Former defender of the Ukrainian national team and Kyiv Dynamo Dynamo Taras Mikhalik shared his impressions of the events at the finish of the current Ukrainian championship.
Taras Mikhalik— Of course, it is a bit annoying that there was no intrigue in the fight for the places on the podium. On the other hand, look at the passions that are stirring in the competition for the fourth ticket to the European cups and in the relegation zone.
— Is Dynamo’s championship deserved?
— Undoubtedly. By the way, even the main competitor of the Kyiv team in recent years in the struggle for golden medals, Shakhtar, acknowledged this. Among Alexander Shovkovskyi’s charges, I would highlight veteran Andriy Yarmolenko, who, as in his best years, was a true leader.
— Which team will win the fourth ticket to European cups?
— I don’t think that thanks to their home walls, Polesie can be considered a favorite in the confrontation with Kryvbas. In my opinion, the chances of Zhytomyr, Kryvyi Rih, and Karpaty are equal.
— Is the second place of Oleksandriya a sensation?
— Considering that at the beginning of the season even the most devoted fans of the “city dwellers” believed that “bronze” would be a great result, then yes. But, in my opinion, the Oleksandriya team has earned the silver. This well-deserved success is not only thanks to the coaching staff led by Ruslan Rotan, but also to the club bosses who trusted the manager even after an unsuccessful previous season.
— There are talks in football circles that Rotan may soon head a more famous club. What would you advise him?
— To stay. "Oleksandriya" is a coaching team, so Rotan shouldn’t just abruptly throw everything away. Especially since Oleksandriya will soon represent Ukraine in the Conference League.
— Who has been your revelation of the season?
— As a team — Oleksandriya. Among the players, I have already acknowledged Yarmolenko, but he is a well-known performer. Something similar can be said about another Dynamo player — Vladyslav Vanat.
Unfortunately, no one else among Ukrainian footballers stood out.
Andrii Pisarenko
