Sergey Rebrov: "If Mikhavko scored three own goals, it does not mean that he is not progressing"

The head coach of the Ukraine national team, Sergey Rebrov, gave a major interview to the YouTube channel "Prяма червона". Here are the most interesting excerpts from the conversation.

On the list of players for the November matches of the Ukraine national team

— It is very difficult to form this list because we conduct this process four weeks before the start of the gathering, and it is at this time that we must send invitations to foreign clubs.

For example, "Dynamo" and "Shakhtar" will have played four games by that moment. And you don’t know what personnel problems they will have, in what condition the players will be. That is why many of them we add to the reserve list, to have the opportunity to make changes in case of any injuries.

On the rumors about a conflict between Mudrik and Shaparenko regarding the playing number "10" in the Ukraine national team

— You always comment on rumors. "We heard this, we heard that." But does anyone know what actually happened?

There was no conflict. Yes, Mudrik missed a match, and Shaparenko took that playing number. But why do people spread rumors and say that there is a bad atmosphere in the national team?

Who said there was a conflict? Where is the opinion that for the national team players, such things as choosing a playing number are paramount? These are ordinary things for them. Because we’re talking about professionals, not about 15-year-old footballers.

On Vitalii Buyalskyi

— Vitalii is a candidate and a full-fledged member of the Ukraine national team. I respect him greatly, he is a professional, loyal to football, and I am grateful to him. I am sure this player will still show himself in the national team. Right now we called up other players, we’re watching how they play, the dynamics. There is a lot of competition in this position. Just like the position of Yarmolenko.

Unfortunately, there are positions where we only have two players and there is no competition. But there are positions where there is intense competition and we need to look to the future. And the call-up of Yegor Yarmolyuk is a chance for him, we’re looking to the future because some positions need rejuvenation. Even though we have a very young team.

On Taras Mikhavko and his own goals

— First of all, if the ball flies at a player from five meters and hits him, and then goes into the net, it cannot be considered an own goal. I do not understand why this goal was attributed to Mikhavko. The same was the case with other own goals by Mikhavko. He strives to help his defensive partners and the goalkeeper.

And besides, if Mikhavko scored three own goals, it does not mean that he is not progressing. On the contrary, I believe he is progressing well. At his age (19 years, - ed. note) being in the starting lineup of "Dynamo" is, in my opinion, a very big progress.

I know this guy, he will progress. I am sure of it. We from the national team are keeping an eye on him — he is a candidate for the national team.

On Illia Zabarnyi

— I really like his attitude toward football. He is truly a professional who understands how to prepare for matches, how to concentrate in each game. He has a very stable psychological component. He almost never fails. It doesn’t happen that he makes one mistake and that’s it. And for a central defender, this is very important.

And Zabarnyi understands that "Bournemouth" is not the final stop for him. He wants to continue progressing to get to a top club.

Zabarnyi's move to "Tottenham"? I, for example, heard about "Liverpool". There are many rumors, but right now he is a "Bournemouth" player. I believe this is a decisive season for him.

On Dovbik being among the nominees for the "Ballon d'Or"

— I think this is for the merits that Artem Dovbik has done for "Girona". Even now in the Ukraine national team, everyone calls him "Pichichi".

He got into La Liga, but not to a top club from there, yet in his very first season he became the top scorer of the league. I think achieving such a thing is very difficult. Artem deserves it. He hasn’t scored that much for the national team yet. We wait.

On the meeting with Hungary's leader Viktor Orban

— Orban is a former football player himself. In his city, he built a big stadium.

When I just arrived in Hungary (to work as the head coach of "Ferencváros", - ed. note) and watched a match, I saw him coming toward me with security. He greeted me, said: "I am very grateful that you came here to work, I know you well." After that, I met with him several times at football matches. I think I was invited to this meeting because I had a relationship with Orban before.

But what Orban is doing now, I do not support. And in my conversation with him, I told him that I am a patriot of my country and that I want Hungary to help our country. Not many words were needed on this topic, but it was really important because he, I know 100%, respects me. And when I finished working in Hungary, he thanked me for what I did for Hungarian football. I hope that in this conversation with Orban I helped.