The famous Ukrainian coach Serhiy Kovalets commented on his appointment as the head coach of the first league team Podillya from Khmelnytskyi.
Serhiy Kovalets. Photo: Getty Images— Serhiy Ivanovych, have you missed working as a coach, considering your creative pause has lasted almost a year and a half?
— Of course. Giving lectures, working as an expert, or consulting academies also provide certain experience, but active coaching is the priority in this regard.
— You mentioned your work as an expert. Will you continue in this direction?
— I’m not against it, but only if it doesn’t interfere with my primary duties. Working on television is also very important. Sometimes you want to convey your thoughts to fans from the perspective of a professional coach regarding tactics, team strategies, which is interesting and beneficial for the specialist himself.
I won’t place myself on the same level as Alex Ferguson or Jose Mourinho, but these specialists also participated in similar projects whenever time allowed.
— Last week you took over Podillya. Who offered you this job?
— After the match between Prykarpattia and Podillya, when Vitaliy Koryshyn resigned, I met with the mayor of Khmelnytskyi, Oleksandr Serhiyovych Symchysyn. During our conversation, we reached an agreement that I was ready to become the head coach of Podillya.
— Is it symbolic?
— Probably. (Smiling). 35 years ago, I played my last match for Podillya and moved to Dynamo. After 35 years, I have returned to the club dear to my heart as the head coach.
— How strong are Podillya's financial capabilities to work effectively?
— I don’t want to discuss this topic right now. We all understand how complicated the situation in the country is due to Russian aggression. And only thanks to our warriors is the country able not just to survive, but many people are also able to pursue their favorite activities.
The Ukrainian national team, as well as clubs representing the country on the international stage, show that we are indomitable. Football is, to some extent, a conduit between Europe and Ukraine. It proves that we want to win.
— Have you discussed with the club leadership the team's objectives?
— The contract is signed until the end of the season, with a possibility of extension for another year. Currently, the highest objectives can be set, but it should be understood that the primary goal is to build a team of good level and to try to showcase quality football.
— After a week of work and one match played, what prospects do you see for Podillya?
— Arsène Wenger once said that a fan will forgive everything except indifference. And after the match against Agrobusiness (1:1), the Khmelnytskyi audience applauded the team at the end of the match. That’s very valuable.
— Before the end of the autumn part of the championship, Podillya has to play two matches — a direct match against Ternopil Niva and a meeting with one of the leaders of the standings — a derby against Epitsentr.
— All teams in the First League Group A are ambitious, so we are expecting two very tough, yet interesting confrontations. Niva and Epitsentr are teams with their own goals, led by qualified coaches.
— In your first match against the tournament leader Agrobusiness, few expected even a draw for Podillya. Can the result (1:1) be considered somewhat unexpected?
— It's hard to say. In both the first and second halves, we had good segments in the game; sometimes the opponent’s goalkeeper saved them. If we talk about the game in general, Podillya could have won or lost. The outcome of the match, I think, is natural.
— Who is included in your coaching staff?
— My assistants are Oleksandr Mandzyuk (who recently led the amateur club Kolos from Polonne), Oleksandr Zhadanov, Oleksandr Dziubchik (fitness coach), and Andriy Fedorenko (goalkeeper coach).
— Returning to the prospects of Podillya. Do the club's leaders dream of seeing Podillya in the highest Ukrainian division in the near future?
— Time will tell. (Smiling). Right now, the main thing is to competently finish the autumn part of the season, strengthen, build the game, and only then we can talk about any grand plans.
Serhiy Demyanchuk
