Defender of “Oleksandriya” Oleksandr Martyniuk shared his impressions about the “silver” of the Ukrainian championship of the season-2024/25, the call to the national team of Ukraine, and the farewell to now former head coach of the team Ruslan Rotan.
Oleksandr Martyniuk. Photo — FC “Oleksandriya”“We showed all of Ukraine that not only our giants can take the top two spots”
— Oleksandr, what does the silver of “Oleksandriya” mean personally for you?
— The biggest achievement of my career. I am very happy to have joined Oleksandriya. And we achieved this pleasant event, such as second place in UPL, together with this team, with this coach.
You can say we wrote history for this club; as a silver medalist, FC Oleksandriya has never been in the history of this club. I am very happy and glad.
— How do you rate the season for the “city”?
— The season was very good, but I believe we could have performed even better. We fought for first place until the last round.
We showed good gameplay, demonstrated that we can compete against any opponent. We showed all of Ukraine that not only our “giants” can take the top two spots; other clubs can also fight for those prize positions. Therefore, I believe this season was very successful for us.
— And how do you feel you performed this season personally?
— There’s always room for improvement. As I already mentioned, we fought for first place almost until the end. Personally, I consider the season to be good, but there’s always room for growth. I plan to work on my mistakes, move forward, and achieve more victories.
— Which lost points do you think were the most painful in the context of the championship fight?
— The most painful points lost were the matches against “Rukh” (1:1, 1:1, — note from the editor). During the matches, we were winning in both, but ultimately we conceded and ended up with two draws. It was precisely these points that we were missing for the championship (in the end, the gap between Oleksandriya and the champion, Dynamo, was 3 points, — note from the editor).
— Tell us what happened in the locker room after the match with “Veres,” when the team officially secured second place?
— The same as outside the locker room. Everyone was happy; we had finally become silver medalists. A lot of champagne was spilled in the locker room; we were happy, shouting, singing songs. An unforgettable atmosphere.
— Did Sasha Filipov drink more than anyone else then, or was it someone else?
— I don’t know who drank the most, but Sasha Filipov was very happy then. (Smiling).
Sasha was very nervous in all the matches; it was noticeable after the Carpathians when we lost points. I didn’t play that game, but I was in the locker room after the final whistle. His disappointment after Carpathians knew no bounds, so I understand his joy after the match with “Veres.”
“We made a double celebration for Oleksandriya”
— Tell us more about the celebrations and awards in Oleksandriya.
— Our awards ceremony took place on the day of the city of Oleksandriya. Many people gathered, and everything was at the highest level. The people who came welcomed and supported us.
Everyone was very happy. We made, so to speak, a double celebration for the city day. The biggest achievement for “Oleksandriya” until this was bronze medals, and this silver made the celebration special.
— Against which player was it hardest to play this season?
— I can highlight Oleksii Hutsuliak. A very good player, a national team player of Ukraine.
It is hard to play with each player in their own way. Each player has their own good qualities. And you need to adapt to each one; we watch the breakdowns of players. We review, prepare for these players. We look at what they use the most in the game, under which foot they take the ball. Therefore, it is hard to adapt to each player. You first need to pay attention to your game.
“Ruslan Petrovich came to me and said about the call to the national team...”
— How did you find out about the call to the national team?
— I found out from social media. I was very happy. I dreamed of finally getting into the national team of Ukraine after being in the reserve list last year. I hoped they would give me a chance, and so it happened. Thank you very much for calling me.
I will give my all. I will try to always make it into the main squad of the national team.
— What did Ruslan Petrovich say about your call-up?
— After the celebration in Oleksandriya on stage, he came to me. He said that I had grown a lot in a football sense, especially tactically. He always told me that I need to keep working, stand my ground, and give my all in both training and games. He wished me good luck in the national team, that I prove that all the work put in was not in vain.
“Everything depends on whether there will be any offers in the transfer window or not”
— What is being discussed among the team regarding Rotan leaving Oleksandriya?
— In the team, everyone is currently on vacation, so there are no discussions going on right now. Everyone knows what’s happening, reads the media. Everyone is holding together as a collective; there are no worries or fears.
Of course, there is some disappointment that Ruslan Petrovich left us.
We are all one team; we have a good collective. Despite everything, we will aim for new goals and accomplish the tasks set before us.
— Do you see your future in Oleksandriya in the next season?
— I still have two years left on my contract with Oleksandriya. So everything depends on whether there will be any offers in the transfer window or not. I don’t know anything yet.
— Are you tired after the season, or do you still have some strength for the national team?
— I’m tired, but I will always find strength for the national team. We will extract strength from all reserves of our body and prove ourselves on the football field as part of the national team.
Igor Lysenko
