One of his former coaches, Yaroslav Matviyiv, who oversaw the debut of central defender Vasyl Burtnyk at the professional level, shared insights about the player’s qualities and strengths.
Vasyl Burtnyk. Photo — fcdynamo.com“Burtnyk can become a driving force and impose competition in the defense that Dynamo needs”
— Mr. Yaroslav, how did you react to the news that your former trainee Vasyl Burtnyk became a player for Dynamo? Were you surprised that Vasyl quickly reached a new level?
— I wasn’t surprised at all because I expected it. Maybe not this quickly, but I knew that sooner or later it would happen, and Vasyl would play in an UPL club. I didn’t expect it to be such a big club as Dynamo right away, but I never doubted that Burtnyk is capable of playing at a high level in the Ukrainian championship.
I was very glad when Vasyl took a step forward and moved to the Ternopil Niva. There, experienced coaches led by Yuriy Virt could offer him more than the young staff of Revera 1908. And when Burtnyk made the move from Niva to more recognized specialists like Oleksandr Shovkovskyi, I am confident that he will progress even faster and reach a new level.
— Have you already congratulated Burtnyk on joining Dynamo?
— Yes, I wrote to him and congratulated him, but I haven’t called yet. I think his phone is already ringing off the hook. My colleagues and I are genuinely happy for Vasyl. This is a significant event for Revera 1908 that our former player moved to Dynamo.
— Can Burtnyk win the competition against Popov, Bilovar, and another newcomer Aliu Tiara?
— These are well-named guys with good abilities, but Vasyl can become a driving force and impose competition in the defense that Dynamo needs. I am confident that he will show himself in the best light.
— The fans of Ukraine don’t know Burtnyk very well. Can you tell us what kind of player he is and what his strong qualities are?
— He is a muscular, coordinated central defender who possesses a strong first pass and can initiate attacks. He has an excellent diagonal pass. Vasyl also possesses great speed, both in terms of initial burst and distance running. I don’t even know if any central defender in Ukraine can compete with him in this aspect.
Besides this, Burtnyk plays wonderfully in aerial duels. In the winter, I was reviewing data from Wyscout, and Vasyl was the leader in the number of won aerial duels in Ukraine across all leagues — his percentage was 79%! He was also the best in interceptions and recoveries among all leagues.
— So, is he already a top player in defense in Ukraine?
— It’s still too early to say top, but with such data, talent, and attitude towards the game, Vasyl has every opportunity to become a top player.
— Which top central defender does Burtnyk’s playing style resemble?
— Van Dijk from Liverpool. That’s the first name that comes to mind.
“If Vasyl shows all his qualities and demonstrates what he’s capable of, then I have no doubt that he will stay at Dynamo”
— In what areas does Burtnyk need to improve?
— I can’t just point out his weaknesses right away. There’s always something to add, for example, in terms of speed of play with the ball, because football in the UPL is much more intense. Vasyl also needs to gain a bit more confidence and psychological resilience because the guy played at regional level a year and a half ago and has since climbed three stages — Second League, First League, and now the UPL. You could say that in a year and a half he has risen from regional championship to Dynamo.
— What kind of person is Vasyl?
— He is very modest, well-mannered, and decent. He has wonderful human qualities instilled by his parents. Vasyl approaches everything very professionally. He understands that if he wants to be in professional football at a high level, he must sacrifice something and work selflessly.
— Are there any other football players in Burtnyk’s family?
— I know that his younger brother Ivan plays in the “Prykarpattia” academy. He competes in the U-16 age group.
— Dynamo has taken Burtnyk on loan for a year. Do you think he will manage to prove himself and stay in the Kyiv giant on a permanent basis?
— Here, the sporting principle decides. If Vasyl shows all his qualities and demonstrates what he’s capable of, then I have no doubt that he will remain at Dynamo. Believe me, he has a very high potential and assets that he can capitalize on and grow into a top player.
“When Burtnyk first joined Revera 1908, he was quite emotional and didn’t know how to behave on the field”
— Can you tell us how you found Burtnyk and how he became a player for Revera 1908?
— When I came to “Revera 1908” (the club was then still called FAPF, — ed. note), the team was playing in amateurs, but I knew that in the summer we would start in the Second League, so we began searching for potential newcomers. We noticed Vasyl when he played for FC “Vylkhivtsi.” Our then-sporting director Yegor Kopylov spotted him and advised me to take a closer look at him.
As soon as the season ended, we offered Burtnyk to join us. We immediately signed a contract without a trial because we saw great potential in him.
— I look at his stats in Revera 1908 and see that in his debut cup match against Podillia, Burtnyk was sent off. What happened then?
— If I’m not mistaken, he received his first yellow card for arguing with the referee, and the second one — we misjudged the position, Vasyl ran to cover on the right back, and he knocked down the opponent’s striker who had touched the ball.
— How does Burtnyk react to such situations?
— When Vasyl first joined Revera 1908, he was quite emotional because he lacked professional experience and sometimes didn’t know how to behave on the field. We made every effort to correct this because in professional football, such things don’t go unnoticed; the rules change, and now only the captain can talk to the referee. Vasyl learned very quickly and began to adhere to the standards. He started talking less on the field and proving his ambitions through his play.
Andriy Piskun
