Ukrainian defender Oleksandr Drambayev, who played in Belgium last season for local side Zulte Waregem, spoke about the Belgian league, where former Dynamo Kyiv midfielder Serhiy Sydorchuk will now play for Westerlo.
Alexander Drambayev- Why should Sydorchuk, at a respectable football age, move to the Belgian championship? What are the advantages of this?
- I think he is just interested in setting new goals for himself. Playing in the European Championship is always interesting. To assess and look at your capabilities... If Sydorchuk feels good, why not?
- What are the advantages of this championship?
- I think the Belgian championship is more intense and interesting. Every match here is interesting and unpredictable. You can't tell in advance who will win today. Everything changes very quickly here.
- Do you have any disadvantages of the league?
- I don't know. I can't name them, nothing comes to mind. It's a really good league, popular in the country.
- Who will be Serhii's rivals at the new club? What's the situation with the midfield?
- To be honest, in the matches with Westerlo, I paid more attention to the wing players - because I'm a full-back myself. It will definitely be difficult, but Serhii is a professional. At first, he will have to adapt. This is the first thing to do, and he knows how to play football. He has proved it many times.
- What kind of football does Westerlo play? What can they achieve this season?
- Last season they played one kind of football, and this season they will play another. They have new players, it's a new championship, where Westerlo is still fighting for survival. It's hard to play with every team here. There are no easy matches in Belgium. Everyone tries to play open football, no one puts the bus in. I noticed that teams start running even more after the 60th minute. There is no free minute to rest. Unless VAR intervenes, you have time to rest.
- So the Belgian championship is physically strong?
- Yes, all the teams are very well prepared in terms of physicality. The training camps here are incredibly difficult. I've never experienced anything like it anywhere else. For me, Belgium was the hardest pre-season training camp. We went to the park every day. It is not far from our town, there is a very large forest there. We ran 12 kilometres in the morning and seven kilometres in the evening. That's probably why the players are so physically fit.
- Will Sydorchuk become a prominent figure in the Belgian championship?
- If everything goes well, then, of course, he will play. I think he didn't go there to sit on the bench, but to play in the starting line-up. He was recruited for a reason, to be in the first team. Serhii has a lot of experience, a great pass, he sees the field well and has good technique. I think he will help the team.
- Do you think Sergiy will be successful in Belgium? Will he be able to keep up with the pace of this championship?
- I think Serhiy will be able to keep up the pace. As far as I know, they also run a lot at Dynamo, especially during training camps. The main thing is for him to adapt. The first games, the first training sessions... He needs to be given time and he will be able to enter the game. He will be fine.
- Is it typical for the Jupiler League that players of this age and with such international experience come here?
- I don't think they rely on experienced players here. Belgium has a very good ratio of young to adult players. I believe that for teams to show good results, not only young people should play. There should be experienced players in the squad who can give you some advice because they have seen a lot in their careers. I believe that psychology is important in football, so you shouldn't rely only on young people who are very unstable.
- Apart from the Belgian national teams that are returning home, are there any examples like the 32-year-old newcomer Sydorchuk?
- There are great veterans in this championship. For example, Toby Alderweireld... You look at him - the way he plays, his structure, and you realise that he is a top player. He scored a lot for Antwerp last season - from the penalty spot, with his head. His physique, experience and vision of the game are top.
I gave you one example, but there are also Mignolet and Boyata at Brugge, Vertonghen at Anderlecht. That is, there are indeed several star veterans at once - and they are not playing out, but playing.
Dmytro Chornobay
