Ukrainian defender of English Everton Vitaliy Mykolenko spoke to the club press service, touching on many topical issues.
Vitaly MikolenkoAbout the injury and my current form
- I missed the end of last season due to injury, I had problems with my quadriceps. And then, when I played for the Ukrainian national team, my hip problem worsened.
In total, I felt discomfort for about 18 months, then I turned to a specialist, who really helped me. As a result, I missed Everton's pre-season training camp in the summer, but now the problem is completely resolved.
It's always difficult when you miss pre-season training because you have to catch up with the level of other players. After pre-season training I gradually returned to training, but I missed the first four matches because of the final period of rehabilitation and because I was out of shape.
Now I feel much more comfortable. And never before have I been in such good shape as I am now. I feel 100 per cent, but at the same time I know that I can still improve.
About adaptation
- As for my adaptation at Everton and England in general, I feel really happy here and I speak English a lot more in the changing room. Probably because I've been here for almost two years now and because of the experience I've gained from my team-mates. It feels like a family.
About your playing role
- I have often heard stories about me saying that I am not an attacking player, but only a defender and I can only defend. But that's not true. I can play in attack, I can join it when I get the chance. Every team has good strikers, but I know I can contribute if it's good for the team. It's true that when you play in defence against top teams and top players like Saka or Salah, you certainly can't go on the attack very often.
Ultimately, my position is defender, so of course defence has to come first for me. But I'm positive about the attacking side of my game, maybe because I'm fully fit now and maybe I can get involved in attacks even more than before.
On Everton head coach Sean Dyche
- Sean gives me confidence and I took advantage of that confidence. I've spoken to him about my injury, I've spoken to him about other things as well. He's always open and always makes time to talk. If there's a need, if there's a question or a problem, I know I can go to him.
I understand what the coach wants from us in the game, what he wants from me personally in my position. This clear understanding is useful for both me and him. I know what he wants, and every time I try to show it on the pitch. I think I'm doing a good job of that this season.
As for Dyche's words about the importance of fitness, I agree with the coach. I am only 24 years old, but I realise that physical fitness is very important at APL level. I'm looking to continually progress in every training session in that respect, doing extra runs and things like that.
On taking 10 points off Everton.
- Of course it's hard to take, especially when you realise how difficult it is to pick up points in the English Premier League. It would be difficult for any team to cope, but the first thing I felt when I learnt about this sanction was the desire to pick up more points as quickly as possible.
And we can do that. I don't care how many points we have now or how many have been taken away from us. We work hard every day to keep moving forward. Everybody is working hard knowing that we can get more points and knowing that we can go up the table.
I think this situation has probably even brought us all in the team even closer together. We were a close-knit team before, but taking the points has given us even more concentration and determination.
Translation and adaptation by Oleksandr POPOV, Dynamo.kiev.ua
