick was named the best coach of the season.

All those factors made us take the decision to appoint Van Leeuwen as our team's head coach. I wish him success, victories, victories and more victories! And we will help and support him in all his actions.

From the bottom of my heart I want to thank Jovicevic and his coaching staff, because they have really done a very good job. They joined the club at a very difficult time, when the war was in full swing, when the foreign players left and we had to build a new team with new leaders, led by the Ukrainian players. We made a very strong team, won the Ukrainian championship, and played well in the Champions League group. I am sure he already has a queue of clubs who invite him. We wish him success, new challenges and only the best," Palkin said.