Dynamo U-19 head coach Ihor Kostiuk commented on his team's 5-1 championship match against Rukh, after which the White and Blues won the gold medal in the youth championship.
Igor Kostyuk
- Ihor Volodymyrovych, share your champion's emotions after the crushing away victory over last year's U-19 champions. What happened in the dressing room after the game, what are you feeling now?
- We are calm inside, because we have confidently won the championship in a head-to-head match with Shakhtar. This was our main rival this season, we beat them in both games and thus won the championship trophy.
- Dynamo hasn't been able to win the championship for several years...
- Yes, Rukh was the champion for two seasons for objective reasons - they had a good team. Unfortunately, we didn't finish the first of these seasons, when we were in good shape, but the war prevented us from finishing the championship. Last season, Rukh was stronger, we have to admit it, we lost a lot of points. This season, we also lost, and Shakhtar lost. But we defeated them in a head-to-head match and thus became champions.
- If you evaluate the whole season, did you manage to achieve everything you planned?
- The team progressed, a group of players from 2006 joined this season. Also, players born in 2007 joined us. We see the progress of the players. They are progressing as a group, as a team. Our players are already included in the first team - in training and at the training camp, many of them take part in matches. This progress that we develop in the players paves the way for their future. 16-17 years old is the age when you need results. If up to 15-16 years old you need to train qualities, then at 16-17 years old they are already players who work for the result, fight for the result, get emotions from winning matches. This is how they progress.
- Dynamo lost to Kolos twice during the season, while Shakhtar won twice. What did the team lack to make the season go more smoothly?
- It's obvious: youth football is unstable, there are always matches that the team loses. We analyse why they lose them, but, as they say, there are no victories without defeats. It's good that we move on from these defeats with dignity, analyse them, and the boys understand why we lose. It's our job to explain the reasons to them. They work on their mistakes, correct themselves, and we win. This is a championship - thanks to them, thanks to their attitude to the work process, first of all in training.
- The championship is the way to the UEFA Youth League. What can we expect from this team there?
- We will be preparing. We have already played in the tournament many times through the Champions' Way, reaching the 1/8 finals. The game will show what we are worth in Europe.
- Why didn't the top scorer of the U-19 Championship, Matvii Ponomarenko, take part in the championship match?
- Matvey was ill, but his partners were understanding and replaced him. Matvey made a significant contribution to our championship, there were matches where he really pulled out victories. I wish him a speedy recovery and progress in the first team.
- Taras Mikhavko was also involved in the first team games. Who else can play in the first team at the end of the season?
- Taras quickly broke into the first team - he came to us in the summer and in the autumn he was already playing for the first team. He's a young guy, we talk to him a lot to help him cope with the tension that prevails in the Premier League. He has all the qualities.
I don't want to single anyone out now, because the whole team is working for the result, and all players contribute to the victory. First of all, by working hard in training, because training is the main point. We play once a week and train for five days. The guys understand this, and I am glad that they became champions, and we are celebrating today.
- Do you already know how you will gain strength during the off-season?
- First of all, now I finally have peace of mind, because I understand that what we do, what we train, brings results. I like the fact that the guys listen and take heed. We are on the right track. Our training process, the tactics we are changing are working, bringing results, and this is the championship.
