The midfielder of Kyiv "Dynamo" Vladislav Kabaev in an interview with the YouTube channel SportArena talked about the problems he faced when the team was coached by Mircea Lucescu.
Vladislav Kabaev. Photo — Yu. Yuriev— My first game for "Dynamo" was good. At first, Lucescu put me on the left, and before the second half, he said: "Kaba, go to the right." I told him: "Mister, I can’t express myself there. I can play there, but I can’t guarantee quality." In the end, he put Vanat there, and we didn’t return to that issue.
— Lucescu somehow limited you tactically, I understand?
— Yes. For example, there were such words: "You can’t do that, don’t do this." I clung to those phrases back then.
Moreover, he praised me. At the training camps, I remember, he praised me in Romanian. Sidorchuk was next to me, and I asked him what he was saying. "He praises you, saying you are a completely different footballer now," he replied.
But training camps are training camps. There you can lose, but you need results in the championship. And here’s where I folded. Well, what does it mean that "I can’t do this"? I had done it before. I’m not saying that I’ll carry the ball on my nose, but I know how to beat someone at speed, I can twist my head, assess the situation. Yes, I will make these mistakes, and that’s normal. But when you hear: "Don’t do it, you can’t do that," then of course, you will stop doing it altogether.
You must play football with desire, enjoy it, not come to it like it’s a job. At that time, I came, to be honest, like it was a job.
Shovkovskiy just appreciated my qualities. Just like if you take Buyalsky now, put him on the flank, and we’ll take away all his advantages. He can turn around in a square meter, give his "chip," seeing that the goalkeeper came out, and toss it over him. But put Buyalsky on the flank—he’ll be gray there.
I was gray too. But now I can play on the left, then swap with Kolya Shaparenko, I can swap with Brazhko. We swap now, and I have no attachment to my position. We all understand what to do. I have no attachment, I have freedom. Back then, I was in a cage, but now I have freedom. And this freedom liberates me.
