Ukraine U-21 defender Maxim Taloverov has shared his impressions about his performance at U-21 Euro 2023 and also commented on different rumours concerning his future. The 23-year old is contracted to Czech Slovan and spent last season on loan at Austrian LASK.
- Max, what was your overall impression of Euro 2023 (U-21)? What was memorable, what worked and what was the most unpleasant surprise?
- I would like to start with the historical moments. In particular, our entry to the Olympics. It was one of our goals. If you take away all the negativity, of course, it's great that we achieved it with such hard work. Before the qualification round, the coaching staff took a risk and organised a new structure of the game, which produced a historic result.
We managed to prove that the football we show is worth living. We have all the chances to qualify for tournaments like Euro 2023 (U-21). I think we were one of the best teams in this tournament.
I would also like to say that it was a great experience for all of us to take part in such a tournament. It was a great experience to get out of the group. Not many teams managed to do it. And also great that they managed to take such a great revenge against France, after devastating defeats.
I would also like to mention that the team was probably one of the best I have ever worked with in my career. From the coaches, to the masseurs, to the doctors...
We were all one, all united and going towards the goal. I am very happy I could be part of such a team not only for the Euro 2023 finals (U-21), but since the start of qualifying.
- That is if we are talking about the positives. On the negative side?
- Very disappointed and frustrated with the last game against Spain. Unfortunately, it did not work out very well. It was obvious, as Ruslan Petrovych said, that our eyes wanted to, but our feet could not.
Of course, we do not want that it was an excuse, because Spain is also a very strong team, which has been showing a great game since the U-15 age. We are very grateful to God that we managed to reach the semi-finals and make it into the top four teams in Europe.
The defeat is very disappointing, though it is a great experience, because you cannot win without defeat. I would also note Kolya Mikhailenko: it is a shame that he got injured, after all, the guy was with us for the whole cycle. We missed him and he deserved to take part in the finals through his work.
And if somebody had told us, our fans, two years ago that this national team would reach the semi-finals of Euro 2023 (U-21), perhaps only 5% would have believed it. And 2% of them are our parents, loved ones, ourselves and our coaches.
So it is better to concentrate on the good things: we are all very happy to have made it to the Olympics and it is a great dream to meet in a team like this and play some more matches.
- Against whom has it been most difficult for you to play defensively in this tournament?
- At Euro 2023 (U-21) we had the best players of their national teams; I do not want to single out anyone in particular. But it was not easy from the very first match. For the Croats it was difficult to stand up to Dion Drene Bello, let alone France and Spain. Each opponent was strong, especially when it comes to the forwards.
I studied each of them in detail. My dad helped me in that first of all. He is an analyst in my small team, so he gave me all the information about the forwards. Also, our national team analyst, Eugene Gres, told me a lot of useful things, he even sent me the individual highlighters of those forwards.
We tried to study them, but each of them was difficult. Nevertheless, Italy, Germany and France, who are the world leaders in youth and adult football, were behind us.
- How would you describe your competition with Aleksandr Sirota?
- For me, the main question is: why is it causing such a resonance? You are not the first person to ask that. But I think that all four centre-backs who were in the team at this Euro, plus or minus the same level. We worked in equal conditions, everyone worked to get into the squad. Everyone has his pluses and minuses. I would not want to single out specifically the competition with Sirota.
On the other hand, against Serbia it was the Sirota-Batagov pair, against Slovakia, they played the first game. In the second match against Slovakia, the Sirota-Taloverov pair played. It was the coach`s decision, all four of us were on the same level, the choice was up to the coaching staff. I will not talk about myself, but Sirota, Batagov and Saliuk are all very good players. I don`t want anyone to say that I`m in competition with Sanyai Sirota.
We are all a team, we`ve achieved one goal, but we were a bit lacking till the final. Such questions, as if they want to quarrel with us, to create dissension in the team. The competition was healthy and we all got stronger this month.
- There are rumors about the interest in you from "Werder" and some other European clubs. How close to the truth is it?
- Now, after the last game, I am on a mini holiday. I am trying to heal some problems that I could not fix during the season. That's a dentist, for example. Then I`ll have a few days rest and then I`ll go back to football.
Now I do not want to think about anything, only to recover, heal teeth and go back to football. During the transfer window players are often linked with different clubs, and that's normal. We will see how things go from here.
- They still talk modestly about Shakhtar's interest in you. Are you ready, if anything, to return to Ukraine?
- I have not heard that. Only a few Ukrainian fans called me. Of course, I am pleased, but at the moment there`s nothing to talk about. If there`s an interest from some Ukrainian clubs, then you can ask me about it.
For now I`d like to spend time with my girlfriend, family and friends. And then we`ll know exactly what we`ll do next. In turn, I would congratulate Patrick van Leeuwen on his appointment, he received me in the academy and invested a lot in the development of young players, so now I am deservedly the coach of the first team.
Alexander Karpenko