Forward of Bratislava’s «Slovan» Mykola Kukharevych spoke about his situation in the club, competition, scoring, the Conference League, reflected on the level of football in Ukraine and Slovakia, and also about the dream of playing for the Ukrainian national team.
Mykola Kukharevych— In «Slovan», the attacking line consists of local authorities: Robert Mak — a legend of Slovak football, David Strelts — one of the biggest young talents, Andraz Sporar — a natural scorer. In such conditions, do you feel pressure, or on the contrary, is it easier for you, as you are in the shadows and expectations from you are lower?
— In fact, in many teams where I have been, there have always been good players up front. It does not matter — younger or older. There is always good competition, you have to deal with it, prove that you should play. I try to do just that. It is very good that such players exist, as they provide valuable advice both on the field and in the locker room, helping both the team and me personally. This is a big plus for me, because I can learn valuable tips and experience from them.
— You have started the season very well. According to statistics, you are the best foreign player in «Slovan» at the beginning of this season. With such a background, have you thought about the Ukrainian national team? Do you think you could help the team in the September matches against France and Azerbaijan, which did not go well for Ukraine?
— I can’t say — whether I would have helped or not. No one knows how it would have turned out if I were there. But, of course, every Ukrainian player, whether playing in Ukraine or abroad, wants to play for his national team. I aspire to this. It’s my dream that I am pursuing, and I will do everything possible to achieve it.
— Where do you see yourself in two to three years? What is your athletic dream?
— I try not to think too far ahead. I have big ambitions, I work hard on them every day, but at the same time, I don’t look too far ahead — I try to go year by year, season by season. Right now, I’m here in «Slovan», and I want to achieve the best results here for both myself and the team. And then we’ll see.
— Can you compare the level of the Slovak league with the Ukrainian one?
— It’s really hard for me to compare, as I played in Ukraine four years ago. Back then, it was a different league, and I was younger. So, I find it difficult to compare. I think the Ukrainian league has changed a lot compared to what it was four years ago. Back then, I think the league was stronger. I think the Slovak league is definitely not weaker now and is probably even stronger than the Ukrainian league. This is evidenced by the coefficient rankings.
— This season, «Slovan» will play in the main stage of the Conference League, just like «Dynamo» and «Shakhtar». Would you like to meet them in the playoffs?
— Of course. It would be interesting to meet them, to see and compare the levels of the teams. But how the tournament paths will unfold — that does not entirely depend on us. What depends on us is how we will play — and we will try to show a good game and achieve a positive result. We want to advance in the tournament as far as possible, regardless of who our rivals are — «Shakhtar», «Dynamo», or someone else.
— How did it happen that you ended up in «Slovan» — in a league quite geographically distant from the ones where you were before?
— Yes, I was previously in Britain, I liked it there. But even before that, there was interest from «Slovan», and circumstances aligned in such a way that I had the opportunity to move here. The club was genuinely interested in my services, wanted me, and I, for my part, wanted to be where I am counted on one hundred percent. Moreover, I wanted to finally try myself in a team that plays in European cups.
Piotr Shlonka
Igor Semyon
