The president of Zhytomyr's Polissya Gennadiy Butkevich said that his team does not discuss the actions of the referees.
Gennadiy Butkevych. Photo: polissyafc.com- During the first part of the season, there was a lot of talk in the media about the work of the referees. How would you comment on the level of arbitration in the UPL?
- In the first four rounds, Polissia received three red cards. Our team was also sent off in the matches against both Dynamo and Shakhtar.
But we have never commented on the work of the referees. And we are not going to complain, as some managers allow themselves to do, who call for various speculations but remain silent when the referees make the same mistakes in favour of their club. I am impressed by the character and behaviour of Yuriy Kalitvintsev and the Polissia players, who do not run around the pitch after the referee, do not put pressure on him and do not complain after the match.
We had one precedent back in the First League when the players' emotions crossed the line, but after that we drew tough conclusions. Therefore, we will always focus on the quality of the game. And it is paying off. Even in the minority, we made a comeback and defeated Dynamo. This is the character and mentality of the club that I would like to see. I thank my entire team for this.
- As for the referees, what steps do you think are necessary to improve refereeing?
- Regarding the referees, I would like to see our referees regularly at Champions League matches, so that they can be invited to the Euros or the World Cup. Many Ukrainian footballers are now playing brilliantly in Europe, yesterday's Barcelona vs Girona match is proof of that. I believe our referees can also prove themselves. For my part, I am ready to join with other club owners in the initiative to create a bonus fund to improve the conditions for referees and finance their professional development.
