The head coach of the U-16 national team of Ukraine Yuriy Moroz summarized the team's performance at the international tournament in Japan.
Yuriy Moroz. Photo: UAF press service
"The players we took to the tournament had to match the level of the national team. Yes, the guys tried, but something was missing. Perhaps the acclimatization was taking its toll, but the fact remains that the team lost most of the fights, and I didn't see any football aggression in the guys.
However, there are positive aspects. There are many performers who made a favorable impression. I hope that in the future, if, of course, these players progress, they will be involved in the national team.
As for the level of the opponents, I liked everything. The teams were from different continents, with their own vision of football. Our players, who were in the national team for the first time, saw the level of the game, where everything is much faster than in domestic competitions, and the requirements are much higher. I am sure that after this training camp, many of our guys will change their attitude to the training process and football professionalism. Many of our players have learned a huge lesson in terms of how to prepare for the national team of Ukraine.
Now, as a coach, I need to look for players even more carefully. I won't say that this age is weak, but the potential is necessary. There is not much time left before the start of the qualifying round. We still have one more training camp to go, and at it the coaching staff needs to decide on the backbone of the national team for official matches. Let this be a signal to many players..." said Moroz.
