The honored coach of Ukraine Anatoly Kroshchenko shared his thoughts on the problems in the game of Kyiv’s «Dynamo», as well as commented on the situation with modern domestic coaches.
Anatoly Kroshchenko— Anatoly Nikolaevich, what is happening with «Dynamo»? Alexander Shovkovskiy’s team has drawn four matches in a row in the UPL.
— The key to successful play is work in training. What I see during matches is very weak preparations. It feels like the players go onto the field and adapt to each other and the opponent in the course of the match. They decide how they will play. The tactics are faltering.
— The Kyiv team concedes a lot, the defenders are shuffled around, but there is no result.
— It is important to practice defensive play until it becomes automatic. When I was a coach, I practiced one exercise: placing five balls on the right and left. Crosses come in, four players defend, four attack. The players had to feel who was marking whom, where to run, how to maneuver, how to cover for their partner. And this continues until they can feel each other even with their eyes closed.
And now look at the defenders of «Dynamo». I apologize, but Popov often finds himself on the ground because he plays weakly positionally. He doesn’t understand the basics.
— You successfully worked at the «Dynamo» academy. Could your trainees instantly play in the first team?
— I will give just one example. Yozhef Sabo, who was leading «Dynamo» at the time, asked: «Suggest someone who can be brought into the first team?» I replied: come and there are talented guys. Yozhef Yozhefovich came and after just one viewing selected Sergey Fedorov, Vladislav Vashchuk, and Alexander Shovkovskiy.
— And this trio became the backbone of «Dynamo» for many years.
— Exactly. Now «Dynamo» is in dire need of reinforcements in various positions. But tell me, who from the Academy has come in and succeeded in recent years? They take players from «Chornomorets», then from «Dnipro-1», or dubious-class legionnaires. Where are our own?
Moreover, it is important for the team to be physically ready. Physicality has always played a huge role in football — remember Valeriy Lobanovskyi’s teams. And now football has become even more intense. If you aren’t physically prepared — there is nothing to catch.
In training, you need to be tough and fair because the opponent on the field will not have mercy on you.
— Can you draw parallels between the problems in «Dynamo» and the Ukrainian national team?
— Sergey Rebrov has led the national team for several years, but there is neither a result, nor a backbone, nor a recognizable style. Yet this is a team that represents our entire football.
— Are there any coaches in Ukraine that you respect?
— We have many coaches, but only Ruslan Rotan is really succeeding so far. His «Alexandria» took the silver without stars — and this is no coincidence. I enjoy watching his work, the gameplay evolution of his teams. He feels football, has his own vision of the game. His approach shows elements of modern methodology that he is trying to implement. The players constantly move, search for the best positions, and know their maneuvers. Our footballers are not used to this — it’s easier for them to play simply.
Additionally, it’s clear that Rotan has good relationships with the team. He knows how to create the right working climate.
— How important is it that footballers unquestioningly follow the coach and his ideas?
— In my career, it has been different. Sometimes we practice combinations, but they don’t work in the game. Players come to me and say: «Nikolaich, how about we try it this way?» In the creative process, it is important to hear each other.
I also remember how we — the coaches of the national teams and academies — were gathered at the House of Football. Various courses, seminars were held, tactical innovations were discussed, and opinions were exchanged. Now, it seems to me, modern Ukrainian coaches are left to their own devices and simmer in their own juice. Their work is analyzed only by journalists.
Viktor Perehnyak
