The well-known former coach and now expert Oleg Fedorchuk shared his version of the best in Ukrainian football following the results of October.
Oleg Fedorchuk— The best UPL team of October?
— In Ukrainian football, there is always a search for a third force. Previously, it was “Dnipro” and “Metalist”. This season, at least four teams are vying for the third position. I currently favor “Oleksandria”, especially since they defeated their main competitors — “Kryvbas” and “Polissya”.
— The most disappointing UPL team of October?
— I would name several teams. The first is “Rukh”, which has stagnated; the team lacks creativity. I want to see more variety in tactical terms. I think this is not only the fault of the coaching staff and the players but also of the management, because they have not been able to predict everything.
First of all — the attack has a problem. They needed to look for someone instead of relying on just one Krasnopir. “Rukh” has a very high injury rate within the team. I think they need to review a number of positions in the training process. Either they overworked somewhere or something else happened.
“Vorskla” is also not impressive. Their lineup hasn’t changed, but the team has weakened and is now fighting for survival.
— The best UPL coach of October?
— Rotan has gone through a transformation from romantic football a la Malofeyev in the 80s to pragmatic football that brings results and decent play. This is commendable. It is easy to declare beautiful football, but difficult to earn points.
Under Rotan, many players are uncovering and adding value, exemplified by the revival of Kaluzhny. Rotan's staff has gained enough experience not to make rookie mistakes.
— The best UPL player of October?
— I choose Brazhko. Right now, he is the face of Dynamo. Neither the absence of Yarmolenko nor the absence of Buialskyi affects the team as much as Brazhko's absence. His presence is very significant for both Dynamo and the national team.
— The best Ukrainian legionnaire of October?
— Zabarnyi is currently number 1 in Ukraine. I won’t be surprised if he moves to a top club in the winter. Manchester United has defensive problems that Ilya could solve. Defenders are usually taken from crisis teams or from places where there’s a new coach. At MU, these two factors coincided, plus it is one of the wealthiest clubs in Europe.
Liverpool has an excess of central defenders, and at Man City, different qualities are valued for this position; they need to be better with the ball, albeit Zabarnyi has improved in this regard, but for the “citizens,” that may not be enough.
— Predictions for the matches “Shakhtar” — “Young Boys” (Champions League) and “Dynamo” — “Ferencvaros” (Europa League)?
— “Young Boys” is a very uncomfortable opponent for “Shakhtar”. This is a young, ambitious team that runs well. My prediction is 1:1.
“Dynamo” will find it easier against “Ferencvaros.” I bet on a victory for the Kyiv team — 2:1. With Inhulets, there was a lot of rotation; it was evident that the team was preparing for “Ferencvaros,” not finishing certain moments, and they could pay for it.
— Your expectations from Ukraine's final matches in the Nations League against Georgia and Albania?
— I have very bad expectations. The leaders of our team are not in form. One cannot say that Dovbyk is shining at “Roma,” and I do not see another stable forward in our ranks. It’s clear that Zinchenko is not in very good form at “Arsenal.” Mudryk is rarely playing for “Chelsea.”
If we draw with Georgia, we will have no chances to take first place in the group. I think it will be a draw with the Georgians, and we will defeat Albania, but this victory will not be enough for us to move to the elite division.
— Does the existing practice of international breaks disrupt the rhythm of national championships? It used to be shorter.
— We know the schedule nearly a year in advance, so breaks cannot disrupt the rhythm. Coaches prepare for these breaks in advance. Primarily, two clubs suffer — “Dynamo” and “Shakhtar,” because half of their teams go on international duty. This is the reason behind their fluctuations. The team works separately; someone is gaining form, fighting for a spot, and then a player returns from the national team. So who should play now?
Andrii Piskun
