Igor Surkis: “We are not holding anyone back, but in order for a Dynamo graduate to leave, he must first do something for the cl
The president of Kyiv’s Dynamo, Igor Surkis, commented on the team’s victory over Lviv’s Karpaty (2:0) in yesterday’s match of the 18th round of the Ukrainian championship during a broadcast on the YouTube channel “Profootball Digital” and also answered a number of relevant questions.
— What did you think of Dynamo’s performance in the match against Karpaty?
— We played well, we should have scored more in the first half, and then it would have been much easier.
— Is Dynamo running?
— Yes, we are. We had very good training camps that lasted two months. The team has prepared well. There is rotation and depth in the squad. I believe we are on the right track.
— How did the team gain new experience from two official matches in January, and how did you prepare for them?
— At the first stage of training camps, the team prepared for those two matches, and only then began preparation for the second part of the Ukrainian championship. It was a new experience. We were obviously concerned that we had never been in such a match schedule before. I thought it was impossible to prepare for those matches in two weeks. But we managed to do it. Moreover, there were no difficult travels — that also plays a role. The guys were ready both mentally and physically.
Maybe we didn’t play our best matches against Galatasaray and RFS, but we still earned those points. However, our European season was definitely unsuccessful. I have mentioned this before, as has Shovkovskiy. Therefore, we must draw conclusions from this and perform much better in the next European season if we qualify for it.
— And at this stage, what conclusions have you been able to draw?
— We will see that when we play against Shakhtar and Kryvbas. We need to progress and move forward. The war, I hope, will end. Then we can talk about quality transfers that will strengthen the team. I hope that in the future we will look better.
— Are you envious of Shakhtar signing newcomers?
— No. It is their right to do so. They are working for the future. Our Brazilian vector has not taken root. We had Vitingo, a very good player, who scored two goals for Internacional yesterday; I saw that match, and he played very well. But we couldn’t convince him to come back to Ukraine. He doesn’t want to return while the war is ongoing. However, he has a contract with Dynamo for another two and a half years. The war will end, and he will return.
I have no doubt that the war will end. It must end on Ukraine's terms. The team has supported, and I support what our President says: Ukraine cannot exist without Ukraine. So, I hope that this year the war will end, and we can move forward.
— Tell us the story of the failed transfer of Brazhko to Wolverhampton from your perspective.
— There was an offer from Wolverhampton that did not suit us. My nerves held up, and we kept Brazhko in the team. I spoke with him and explained that he needs to do something for Dynamo in order for us to sell him. In due time we sold both Zabarnyi and Mykolenko. We do not hold anyone in Dynamo against their will. But they must do something for the club. We have nurtured them since childhood.
Perhaps there will be an offer for Brazhko in the summer or next winter. For now, he needs to demonstrate those qualities that will attract the interest of top-class clubs. I hope that Brazhko has everything ahead of him.
— Did he hear you?
— He heard. He has three and a half years left on his contract. Next week we will extend it. And you will see that he heard me. We will improve his conditions, and he will play and regain condition — he has missed a lot.
I have no problems with the guys. There was talk that Vivcharenko would leave Dynamo for free. During the training camp, we spoke with his agent. He understood that a graduate of Kyiv’s Dynamo cannot leave just because he wants to. That cannot happen. Guys need to feel a responsibility, first and foremost, to the club, and to the fans. Then they should transition to another team in a civilized manner: the club should get money for him, and the player will have the opportunity to move to a league he likes. In this situation, there are three components: the club making the offer, the club receiving the transfer offer, and the player receiving the contract offer. All three parties should be satisfied with the situation, and then the transfer will take place.
— You said you held your nerves in the situation with negotiations about Brazhko. When was the last time there was a similar situation?
— I do not lose my nerves. Money is not everything for me. Dynamo is in my heart. I love this team and will love it until my last days. Money is not the most important thing in this life. Right now, we should first of all talk about ending the war. We play football only thanks to our guys who are fighting for our country. My brother and I support them in any way we can.
When we finish the war, we will continue to develop our football. It is a nonsense that football can thrive under wartime conditions. I am very grateful to the presidents of all clubs that support our football. Nobody has abandoned our football. After the war, we will restore our lost positions in the rankings.
And I do not want to invite legionnaires to club just for the sake of having numbers that will close the road to our youth. The example with Brazhko proves once again that our footballers will be in demand in the Western transfer market.
— What are the prospects for Guerrero at Dynamo?
— First of all, he needs to sort things out within himself. He was given a chance, but he did not take advantage of it. I understand that Shovkovskiy will give him a second chance. But no one will give Guerrero a third chance. There is Zorya, there are other clubs, but in Kyiv’s Dynamo he needs to go out on the field and do what the team needs most. It doesn’t matter that he is unhappy that he is not put on the field: in training, he must prove to the head coach that he is better than Vanat. Then he will play. If he plays, he will score. Then there will be trust in him from the fans and the coaching staff. Competition has not been canceled.
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