Head coach of the Ukraine U-19 national team Dmytro Mykhailenko on Vofthorde U-18 winger Christian Shevchenko, who was called up to the team.
Dmitry Mikhailenko. Photo: D. Rudenko- We are moving from Shevchenko to Shevchenko. In the story of Christian Shevchenko's call-up to the national team, the zrazda about nepotism has started in Ukrainian football. He is the son of the legendary ex-footballer, now - the head of the UAF. What is the attitude of the team to Christian Shevchenko?
- This is a very difficult topic for the guy himself, first of all. He is under a lot of pressure. You understand, he is compared to his father. It is very difficult for him, but he did well.
The guys saw a positive, smiling young man who feels difficult. Because not many people communicate in English. Even the first breakfast, the first rally, everything is hard because you need someone to translate for him. In the first days, I think he was not at ease, but then they sat down at his table, chatted, joked, laughed. What language did they communicate in? I understand that English, Ukrainian, but it was already a full-fledged communication. It was already loud and curious. And the football field does change. You can be one thing in everyday life, but on the pitch you can be something else. On the pitch he is very excited, motivated, agile.
- You said that the players may have expected to see him as one thing, but he turned out to be another. What do you mean by that?
- Everyone probably thought that here is Shevchenko. No, he's ordinary. A very modest guy. An ordinary Cossack.
