Dynamo Kyiv defender Denys Popov spoke about the first days of the training camp in Turkey and also assessed the importance of proper nutrition and healthy sleep during the preparatory period.
Denis Popov- How were the first days of the training camp, share your impressions?
- Under pressure, in an intensive mode. But this is the beginning of the training camp - in principle, everything is as usual.
- How do you maintain your diet during the training camp?
- Basically, the same as the team - whatever they give me, I eat. It's nothing special. I don't count calories - everyone chooses what they like to eat.
- Tell us about your typical diet - what do you eat mostly?
- Meat, vegetables, some carbohydrates - pasta, pasta - and nothing else.
- Is there a high percentage of protein in your diet?
- I probably do. I also drink vitamin cocktails and minerals - I try to do everything right.
- How important is sleep during the training camp?
- You need to ask your doctors about that. Of course, you need to recover and follow the team's schedule.
- Is it important for you how much you sleep?
- Basically, I usually fall asleep around 11pm and wake up around 8am.
- During the training camp, we will play ten control matches at once. Is it easier for players to prepare for the season through game practice?
- In principle, training is also important, as we had a long holiday, we need to get fit and remember the ball. Of course, we want to play sparring matches, our opponents are good, so we can prepare for the continuation of the season and reach our peak form.
- How is it working under Oleksandr Shovkovskyi as head coach? Are there any peculiarities of the training process?
- The training process is slowly changing, but at the training camp, the first days or even a week are always about running work, getting fit. We'll see in the control matches, we'll probably try different combinations.
- Serhii Fedorov, who specialises in working with defenders, has joined the coaching staff. What advice does he give you?
- We have known each other for a long time, we worked together in both the youth and senior teams. For his part, having a lot of experience, he tells us a lot. But this is just the beginning, let's see how it goes in the future. I'm sure it will only be a plus for us, the defenders.
