On September 2, the players and coaching staff of the youth national team of Ukraine gathered in the capital of Latvia, where they began direct preparations for the next matches of the Euro 2025 (U-21) qualifiers. On September 6, the match Ukraine - Serbia will take place in Riga at LNK Sporta Parks. The game starts at 19:00 Kyiv time. On September 10, the match between Northern Ireland and Ukraine will take place in Ballymoney at the Showgrounds Stadium. The game starts at 21:45 Kyiv time. On the eve of these matches, the head coach of the blue and yellows Unai Melgosa answered questions from the UAF press service.
- How will you set up your players after a long break between youth matches?
- Yes, we had a fairly long break between games. The last time we played against Azerbaijan. Everyone came to the training camp with a great desire to play and represent the country. We will try to immerse the players in the working atmosphere we want to create as soon as possible.
- Are there any significant personnel problems in the team on the eve of the September matches?
- There were some minor problems with some players, but that's normal. They have just started the season and they need to adapt. At this stage, all teams have certain problems.
- Some of the youth players had a busy summer with competitions. Will these matches have a negative effect in terms of accumulated fatigue?
- I think that in general, all Ukrainian national teams had a busy year. And this is because we are among the countries whose teams qualified for the European Under-17 and Under-19 Championships, were represented at the Olympic Games and played at Euro 2024 in Germany. To some extent, this is because we have worked hard. It is not easy. But not all countries have such problems. Fortunately, we do. So in terms of job satisfaction, it's good that we played at the Olympics. In terms of the fatigue that the players feel, I think we can handle it.
- At the start of the season, players can be in different physical conditions. Does this statement also apply to your team?
- Yes, we work with players who started the season in different leagues. This is one of the things that national team coaches face. But we have to adapt to the situation that the players have and not try to look for excuses. So we adapt to the physical condition in which the players arrive and try to show the best result.
- There are two matches against Serbia and two difficult trips to Northern Ireland and England ahead. How will you and your team prepare for these matches?
- In general, the preparation for these matches will not differ significantly from other training camps because it is an ongoing process for the players. It does not end at this training camp or the previous ones. We will have certain specific requirements, and we will work on them. But the most important thing is the continuity of the process for the players, for their understanding of the preparation, unification with the work of the first team. And we try to do this so that the players quickly adapt when they join the first team. Therefore, we will not change the training process much, but will stick to our plan.
- The youth team relies on players from the UPL. Will there be more legionnaires in the team in the near future, given the number of our young men abroad?
- One of the most important tasks for the Ukrainian Football Association is to look at all the players we have. In Ukraine, it's easier because we know them, but many players play abroad, and we make a lot of effort to be able to watch them. It is not easy. We follow the players abroad, but you know, the fact of getting into the national team is related to how you play, not where you play. We watch players of all ages, and new players may appear at any time who can join the national teams.
- Based on the results of the match with Serbia, the Ukrainian national team can guarantee itself at least the playoffs. What should we expect from the opponent, given the tournament situation?
- I think the opponent is good. They will try to do everything possible to achieve the desired result. In fact, you never know how the opponent is going to set up, what they expect, how they will react to the situation. In fact, Serbia is also going to change some players. We have to focus on how we work and on the growth of the team as a whole. I think that's the most important thing we've been working on this year with the U-21 team, and we have to keep doing that. The past is the past, and now we have to focus on the present and continue to develop. I think that if we work the same way as we have in the past, in terms of attitude, in terms of striving to grow, we will have good results ahead.
- What do you think of your nearest opponent, the Serbian national team?
- Serbia is a strong team. This is understandable. Even if they called up some new players for the match against Ukraine, they are a very good team. I expect a strong opponent with whom it will not be easy for us, and we must prepare for these matches. And, of course, such matches are important for the development of players' careers.
- How would you assess the performance of some of your players in the Olympic tournament matches?
- I think they played well. I watched the matches at the Olympics in France and at previous tournaments. I think they showed a high level of play. It was not easy because the overall level of the teams at the Olympics was good. There are certain details that affect the game. We should not focus only on the fact of the final result. This is a good experience for the players. They deserved to play at the Games because they passed a difficult qualification. I repeat, not all teams were able to achieve this. So I am satisfied.
- What are your overall impressions of the Ukrainian team's performance in France?
- Yes, the same. I mean, the team performed well. It was a good experience for the players. It will help them in their further development. So I think it was a good tournament.
- To what extent does the situation in the country affect the team's preparation for the upcoming matches against Serbia, Northern Ireland and England?
- There are some small logistical issues that affect us. But again, I don't like to talk about excuses or things like that. The guys are here. We will train fully and we will build on the situation we have. This is what we have and we need to deal with it and adapt to the situation. This is not a problem. This is our reality. And that's it.
- How well do you currently cooperate with the head coach of the Ukrainian national team, Serhii Rebrov?
- We are constantly communicating with Serhii Rebrov and his coaching staff, talking about how we can improve processes, about the players, of course. So it is a constant work. I want to repeat what I have said several times. This is a path of rotation and growth. This applies not only to the first team, but also to the youth team.
- Did you call up everyone you planned?
- Yes, I called up all the players I wanted. Sometimes we have some small problems or injuries that affect us, but everything is fine. The players who are here in the team's location are the players who should be here at the moment.
- The team hasn't been together for a long time, how would you assess the progress of the players who have come to the national team during this time?
- There are different situations. I believe that all players are improving their playing qualities, but everything is individual. Some players may have played more last year, less this year, and vice versa. We need them to get involved quickly and adapt to our requirements. And we hope that we will have not only good matches ahead, but the whole training week will be good.
- How did you follow the candidates for the national team?
- Not only me, this is a job that many people do, scouts. And the UAF invests a lot in ensuring that we can watch the players. It's not easy, but we spend a lot of time watching matches. We have the opportunity to watch matches sometimes live, sometimes on video. We try to get information from the clubs and communicate with the players. This is the work that you have to do all the time when working in the national team.