Former player of the Ukrainian national team, and currently the assistant to the head coach of “Oleksandriya”, Serhiy Kravchenko shared his impressions of the performance of the Ukrainian national team in the Nations League this season.
— How do you find the national team and the recent matches?
— We beat Albania, there are no questions. It could have been better with Georgia, it could have been worse. Second place, considering how we started, is still good. There has been a lot of criticism directed at the team, the coaching staff, and the players. I do not like this, I will always support the team and want them to win. After the first matches, no one believed we would take second place, saying that with such a play there were no chances. But it turned out that there are chances even for reaching Division “A”, where there will be more interesting matches and opponents.
— What can you say about the matches themselves and the team's play?
— I do not want to discuss the game and the coaching staff specifically, as it is not very ethical for me to evaluate them as a coach. Maybe if I were an expert, I would say something. I like some things in the team, some I do not.
— Do you share the position of Rustam Khudjamov that only football people can criticize the national team?
— No, I do not share this. I believe that journalists and fans can express their opinions. We just need to add more respect and humanity. Now is a time when anyone can express their opinion. The question is whether you pay attention to such criticism or not. If you see a comment from a person, and even if they are not a football person, but have achieved certain heights in life, I will take this criticism or praise seriously, I find it interesting. If a person achieved nothing in life and is just trying to “hype”, then why pay attention to that? Moreover, this is a national team that everyone watches.
— And if a person is not into football, but knows something about it?
— In general, you know, all our people are great at politics, football, medicine, and war. So everyone can express their opinion, but we need to react to it correctly, filter it somehow, or abstract altogether. I repeat, we need more “respect”, not only in football but also in life. Criticism must exist, as it helps to motivate and develop. Without criticism, footballers can relax, but it should be reasoned and with more respect.
— Continuing the topic of the national team, who would you like to see as Ukraine's opponent in the playoffs?
— Belgium is the most uncomfortable opponent, although we played respectably against them in the European Championship. It could be difficult with Scotland due to their physical style. Serbia and Hungary are priority opponents, but at this level, all teams are decent. Let it be Hungary, we need to beat Orban.
This is, of course, more of a joke, as Orban is both a president and a football player there. I assume it might be a little easier with Hungary than with others. I could say more confidently, but on the 19th, the Hungarians drew 1:1 with the Germans, so it's still an assumption because I immediately thought of them when I saw them among potential opponents.
Igor Lysenko
