Famous Ukrainian coach Yuriy Kalytyntsev commented on the transfer of Ukrainian Olympic team defender Arseniy Batagov from Luhansk's Zorya to Turkish side Trabzonspor.
Yuriy Kalitvintsev- Yuriy Mykolayovych, what factors could have contributed to Batagov's transfer from Zorya to Trabzonspor?
- Probably, the fact that today Zorya needs to earn money and received a good financial offer for Batagov's transfer played a role, so the club made such a decision. The factor that could have guided Batagov was his growth as a footballer there. Time will tell what he will do in the end, but I will say that the championship there is very competitive. And the fact that he will not degrade there is for sure.
- In your opinion, how much stronger is the Turkish league than the UPL at the moment?
- I think it is stronger even in the sense that football is a religion in Turkey: full stadiums, good lawns. From match to match, just like in England, just like in Italy, there is a very great interest in football. The player practically lives every day with football and in an atmosphere that does not allow you to relax for a second - and this is the strength of the championship. There are also many competitive teams, such as Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray, and Beşiktaş.
- Is the stereotype that players go to the Turkish league to finish their playing career true?
- There is indeed some truth in this. Star players initially come there at the end of their careers, but there they get a second wind, because it is impossible to play in such a championship "on one leg".
When a person goes there, he may think that with the experience he has, he will be able to just get money in the Turkish championship, but this is not true, because you also need to earn it there, showing the appropriate level of play.
- Is it possible for young players from the Turkish Super League to get to the best European championships?
- Yes, because there is a great demand for players from this championship, there is a lot of attention to players from teams from other countries. And even though the championship is quite competitive, players rather see it as a springboard for their further career.
- Do you think that the giants of our football, Dynamo and Shakhtar, should have competed for Batagov's signature?
- Yes, because I think he is a very high-quality player. I'm sure there was a demand for Batagov, but the management of Dynamo and Shakhtar decided to go the other way and not buy the player.
- In your opinion, could the management of these clubs have refused to sign the player because of the price Zorya asked for him?
- From a fan's point of view, I would summarize Zorya's response in a simple phrase: "Why do we need to strengthen our competitors' squad?".
- Arseniy has experience playing for the Ukrainian youth national teams of various categories, but has not yet been called up to the senior national team. In Turkey, can he reach the level of the national team?
- It will depend on the level of the player himself, but there are definitely prospects for growth there. Batagov has moved to a very competitive environment, which can only give him growth and experience of playing under pressure every week. This will only help in preparing for games for the national team, where the pressure is always there. Therefore, in my opinion, playing in Turkey, you can get good qualifications to prove yourself to the national team coach.
- For Batagov, can Trabzonspor become a fair to show himself for sale to clubs in the top championships?
- Of course, I agree with this statement, but the Turkish championship itself is an environment where a player will grow, at least psychologically. We consider the European Cups to be a litmus test, but there it is every game. And, of course, the club will sell the player in case of an offer from a top championship. Therefore, Batagov has every chance to prove himself, and indeed to consider the transition to Trabzonspor as one of the steps to play in a stronger championship in the future.
Artem Zhylinskyi
