The head coach of the youth national team of Ukraine Oleh Kuznetsov spoke about the team's preparations for the Euro 2024 (U-19) qualifying round.
Oleg Kuznetsov (photo: uaf.ua)- Oleg Volodymyrovych, is the squad that went to the qualifying round of the European Championships optimal?
- I think so. If many new players were invited to the recent training camp in South Korea, now the emphasis was on the players having game practice.
- But even now there are still some newcomers...
- Yes. We've been following Timur Tuterov for a long time, when he was still playing for Kolos. He is currently playing steadily for Sunderland's youth team. I have good things to say about Oleksandr Pyshchur, a tall striker from Pushkash Academy. Bohdan Manuilov is also performing well in Spain. I hope these guys will help us.
- Will the team have little time to prepare for the tournament?
- We left Kyiv on the morning of the 11th. We arrived in Malta on the 12th in the late afternoon. In fact, we will have two full working days.
- What do you know about your future qualifying rivals?
- We collect the most information on the Maltese national team, because we meet the hosts in the first round. And we will look at Kosovo and Slovakia at the tournament itself.
- Can the Ukrainian national team be called the favourite of this group?
- I wouldn't be so categorical. The Maltese are the hosts, so they will be highly motivated. We met and defeated Kosovo, but it was a very difficult match for Ukraine. And Slovakia has always had promising youngsters. So I wouldn't single out any team. All opponents have about the same chances of success.
- Can we not ask about the task of the blue and yellows?
- Our team has no other goal but to make it to the elite round of the European Championship qualifiers.
