Former Dynamo Kyiv striker Fran Sol, who now plays for AEK Cyprus, told us what prevented him from breaking through in the Ukrainian big leagues, why he loves Hatskevich, dislikes Mykhailychenko and respects Lucescu, and how he welcomed migrants from Ukraine at home.
Фран Соль. Фото — Ю. Юр’єв"In Ukraine, there are three or four strong teams fighting for the championship, and in Cyprus, seven clubs are fighting for victory"
- Fran, how are you? Do you like it in Cyprus? Why did you choose this country to continue your career?
- Thanks, I'm fine. I really like it in Cyprus. It's a nice country with nice people. I'm happy to be playing here. AEK is a big project with a long-term development strategy, which is why I chose this club.
- What are the challenges facing AEK this season?
- The management has set us the task of finishing as high as possible in the standings, because our team has a squad that can cope with the most ambitious tasks and deserves it. We've had a good start to the year and continue to keep our chances of winning the championship.
- You have already scored 12 goals in this championship and lead the sniper race. Do you plan to become the top scorer?
- Yes, I have scored a dozen goals and am now leading the local league scoring race, but the most important thing is that my goals help the team win and continue to fight for the championship.
- Which championship is stronger - Cyprus or Ukraine?
- These leagues are similar and not very different. Except that in Ukraine there are three or four strong teams fighting for the championship, while in Cyprus seven clubs are fighting for victory.
"Khatskevych was always there for me, he explained a lot to me and helped me get used to the new team and the new country as quickly as possible"
- Your contract with Dynamo expired last summer. "Did Dynamo offer you a return?
- No, I have not received any offers to return to Kyiv or extend my contract. I think I didn't deserve it because I didn't meet the expectations of the club's management.
- You didn't play many matches during your time at Dynamo. What prevented you from showing your worth?
- Of course, my career at Dynamo did not develop as everyone expected. I couldn't become the main forward, I didn't score enough for the team to be able to solve its tasks in the domestic and European arenas.
The turning point was the shoulder injury I suffered two weeks after my debut, which caused me to miss almost the entire second part of the 2018/19 season. I never managed to return to my best form, which made me very upset because I thought I was exactly the kind of forward Dynamo needed.
When Oleksiy Mykhailychenko took over the team, he didn't see my potential, which is why I hardly played. He did not give me the opportunity to prove myself. I respect his choice. Perhaps it was really about me.
- Dynamo fans remember your goals against Olympiacos in the Europa League and Shakhtar in the Ukrainian Super Cup. What memories do you have of the UPL and Ukraine in general?
- Of course, I remember those goals. They were pleasant memories. My goal helped Dynamo get past Olympiacos and qualify for the last 16 of the Europa League. I really liked the atmosphere at our home games. In general, I have the best and warmest memories of the time I spent at the Kyiv club.
- In Ukraine, you worked with Hatskevich, Mykhailychenko and Lucescu. Which of these coaches did you like the most and why?
- Of course, I'll say Khatskevich, because I was a player in his starting line-up. He is a great person and a great coach. Khatskevich was always there for me, explained a lot to me and helped me to get used to the new team and the new country as quickly as possible. It was a great help, considering that I didn't speak Ukrainian. I am still grateful to him for that.
My relationship with Mykhailychenko did not develop as I would have liked. We communicated very well with Lucescu, but my playing form at that time left much to be desired. It is not surprising that the Romanian did not count on me and relied on other strikers. I have no complaints against him.
"I spent a lot of money on immigrants from Ukraine, but I don't regret anything"
- Which of your former Dynamo team-mates do you keep in touch with?
- Of course, I stay in touch with some of my former Dynamo teammates, although I don't talk to them very often, because now we play for different teams, where we also have enough communication. Unfortunately, there is not much time left for contacts outside the AEK.
- At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, you hosted refugees from Ukraine in your home. Tell us more about it. What were their names, where did they come from and how long did they stay with you?
- Yes, I hosted two families of Ukrainian refugees in my home. In particular, it was the wife of my Kyiv driver and my wife's personal trainer. I could not do otherwise because these people were in a very difficult situation.
I won't tell you their names, but they were very happy to be in Spain. For my part, I am pleased that my house was their escape from the war. I fully covered all their expenses. It was a lot of money, but I don't regret anything, because these people were really in a very bad situation.
- Do you follow the situation in Ukraine now? Are you helping anyone?
- Yes, I follow the events in Ukraine closely and help as much as I can. This mainly concerns financial assistance. When I see links to fundraisers reposted by my former Dynamo teammates on Instagram, I am happy to join them.
Artem Voitsekhovskyi
