The former midfielder of Kyiv’s Dynamo shared his impressions from Ukraine’s June matches at the international tournament in Canada.
Vasyl KardashI know from personal experience how difficult it is to adjust after the end of the season at the club level, and then to play for the national team as well. But thanks to the willpower, there were no problems with motivation.
In the starting match in Toronto against the hosts, it seemed that some of the guests took to the field with a relaxed mindset, simply to improve their statistics for the main team of the country. It shouldn’t be that way: if you’ve agreed to come to the camp, please prove your professionalism on the field. And hints about a tiring season have nothing to do with it. What can be said about representatives of clubs from top championships, where competition is significantly fiercer and many of them later participated in decisive matches for their national teams in the Nations League and will soon participate in the club World Championship. And no one complains about that; they are probably "stars" because of their lack of motivation.
In your opinion, did our players lack the desire to compete against the Canadians due to overexertion?
— You know, maybe it was due to underestimating the opponent, although I am convinced that the coaching staff provided information that the Canadians are well-trained and will not be easy to play against. However, a whole group of players did not force themselves to act at maximum intensity, and it was good that the Canadians eased off with a score of 4:0.
Could Rebrov have boldly substituted almost the entire team during the match against the hosts?
— Sometimes nothing works out, but in Toronto, our boys were also to blame. So it’s not surprising that for the next match against the New Zealanders, the practically second squad was sent out. After all, as Rebrov promised before the tournament, he would give everyone a chance to play. Still, it was a selection camp, and the coach needed to have comprehensive information on whom he could rely on in the fall during the qualifying cycle for the World Cup. It is worth noting that against the New Zealanders, the Ukrainians played much better.
Have you found an explanation for this?
— To be fair, the New Zealanders were weaker than the Canadians. Secondly, this time the motivation was in order. Since the players on the field were mainly from the rotation, they were eager to prove to Rebrov that they deserve more. They succeeded; our boys deservedly won.
We have already discussed psychological issues, but which positions, in your opinion, were not competitive?
— From my perspective, in defense only Illia Zabarnyi is untouchable; there are questions about the rest of the defenders. Our wingers lacked aggression, and Mykola Shaparenko looked unconvincing. During the UPL championship, he faced injuries, and that takes its toll. After all, it should be remembered that in Toronto the Ukrainians played with an experimental squad.
Was the tournament in Toronto useful?
— Undoubtedly. First of all, it was an opportunity to play with representatives of different football schools. And this is a valuable experience. Secondly, now Rebrov has comprehensive information on which vulnerable spots need to be worked on in the final stage of preparation for the World Cup qualifying rounds.
Andriy Pysarenko
