The head coach of Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih, Yurii Vernydub, spoke about his team's start to the season, the work of the referees, the possible admission of fans to the stands and the imminent victory over the Russian occupiers.
- The first match in the championship had a negative taste not because of football factors. Just like last year, you were outraged by the referee's actions. Why is this happening, in your opinion?
- I don't know. Because if you listen to those who say something, Vernydub does not like to lose, so he is always unhappy with the refereeing. And that's fine: I'm really unhappy and I don't want to lose. But when you lose with the help of people who decide your fate, there is no penalty, there is something else. If there is no penalty and you think it's a simulation, then you, as a referee, should stop the game, give a free kick to Kryvbas and give a yellow card to Khomchenovskyi. And then there would have been no sending off.
But when you read the same experienced referee Myroslav Stupar, who says that there was a penalty and it was a specific mistake of the referee, what can you say? I don't think it was a mistake. It could have happened to a young referee, but when an experienced referee constantly misses some moments (he didn't see it, he didn't look at it), it confuses me.
I don't want to talk much about it, because of course I'm not happy. It's one thing when you lose in a fair fight, it's another when there are outside factors. If we lose in a fair fight, I always admit it. And when I see that there is a complete domination of the person who works on this game and does everything to prevent Kryvbas from using their chance, it's another story. The only thing I want is for the referees to judge what they see, not what they want.
Then they say: sorry, I didn't see it. But these apologies are useless. The fate of any coach depends on these people. And for some reason, they can afford to use these moments to get the same coach to leave the team and be fired. And why can a referee make a mistake and miss 1-2 games? So fire these referees too. Then it will be clear to them that this mistake will cost them their future work. That's all.
- In your opinion, will the current championship be stronger in terms of football quality than the previous one?
- It's hard to say. It will be stronger if our clubs that have qualified for the European Cups do well. Especially those teams that will be in the group. Then we can say that we are growing. If we don't win anything there, it will be more like the level of the championship is dropping a little.
- Your son has finished his football career. How difficult was this news for you?
- Why was it difficult? I told him he could continue playing. But the time has come when he needs to stop. He realised this himself, came to me and said that maybe it was enough. He had a lot of injuries in that championship. He was well aware of this. In my opinion, Vitaliy chose the right path. If he wants to continue his career in football, I will only support him. I will always help and advise him. I would like Vitaliy to be even better than me and achieve even greater results as a coach.
- This year, the Ukrainian Cup will resume. What tasks did the management set for you in both tournaments?
- I don't know how to say it correctly, but I always set the highest standards for myself. In the championship, I want to take the highest possible place to get the maximum result in each game. In the Ukrainian Cup, too. If we don't set ourselves such goals, then what is the point of this work? What should the team fight for? To avoid relegation? We have already passed this stage. From year to year, we need to set higher goals and do everything possible to ensure that the guys grow as professionals, and that we and the coaching staff also improve our skills. The most important thing is that we achieve results. I think this is what our management and the club president want.
- The Ministry of Youth and Sports did not allow spectators to come to the stadiums. How did you take this decision?
- It's hard for me to talk about it. On the one hand, maybe it's not necessary because we have a war going on in our country. But it could be that something happens during the game? Yes, it can. If there are shelters where people can hide, then yes. But as far as I know, there are no such large shelters. On the other hand, why can we hold concerts and celebrations, as the local authorities do, but we can't go to a football game?
It's a double-edged sword. I wouldn't want to analyse anything here, because there are people who are in charge of this, they have to analyse it and provide security for everyone. If they can do that, they should allow the fans to come to the stadium. If not, then they shouldn't.
- Kryvyi Rih is quite turbulent right now - last Monday, racists shot at a residential building... How are the team and you personally dealing with these events?
- It is very difficult, not only in Kryvyi Rih, but in Odesa it is even hotter. Life goes on, we have to be understanding, be careful, listen to air raid warnings and do everything we can to avoid getting under fire.
Although you see our "brotherly people" behave like this... they say they are hitting military units, but for some reason they hit residential buildings. This is very painful for all of us, especially when children, women, and the elderly are killed. I would really like it to end as soon as possible. It will end in our victory anyway, so we need to be patient. It cannot be otherwise.
Danylo Vereitin