Former Ukraine defender Artem Fedetskyi told Sport-express in detail whether Yevhen Konoplyanka should end his career at the age of 34.
- Artem, what should Konoplyanka do: play some more or finish his career?
- I can't answer for Zhenya. He has to make his own decision, taking into account the state of his body and organism: whether he will play football or maybe do something else. Motivation is also a key aspect. A lot depends on the club and what its objectives are. If he has a desire to play again, it is better to try than to give up and regret it later.
- Can Konoplyanka reach the UPL level now?
- 100%. I played with him for almost four years at Dnipro, we crossed paths in the Ukrainian national team, and functionally he always looked great. His health at the time was at the top level. What is the situation now? It's hard to say, because we haven't spoken to Yevhen for a long time.
- I don't know what level of club he can play for: "Dynamo, Minaj...?
- Anywhere. Polissia is currently signing a lot of experienced players who have already made their mark in football. The Zhytomyr club has an alloy of youth and experience. It's hard for me to say why Yevhen didn't play at Shakhtar in his time. In sports, there are difficult periods of injury, after which it is difficult to return to your level. It hits you very hard psychologically and it is difficult for a footballer to find himself afterwards. Perhaps you need to hire a psychologist and work on yourself.
- Can Konoplyanka revive his career at Polissia?
- If he gets an invitation, why not? It's too early to give up on Yevhen.
- Konoplyanka hasn't been able to show his worth anywhere since Dnipro. Is it a matter of psychology?
- I think this is the key point. Perhaps he had a psychological breakdown. It didn't work out at Krakow, then he went to Cluj, where he was promised game practice, but in the end he didn't get it. If Zhenya wants to play again, he needs to completely clear his head and brain.
- But before that, he failed at Sevilla and Schalke.
- An important point is language. When Zhenya joined Sevilla, he spoke English, but there he had to learn Spanish to understand the coaches. It took him a while. While he was adapting, others were playing. At Schalke, Konoplyanka was once again exposed to a different culture, different football and a different language. It's not that easy.
- Konoplyanka always blamed his coaches for his failures. Did he have any conflicts at Dnipro?
- He never had even a minimal conflict with any coach at Dnipro. He had a great relationship with Ramos, Mister trusted him. No wonder Ramos said that Konoplyanka was worth 50 million. It must have been true. If Mudryk is now being sold for 70+30, then Konoplyanka was worth no less at the time. He also had a good relationship with Markevych. When Myron Markevych first came to Dnipro, he made Zhenya captain. There were also no conflicts with anyone in the national team.
- What was Konoplyanka like at Dnipro?
- I have seen few players like him. At Shakhtar, it was Douglas Costa and Willian, who could wind up two or three players without straining. And Konoplyanka could beat five players! Running from flag to flag and no one could take the ball away from him. I was just high on Konoplyanka's performance on the pitch. I think he had more potential than Kosta and Willian, but maybe I'm just saying that because he's Ukrainian. Yevhen was one of the best in Europe in terms of his individual qualities.
I also played in the national team with a great master, Yarmolenko. I made a lot of runs for him, but received only a few assists. He scored more than one goal at my expense (l aughs). I would run in, take the heavy artillery on, and Yarmola would move to the middle and score or assist with his stick. Although Andriy and I were not teammates, we understood each other in the national team. When I ran in, I already knew I wouldn't get the ball. When he passed the ball to me, I was surprised and thought: no wonder I made 75 runs to finally get a pass in the 76th.
- There is information circulating in the press that Konoplyanka and Zozulya are planning to set up an agency company, although Roman has strongly denied this. Have you heard anything about this?
- Zyuzya hasn't told me anything, although we correspond with him quite often. We mostly discuss volunteering and the needs of the military. I also read about the agency in the press. But it's not that simple, you need a team of people you can trust. Nowadays, most agents do not defend the rights of footballers, but think about their material interests. An agent should help a player not only with signing a contract but also in everyday life. If Roma and Konoplyanka are up to something, I wish them good luck.
- You know Konoplyanka and Zozulya well. Do they have a penchant for management?
- There is definitely chemistry between them. They were a great duo. During the training camps in Turkey or Spain, Dnipro players mostly stayed alone, but Zuzia and Konopa always shared a room. That's why they know each other from the ends of their fingers to the ends of their hair.
- Perhaps in the future Konoplyanka and Zozulya will push Sabre out of the Ukrainian market?
- I think there's no chance of that, not for 10-15 years for sure (l aughs). Unless they cooperate somehow.
Andriy Piskun