The former head coach of «Werder», «Zorya», «Vorskla» and «Metalist 1925», Viktor Skrypnyk assessed Dynamo's chances of winning in the current season of the Ukrainian championship.
Viktor Skrypnyk— Can we congratulate «Dynamo» on the championship already?
— Right now in Ukraine, it’s a phase where a favorite might lose points against an outsider. That same «Inhulets» beat «Kryvbas», «Veres»—«Polissia», «Dynamo» lost points to «Vorskla», «Shakhtar»—against «Karpaty». I love this kind of football. «Shakhtar» didn’t manage to take advantage of Dynamo’s lost points and everything is heading towards Kyivans becoming champions.
I wouldn’t be surprised if «Oleksandriya» surpasses «Shakhtar» and takes second place. I am very glad that such original teams are appearing in Ukraine. Last year it was «Kryvbas», this year it’s «Oleksandriya». It’s clear that there is a very good atmosphere in Rotan’s team in the locker room.
Here, I like a bit less about «Dynamo». I read the interview with Shovkovskyi, where he talked about players flying in the clouds. If someone doesn’t pass the ball to someone else, insults and shouts begin immediately. It feels like everyone is on their own, but it should be one for all. It used to be like that in «Dynamo», which is why they gathered a lot of points in the first round.
— What is your prediction for the final top-3 of the UPL?
— «Dynamo» is the champion. Second place will be «Oleksandriya». Third—«Shakhtar». «Polissia» is a dark horse, they have tough matches against the leaders ahead, where it will be very difficult. It will be hard for Kryvbas to cling to the top-3. No matter how you spin it, but these commotions with sirens and pauses will not work in their favor.
If the matches from Kryvyi Rih are moved to a neutral field, then «Kryvbas» will lose support from fans and will always play away. I want to wish that the war ends soon, people start going to the stadiums, and there is a football team in every city.
Zorya has gathered together now, results have appeared. I am absolutely not surprised, it’s no wonder this team is called «men». Perhaps, Zorya will even jump into the top four.
— You put «Shakhtar» in third place. What do you say about the uncertain game of the «miners» in this UPL season?
— A lot of new players came to the team, who are still uncoordinated. This is the main problem. The Brazilians are good guys, but they need time. «Shakhtar» is in a reorganization phase right now. Even Pushich himself said that this year the team has no ambitions to become champions. Under Lucescu, the Brazilians also took a long time to adapt, and then they became champions. We need to wait.
— Which players from the UPL are ready to move to a top league?
— Number one is Sudakov. If he sits a little longer at «Shakhtar», it will be difficult for him to transfer to Europe, unless it’s France. My teams often played against Sudakov, and I saw the fire in his eyes—that he wants to move to a stronger league. Moreover, his friend Mudryk went to «Chelsea» for a big sum. It’s clear that such players are needed by the «Shakhtar» coach, but it’s obvious that Sudakov is unhappy that he is being held back. Now is the time for him to leave.
The same goes for Brazhko. True, at «Dynamo», Brazhko does not play as brightly as at «Zorya». In the national team, he also does not perform the role of the first fiddle. Zabarniy played practically without dips, and «Bournemouth» timely scrambled. In top leagues, you can’t play at 70%, you always need to give your all on the field.
— Wolverhampton offered 20 million for Brazhko, but Surkis refused and extended his contract with him. Is this the right decision?
— This is something to ask Igor Mykhailovych about. Perhaps he has some trump card up his sleeve. If Sudakov could be held back, then Brazhko can calmly play at «Dynamo» for a year or two and then move somewhere.
— The Bundesliga is not a foreign league for you. Which Ukrainian players would fit the style of the German league?
— Probably, Brazhko. He both makes passes and intercepts, plays against the ball, and sees the field well. In the Bundesliga, there is more fighting than in the Spanish championship, but all matches are spectacular, unpredictable, scores of 3:3 and more often occur.
— What level of Bundesliga team is Brazhko?
— It’s hard to say because I haven’t worked with Brazhko and have only seen him from the stands and played against him a few times. I think he and Hutsulyak would fit teams like «Stuttgart».
— Imagine that you are now the coach of «Werder» and can take any Ukrainian players from the UPL. Who would you choose?
— I would take Kabayev because he is not afraid of the ball, he has good dribbling, and he is a fast guy. But he has a problem—he breaks down under heavy loads. Yes, he doesn’t score much for «Dynamo», as one would like, but he still brings value.
I would also take Brazhko and Hutsulyak. I named offensive players, but we also need reasonably tough ones—for defense. I like Konoplya from «Shakhtar», he is unyielding, he has experience in international games, and he can be relied on. Konoplya would definitely play 100% for me at «Werder».
— When you led «Werder», could you have signed any Ukrainians? Tell a story that no one knows.
— When I coached «Werder», I wanted to sign Artem Fedetskyi for the right-back position. This was after Ukraine's victory over France (2:0), when Fedetskyi simply «ate» the Bundesliga star—Ribéry. I told the «Werder» management: «Look at this player! Let’s sign him». They replied, «We’re ready, let’s go». I started to talk to one agent, and there turned out to be four of them, and each of them sends papers to the club stating that Fedetskyi is their player. «Werder» didn’t want to figure out whose player it was to avoid lawsuits with other agents. So the transfer didn’t happen.
— In «Bayer», there is currently a forward of the youth national team of Ukraine Artem Stepanov. Alonso even released him in matches for the first team, but there were talks about a loan to «Kaiserslautern». What are Stepanov’s prospects?
— When there is an international break, Stepanov will definitely be with the Bayer first team. Training with professionals will be beneficial for Artem. He often gets written about in Germany, he scores many goals for Bayer's youth team. Stepanov has very good anthropometric data. Bayer plays with one forward, most often with Victor Bonifasi, Stepanov is a forward of the same type. A bright future awaits Stepanov if he doesn’t stop developing. He undoubtedly has talent, but it needs to be nurtured.
Andriy Piskun
