The general director of Cherkasy’s LNZ, Vasyl Hayuk, commented on his club’s victory over Kyiv’s Dynamo (1:0) in the 12th round of the Ukrainian championship.
Vasyl Hayuk— You’ve already made history in the UPL. LNZ is the only team to defeat both Shakhtar and Dynamo in the same round, and away at that...
— Defeating two giants of Ukrainian football is certainly pleasant. I wouldn’t call these victories historic, but they were the first for LNZ, and that is important. Above all, it is important for the formation and development of football culture in the Cherkasy region, which is only naturally forming, as our team is in the Premier League for only the third year.
Every victory over strong opponents raises interest in football in the region and increases respect for the club. The more we beat high-level teams, the faster LNZ will gain recognition and support.
But the most important thing is patience, understanding, and stable support for the team. Without extreme reactions: when, after one loss, someone says we’re already “relegated”, and after a win, that we “must become champions.” Balance, work, and faith in the team every day, not just after the result, are important.
— After last season’s failure, you decided to invite Ponomarev, which caused quite a few skeptical reviews. Name three theses: what changes did Vitaliy Yuriyovych make that the team is now among the UPL leaders, whereas last season it was at the bottom...
— Discipline, professionalism, and incredible work ethic are the qualities that define our team today. But I want to note: the season is still far from over. Yes, we are currently in second place, but there is still a lot of work ahead — only 12 matches have been played.
We must remain extremely focused and continue to improve in every aspect of the game. Last season we finished with 31 points, now we have only 23 — so it is important not to relax and not let a good start turn into a failure in the second half of the championship. Only constant concentration, work, and striving for development will ensure stability and results.
Oleg Vakhotsky
