Ruslan Rotan: "We have to show that we have a strong country that fights not only against orcs, but also on the sports front"

Ruslan Rotan, head coach of the Ukrainian Olympic team, spoke about the team's preparations for the 2024 Summer Olympics.

- Ruslan Petrovich, how did the move to France go, has the team acclimatized yet?

- It is always difficult to get to matches and training camps. It took us a day to get to our home base. But we can't influence this, so it's no excuse. Our task is to adapt as quickly as possible and get involved in the work. So everything is fine, we are here, we are working - this is the main thing.

- Are you satisfied with the living conditions, fields and infrastructure in general?

- I am completely satisfied. There are no problems. The conditions are standard, we have everything we need - fields, food, places for recovery, a gym.

- Have you tried any exotic French cuisine: snails, frog legs, etc., or does our team have its own cook?

- We don't have our own chef, nor do we have exotic food. Regular sports nutrition is the main thing for us, so everything is fine. The French cook for us very well, so we have no questions about them.

- Tell us a little about our players. What is their current physical and psychological condition?

- The players were in different physical conditions, because some had more rest, some less, some started working earlier, some later. The functional state was uneven. The task of the coaching staff now is to correct it, to give someone more workload, someone less. We want to use the time at the training camp productively to bring the players' functional condition to the same denominator.

The second important point is to establish understanding between the players and tactical connections - so that we think alike.

- Have you already decided who will be the team captain?

- There is no point in saying who will be the captain now. The main captain is the whole team.

- I'll ask the question differently: who is the leader and leader of your young team in the locker room?

- Among our youth, there are enough experienced players who have been with us since the first days - Max Taloverov, Danylo Sikan, Dima Kryskiv, Arseniy Batagov. One of them will be a captain. But the main thing is for the veterans of our young team to really be leaders, to lead the guys, and for them to listen to them. I am very happy that we have a good atmosphere. All the guys are friendly, they work well in training and listen attentively to theories. I'm knocking on wood, in this regard, everything is fine with us.

"Benfica didn't argue anything, they just sent us a letter of refusal saying they couldn't let Trubin go."

- Have all the players of the Olympic team arrived at the training camp?

- Well, you know the situation yourself. Unfortunately, there are problems. Now we have 15 field players plus three goalkeepers. Because of this, we can't organize a full-fledged training process, we have to work with what we have. Now I don't want to complain and say that the clubs don't understand us.

I want to abstract from this and concentrate on my work. We work with those who are here and wait for the other guys. The sooner they arrive, the better. I really want those clubs that are holding players back to meet the Olympic team halfway and let them go earlier. Football people understand that it is impossible to conduct a full training process with 15 field players and three goalkeepers. We need at least 20 field players.

- There are no Rukh players (Krasnopir, Sych) and Batagov from Zorya, right?

- Yes, we are waiting for them.

- Are there any specific dates when they should arrive?

- We have an agreement that after Rukh's sparring session (July 13) Krasnopir will come to us, he will be with us today, after another friendly game (July 17) Sych will come, and on the 20th Zorya will release Batagov. I would like to appeal to the coaches and managers of Zorya and Rukh to meet us halfway and let these players go earlier.

- I'll raise a slightly painful topic - the Olympic team. Why did Benfica let their captain Otamendi go to the Olympics, but not Trubin? Did the Lisbon club explain it somehow?

- Benfica didn't explain it in any way, they just sent us a letter of refusal saying that they couldn't let Trubin go. So this is not a question for us anymore. Today there is no point in discussing who the clubs have released and who they have not. We have an application and we trust these players. And I want our country to believe in them as well.

But I still have an unpleasant aftertaste from the fact that those players who really wanted to go to the Olympics and deserved to go to Paris were not allowed to go, because such a tournament can be once in a lifetime. This makes my heart hurt a little bit. However, we have an application and now we should only think about how to prepare and represent our country as well as possible at the Olympic Games. This is what the players and coaches should focus on. We all need to be united. And the fans and journalists need to believe in us - that we will succeed.

"Argentina has enough stars, but if Messi came, the Olympics would be even better"

- Have you already analyzed your future rivals at the Olympics?

- We have been analyzing them for a long time, starting from the moment when these teams were drawn. Our opponents used the right to call up three star players over the age of 23. The clubs met them halfway. And we couldn't even call up the third player who was in the quota. That's the answer to whether we managed to make a full-fledged application.

- Since we have already touched on the topic of the quota, I will ask: did you try to call up veterans from Dynamo and Shakhtar, for example, Yarmolenko, or not?

- We tried to bring in some players from the Ukrainian national team, but the clubs did not meet us halfway.

- Please describe our rivals in the group. Let's start with Iraq.

- All the teams in our group have different styles. Iraq reached the semifinals of the Asian Cup, where they lost to the future winner Japan 0:2, with whom we played a friendly game. But at the Olympics, Iraq will play with an even stronger squad than at the Asian Cup, as they invited three players from the national team. This is a worthy opponent, and we are well aware that there will be no easy ride at the Olympics.

- Let's move on. Morocco.

- This is the African champion, and this already demonstrates the strength of Morocco. In recent years, two teams have dominated Africa - Morocco and Egypt, with whom we will play a friendly on July 14. African players are physically strong, so it will not be easy for us. I would also like to note that Egypt is coached by a very strong coach, Rogerio Micale, who won the Olympics with the Brazilian national team in 2016. Egypt plays very good football under him.

- And our most star-studded opponent at the Games is Argentina.

- Argentina needs no introduction, you have seen its application. It is a very strong team at any age and is the main favorite at the Games in Paris. We understand that Argentina's players are of a very high class.

- Tell us honestly, were you and the players upset that Messi did not go to the Olympics? Did you want to try your hand against the modern football legend?

- Of course, such players add beauty to any tournament. Believe me, Argentina has enough stars, but if Messi had come, the Olympics would have been even better.

"When I talked to Taloverov on the phone before the training camp, my first request was that he forget the Euros"

- Your application includes one player from the Ukrainian national team, Max Taloverov. What is his psychological state after the national team's unsuccessful performance at Euro 2024?

- When I spoke to Max on the phone before the training camp, my first request was that he forget the Euros, take a week off and concentrate on preparing for the Olympics. During the vacation, he slowly practiced individually.

When Max came to us, I told him that the Euros would be good for him, he gained an unforgettable experience there that should help the Olympic team as well. I believe that a bad experience is also an experience. I am sure that Max will cope with it and there will be no questions to him. We need such experienced players from the national team, they are very precious to us.

- Given all the problems with clubs refusing to let players go, does our team have any specific goals for the Olympics?

- Believe me, our country comes first for us and we are honored to represent Ukraine at the Olympics. I don't want to put pressure on our players and set any unattainable goals. First of all, we have to prepare for the Olympics as best we can, and at the Games we will set our goals in stages.

The first goal is to play with dignity against Iraq in the opening round. We will work at our best to achieve a result that will suit us. We want to glorify Ukraine so that everyone remembers us and understands what is happening in our country. Our results should show that we have a strong country that fights not only against orcs, but also on the sports front.

- And finally, to dilute our conversation a bit, I'll ask about Euro 2024. Who do you expect to win? Spain or England?

- Based on the game that Spain is showing at the Euros, they deserve to win the final. The Spanish game is very impressive and I want Furia Roja to win the title. But they have a very strong opponent. England doesn't just give games away, they fight to the last, they can win a match in overtime or on penalties. The most powerful players are gathered there. So I think the final will be very interesting, but I'm rooting for Spain.

Andriy Piskun