Former Kyiv Dynamo forward Oleg Salenko commented on the white-and-blues' defeat to LNZ in the 12th round of the Ukrainian Championship.
Oleg Salenko— Oleg, after the victory over Zrinjski in the Conference League, Dynamo fans probably believed that the winning streak would continue. What went wrong now?
— Perhaps Dynamo fans believed in a miracle, but it should be understood that Kyiv played against amateurs, who completely dissolved on the field after 0:2. The euphoria that everyone felt should not have been. And yesterday, Dynamo played in the championship with professionals. I am ashamed, as a former player of this team, and now, as a fan, to see such a level of play, let alone the result, from the Dynamo team. Everything remains in its place. There is no game. Moreover, Yarmolenko, on whom much depends, got injured.
No offense to LNZ, but Dynamo had no right to lose like that. What was created by Kyiv during the match? Nothing. How can it be? How can the country’s champion play like that? It’s just a shame! One win in eight matches. No words!
I watched this match with acquaintances who were constantly asking me questions, not understanding what was happening with Dynamo and where it was heading. I had nothing to counter.
— LNZ can be called the revelation of the championship. Vitaliy Ponomaryov’s team not only stays at the top of the standings but also beats both Dynamo and Shakhtar...
— I won’t argue, LNZ are handsome, but here the question is about Dynamo, which in every match, despite all the difficulties, must be at a level, not what we saw now.
— Dynamo has one win in eight championship matches. This somehow doesn’t align with the giant of domestic football.
— That’s an understatement. A new team needs to be created. You can lose half a year to a year, but then everything will be fine. Valeriy Lobanovskyi told me this. With these words, and in the current situation, I agree 1000%.
— The team had a difficult journey from Poland to Ukraine after the European match. There was very little time for recovery...
— This is self-deception. I’m not arguing, it’s difficult, but where’s the pride? Last season, when Dynamo «burned out» everyone in the Europa League, but became the champion of Ukraine, no one mentioned it was difficult, and now you only hear about fatigue, but not about football.
— Shakhtar is seven points ahead of Dynamo. Does Dynamo’s fight for the championship end here?
— No. If changes happen soon. Otherwise, it will be good if Dynamo even clings to the European Cups.
— Don’t you think Arda Turan uses his resources better than Oleksandr Shovkovskiy?
— The Turkish specialist has a good selection of foreign players. Dynamo relies on its players, but there’s no complete picture for progress. I already said, or rather Lobanovskyi, that some time can be lost, but then reap the benefits.
— Who needs to be asked out of the team?
— No one needs to be asked. Yarmolenko, whom I respect very much, is ending his career. Buyalskiy can be sold to give the captain at least a little taste of legionary experience at the end of his career. Has anyone seen Shaparenko lately?
— Was he called up to the national team?
— For what? What has he done to be among the best players in the country?
— Dynamo bypassed LNZ and Polissya. Is the situation critical for the white-and-blues?
— It has been for a long time. Again, this victory over amateurs in the Conference League amused everyone a bit. The entire team’s salary there is less than Yarmolenko’s. Dynamo won one match against a weak opponent, and everyone praised the team.
I am very worried about Dynamo, to which I devoted over three years as a player. That’s why I react this way to its failures. In the Conference League, you need to try to push off from the bottom and go up if, of course, you dare to make changes; otherwise, as they say, all is lost.
— Now, after 12 rounds, can you say who is the main favorite in the championship race?
— Shakhtar.
— LNZ, Polissya, Dynamo...
— I said about Dynamo. LNZ, in my opinion, won’t last the entire tournament, and Polissya, due to their roster, won’t be able to compete with the miners.
— Will these teams be the main contenders for the medals?
— Yes. Zorya can still join this company. The match against Metalist 1925 only confirmed this. Many preferred Kharkiv not only in this game but also in the competition for top places. But as practice shows, they lack a bench. Without Kalitvintsev, Kalyuzhny, Mladen Bartulovich’s team started to sink. Therefore, the circle of candidates for high places begins to narrow...
Sergiy Boychenko
