Stryi's Skala 1911 refused to make any concessions to their opponent amid longstanding requests to postpone the third round of the Second League game against Uzhhorod. The Zakarpattia team is preparing for the game without its coaching and medical staff after a serious accident. The president of the Uzhhorod club Rudolf Balazhynets told UA-Football the news from the Uzhhorod camp on the eve of the match.
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- How is the personnel problem being solved, who will lead the team to the game?
- I will lead the team myself as the acting head coach for the match on Sunday. We will not force the coaches' recovery and risk their health for one game. We have different values.
- Is there a replacement for the medical staff?
- Our club doctor had surgery the day before. If any of our players get injured during the game, it will be the responsibility of the club from Stryi. Our physiotherapist is also not in the best physical condition, he has a concussion and will not be 100% ready yet.
- How many times has Uzhhorod approached the opponent about the postponement?
- We actually made a lot of attempts. The reasons for the refusal are as banal as possible - the microcycle, the calendar, they cite the example of their postponed match with Rukh-2... In short, we understand that for these people the main thing is to get 3 points by any means. It is a pity that there are still clubs in Ukrainian football without values and principles.
- Have you read the interview with the president of Skala 1911? Why didn't your club ask to postpone the game with Polissya-2?
- He's just looking for excuses, realizing that his actions are wrong and inhumane. On the day of the accident, the coaching staff and management stayed at the Zvyagel hospital until late at night and gave evidence to the investigative team. They didn't know that the medical verdict would be so serious, and we didn't have time for organizational issues. On Monday, after arriving home, we had a full examination. It turned out that the head coach led the team in the match with a head injury and a broken nose, can you imagine that? On the day of the game, the coaching staff came out on emotion and without a full examination, there was no understanding of the criticality of the situation.
- In addition, the president of Skala 1911 claimed that if at least one player was injured, he would have agreed to the postponement.
- "In fact, we have a playing coach, our defender Robert Smokorovsky, who was traveling on the same bus and suffered a knee injury in the accident, a concussion and split lips. He came out in the first round of the championship and for the Cup match - he is a full-fledged player of our team. Of course, he missed the match in Zhytomyr, and he won't be able to play against Skala 1911 either. Is the president of the Stryi club ready to answer for his words now?