Taras Mykhavko, a defender of Dynamo Kyiv and the U-19 national team of Ukraine, spoke about the start of Euro 2024 (U-19) (we will remind, in the first match of the tournament, the Blue and Yellows drew with Northern Ireland - 0:0), the atmosphere in the team under the leadership of Dmytro Mykhailenko and his own career.
- Taras, first of all, how are you feeling and your mood, because our entire team spent a lot of energy and emotions on the Northern Irish. How is your recovery going?
- Thank you, of course, I felt some fatigue, but the coaching staff and our national team staff are doing everything to help the players recover as quickly as possible. There is not much time between rounds, but we have everything planned. We have to approach the second match in full readiness, knowing everything about our opponents. Dmytro Mykhailenko pays a lot of attention to the analysis.
- Speaking of rivals. Norwegian national teams can be very interesting in the youth age categories, so an example is the 2019 U-20 World Cup, when Erling Hollande opened up at your age. What do you already know about your closest opponents?
- The coaching staff provides us with all the necessary information. I can say that we managed to watch a little bit of Norway's opening match. We saw that this team fought quite well against the Italians. They even took the lead. There are no weak opponents at the European Championship. We know that the Norwegians have high-quality players, and there are representatives of world-famous clubs and leading championships. So we respect our closest rival.
- Isn't it a shame to end a match like the one with Northern Ireland in a draw? Ukraine had an 18:4 advantage in shots overall and a 10:2 advantage in shots on goal...
- I must say that we knew that there would be such a level of rivalry. We understood how Northern Ireland plays. We were preparing for this at meetings and training sessions. But, as you can see, the Ukrainian national team gave a lot of effort, created, I think, very good chances at the other team's goal - they just failed to realize what they created. In my opinion, we had a chance to win this match, and our team tried hard and created a lot of chances. We were unlucky. It just didn't go in. We will try to realize our achievements in the next rounds.
- Do you have a feeling that this is the final tournament of Euro 2024? In terms of the level of play, organization, sense of responsibility ...
- Undoubtedly. We have a lot of guys who have already played at the adult level. There are legionnaires. However, everyone definitely agrees: a good level of tournament, good rivals. We know that players from the top championships play in the tournament, which are estimated at 10 million euros or more. Guys from AC Milan, PSG, Valencia and a number of other well-known clubs. The game also shows that eight teams that are really worthy of attention have made it through, not by chance.
We are doing well, we have good working conditions. Now the guys who played more with the Northern Irish have had a chance to recover more. We are trying to use the chance to show the level of our football, to remind the world about Ukraine, that we are at war - we represent our people, not just play for ourselves.
- In previous years, your peers sometimes woke up famous after such tournaments, and some of them got cool contracts abroad after the European Youth Championships. Doesn't it put you under pressure to understand this?
- On the contrary. Of course, we understand that scouts from all over the world come to the European Championships, that experts calculate and analyze every match. But this does not change our mood and tasks - we have to show everything we are capable of and fulfill the tasks set before us.
- Which of our national team players deserves the interest of foreign scouts the most?
- A difficult question. (Smiles). All our players are good and competitive. I'll name Matvii Ponomarenko, there has been so much press about him that I think scouts will also be watching him.
- There were six Dynamo players in the preliminary application. How quickly did you find an understanding with the other players?
- To be honest, we didn't even have such problems. The guys who play in the UPL have known each other for a long time - we have crossed paths more than once, even as rivals, but still. The legionnaires are also good guys, they quickly joined the team. That is, the atmosphere in our national team is good, we all communicate with each other, we are friends. We are united by a common goal - all the players are professionals, so we know what we are here for.
- You have legionnaires, and among them is Christian Shevchenko, the son of the UAF president and the winner of the Golden Ball. Can you also communicate normally with him, a Chelsea and Watford player?
- Why not? Christian is a great person and a good footballer. He is quite sociable and team-oriented. It was just a bit difficult at the first training camp because he didn't speak Ukrainian so well. But that's okay, we improved his English a bit (Smiles) . Now there are no problems, we have established great communication. Christian was well received in the team and he also established a great relationship with all of us.
- When Christian was playing for the previous youth age group, Andriy Shevchenko came to visit him for the elite round. Are you waiting for the legend to visit now?
- I don't know for sure, as far as I heard, Andriy Mykolayovych was not at the opening match. If he finds an opportunity to attend our matches, we will be very happy.
- 2024 is the year of your breakthrough. You made your debut in the first Dynamo club team and played in the final tournament of the European Championship. When did you feel that a significant turn had taken place in your career? When did you first talk to Oleksandr Shovkovskyi about it?
- It was preceded by many events. At first I played for the youth team, in fact, I spent the entire first half of the 2023/24 season in the U-19 UPL championship. But Mircea Lucescu also began to involve me in first-team training, and Oleksandr Shovkovskyi spoke to me there.
- What do you remember about your conversation with Dynamo's head coaches, Lucescu and Shovkovskyi?
- These are all working moments that you take into account. Coaches don't just say anything, they see what you can improve. I'm very grateful to both of them for the chance in my career, for their trust and the opportunity to prove myself. They supported me, told me how to play better in this or that moment.
- Your debut against Metalist 1925 must have been an unforgettable moment for you?
- Here I have to thank the coaching staff: of course, I realized how important this moment was for me, I was a little worried, but there was no nervousness or, moreover, panic. I was given clear requirements for the game, explained how to act against this opponent. I am extremely glad that, first of all, the team won my debut match. This was the most important thing for me.
- Garmash made his debut for Kharkiv back then. How was it playing against the Dynamo legend?
- Of course, it was very interesting! Denys is a high-level player with a lot of experience. I remember how he acted, how he received the ball, scored in his debut. For me, every UPL match is now instructive and interesting.
- I will now announce the numbers that will be pleasant for any defender. In four out of eight matches with your participation in the league, Dynamo did not concede a goal. Are you satisfied with your personal results?
- I have no right to be. When you play for a team like Dynamo Kyiv, you have the highest goals for every match. There are a lot of competitors, all of them are trained, highly skilled players. I'm very pleased to hear these figures, but they mean that I can do even more for the team and improve my performance in the future.
- So here you are in the first Dynamo club team. Who made the biggest impression on you?
- I don't even know... I joined the team relatively recently, so these are great authorities for me. The experience of our leading players is very extensive, and I'm interested in talking to everyone and asking them questions.
- You were the youngest in the defense in most cases. Who did you get the most from, who could "shove" the most?
- But we all have our own business. For example, I played only with Bushchan in goal. And when Heorhiy says something, there's nothing to argue with - he tells you everything correctly. The game sometimes requires shouting and emotional prompting for faster communication. Everything is decided by split seconds, and now the fans are returning to the stands, thank God, so you need to be heard.
I'm grateful for all the comments on the case, I'm not offended, but on the contrary, I take everything into account. Dynamo treated me very well, and I want not to let the team down.
- If we draw up the standings based purely on the matches of 2024, Dynamo is in first place with 41 points. The progress during the season is really impressive. How did it feel from the inside?
- Of course, there is such inspiration, elation from the fact that the team is making progress. We feel it too.
- For the next season, do the fans have the right and reason to expect something more than second place?
- It doesn't happen otherwise at Dynamo. Here, the tasks are only maximum. Of course, the team will fight only for the highest places.
- How did you receive the transfers of the summer of 2024? "Last summer, Dynamo only signed you, and even then, you arrived as a reinforcement for the youth team. And now there are Pikhalenok, Rubchynskyi, Bragaru, Peikrishvili, Ceballos...
- Of course, these are all good players. Pikhalenok is a great player in the UPL, he also won medals and is called up to the national team. Bragaru and Rubchynskyi are players with experience. We will also get acquainted with the legionnaires, and we also wish them success and a good fit in our team.
- Colombian Seballos has arrived in the defense, but at the same time, one of your competitors, Syrota, has gone on loan to Maccabi. What are your impressions of Bryan and the competition in defense?
- As for Ceballos, when he arrived, I was already preparing to leave for the national team. We actually had only one training session together. In general, our defense is good, competitive. No one can be sure a priori that he is guaranteed a place in the first team. Everyone needs to give their best all the time to deserve game practice.
- It's a simple question: "Is Dynamo stronger now?
- I hope so. We gain knowledge and skills with every training session, with every training camp.
- Has the UPL become stronger, given the loss of legionnaires, but also the emergence of new contenders for medals - like Kryvbas, Polissia or Rukh?
- In my opinion, the UPL is a good competition. You see, every year there are interesting young players. There are fewer legionnaires, yes, but they are also quality players, mostly. The main thing is that there is competition at all levels, that no one has any guarantees about the place they will take. Yes, there is a war in Ukraine, and it affects the economy and people's lives in all aspects. And on football, of course. But I am grateful to the Armed Forces of Ukraine for the fact that we can play football. Our clubs and national teams are trying to perform well at this time to draw attention to Ukraine.
- Let's talk about you. Roman Mykhailiv, a long-time patron of FC Lviv who has brought together several generations and helped them move into adult football, said about you that your potential is high and you can be unleashed in more than one position. Please elaborate. Where on the field did you manage to try your hand?
- Thank you for your words. I really played a lot of places. In my youth, I tried my hand at being a striker, in the center of midfield. I played as a holding midfielder in the U-19. I tried to play left back. Once, in a friendly match, I was put in the center of defense, then they watched me in this capacity for 1-2 more matches - and that's how they determined this position for me.
- Where do you find it most interesting to play?
- I'll answer in a trite way: wherever the team needs me to play in order to have constant practice and stay in demand.
- How did football start for you? Are you the first football generation in your family, or are you continuing the dynasty?
- No, my parents did not play football, although they supported me in my hobby, for which I am grateful. I'm from the village of Dobrohostiv, Drohobych district, Lviv region (the birthplace of the great Ukrainian teacher and sports popularizer Ivan Bobersky - ed.) In our village, there was no youth sports school or team where I could train at that childhood age, so I had to go to Drohobych. It didn't always work out.
It so happened that I played in a tournament in Truskavets for FC Stebnyk and was noticed there and invited by the Skala selector (as we were told, it was Yevhen Kaminskyi - ed.). I trained there and then received an invitation to FC Lviv. That's how I gradually progressed.
- When you were still the captain of the youth team, you started to get involved in the main team of Lviv. How did it go? Who helped you in your development?
- I am very grateful to all the coaches I was lucky enough to work with at Skala, Lviv, and Dynamo. In our children's and youth football. At Lviv, Taras Hvozdyk involved me, and I learned a lot. Then Yurii and Roman Hdanskyi were coaches at my club. I started to get involved in the first club team under the leadership of Oleh Dulub, and made my debut when Anatolii Bezsmertnyi was already working.
- In front of your eyes, PFC Lviv gave up the ghost. What were your impressions then?
- Depressing. I am grateful to the club for what they did for me. Fate brought me together with many wonderful people - both from the management, coaches and players.
- Having played in Dynamo's first team, playing with the national team at the European Championship, did you not catch a "star"?
- No, it's definitely not about me. I value friendship, I remember everyone with whom I started, with whom I have been friends since childhood. I keep in touch with the guys, I had good relationships with all of them. Vitaliy Mykhailiv, Bohdan Bidzinsky, Vladyslav Herich, Yuriy Mykhailiv - they all support me, I am in contact with them. Yes, Lviv stopped playing in the UPL, but the guys continue to play. With Gerich, we ended up at Dynamo, the other guys are playing in other clubs. I wish them all success.
- At the time, it was said that Preston North End was interested in Geric, and Sunderland in you. Why did you end up at Dynamo?
- I personally dreamed of playing for Dynamo. Of course, I saw great sporting prospects in it.
- Aren't you bored in Kyiv after Lviv, Drohobych and Dobrohostov?
- I think I have already settled in. It's a great city. The capital of Ukraine. What else can I add.
- Let's get to the obligatory, albeit banal, questions. What did you spend your first salary on?
- I probably bought some boots.
- What kind do you like?
- Nike Air Zoom Mercurial.
- What do you prefer in terms of music? What is currently playing in the locker room of the youth national team of Ukraine?
- Only our national music. There are a lot of good Ukrainian songs now. I only listen to them. And before the matches, our team listens to the same thing as all our people.
- Do you have an initiation in the youth team like you did in the national team - to sing songs?
- No, there is no such thing.
- And if there was, who would be the best singer?
- Matviy Ponomarenko! He is the best singer we have.
- Who are your favorite players, both in your position and in general?
- Among the defenders, I really like the Germans - Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid) and Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund). As for the players in general, I like Leo Messi.
- I wish you could have met in Paris, at the Olympics. If you played against Messi there, what would you say to him?
- Oh, it would be a holiday for me! Unfortunately, Leo is not going to the Olympics either. What would he have said? He would have asked for a shirt!
- It's a unique year for football in Ukraine: European Championships among 17-year-olds, 19-year-olds, adults, and for the first time in history, the Olympics. Why did our 17-year-olds and adults drop out so early in the first tournaments?
- It's hard to say. Of course, we support all our national teams and expected better results.
In my opinion, our national team in the matches with the Slovaks and Belgians proved that it is combat-ready. It was hard to predict that the first match would play such a big role. And even in the game against the Romanians, not everything was so clear, and there were game segments that no one would have believed in 0-3. I don't even know how it happened. It was very disappointing.
This will be a good lesson for everyone, in my opinion, our national team deserved to perform no worse than in the previous final tournament, in terms of its potential.
- So what does it mean: a terrible war, a crisis, but our football is alive if we add four major tournaments to our calendar in a year?
- We have a lot of talented football players of all ages. In general, there is a choice and competition everywhere. That's why I think that the successes abroad of Dovbyk, Tsygankov, Zinchenko, Mykolenko, Zabarnyi are not a coincidence, and everyone wants to perform as well as them, to look up to our leading players.
- Northern Ireland, Norway, then Italy. Should the fans expect something brighter than the 0-0 start?
- We will do everything possible for this!
- Unfortunately, many Ukrainian citizens abroad, including children, are not living a good life. Did you have support in the opening match with the tournament hosts?
- Yes!!! We heard the Ukrainians, our countrymen came up to us. We are trying very hard to play as well as possible because we realize how much Ukraine needs it now.
Kirill Parshakov