last game against Croatia. The group was very
tough, but the experience the young players
got during the campaign helped to build
their confidence and their belief. It was the
confirmation that we are working in the right
way. After the qualifiers, we changed a few
things and the team improved a lot.
What did you learn about yourself as a coach?
My ideas are important, but to not get frustrated
at times. The results don’t always reflect the
reality of the games. I always believed that we
were on the right track, even during different
match situations and in different games. We
always work hard to improve the team. It is
the confirmation of you dedicating time, of you
fully committing to your work. You have to have
talent, but a lot of things will come through hard
work. In the modern world you need to be open
to new ideas, but you have to go through a lot of
work. That is what I believe in.
Have you managed to address the lack of
attacking strength?
I think we are a more balanced team today, in
terms of [the rate] between creating chances
and scoring. And also in defence. Ukraine looks
a lot more solid. Young players have become
leaders in the team. Some have improved
incredibly at their clubs, playing in England,
playing in Italy. Of course, that elevates the
confidence of the players.
In June, Ukraine
won the Under-
20 World Cup...
It is a big bonus
for Ukraine.
Obviously, this
young generation
can really reinforce
the national team in the future. That is
what we will wait for and the victory was
a big success for the country.
In general, is the classic number nine
disappearing from the game?
Modern football requires a lot more from
players, in particular from midfielders and
wingers. It also depends on whether you play
with one or two strikers. The position of second
striker doesn’t exist anymore for me. With one
striker up front you can play a couple of players
in behind or a couple of players wide. In the
modern game you can’t just cover one specific
position. A player needs to know a lot of
positions and have a lot of tactical skills. Football
today is a high-quality chess game, in particular
when you play in a huge competition like the
Champions League or the World Cup. A modern
player needs to understand tactical changes
during the game. That requires a lot more
intelligence from the players.Is that tactical flexibility the biggest change
in the game since your own playing days?
No, the evolution is not just about technique.
You have to work a lot with your mind. The
demands are different. Intelligence on the pitch
has become a lot more important today. Of
course, technique and physicality are still key,
but intelligence – understanding and reading
situations, understanding different positions,
the different tactical phases of the game when
a coach changes something – is crucial.You have used a lot of different formations...
When I ask for it during the game we can switch
to a couple of formations, but we have never
broken the system of the game. That’s the
main thing. It is very important that the players
understand the structure of the game and
how it develops. We can rotate in the midfieldand in attack. I notice that my players, with the
mindsets they have, can easily switch positions
during the game. We are growing as a team. We
are getting better because we are starting to
understand each other, the positions and the
rotation better.What are Oleksandr Zinchenko’s qualities
and what does he bring to Ukraine?
His main qualities are his technical skills and his
mind. Zinchenko can play in different positions,
and because of his intelligence he will be
switching positions during the games, playing
for City and even for us, probably more for us.
We can use him in different positions. He can do
that very quickly. He adapts immediately to that
position and understands what he has to do at
that specific moment.Will Ukraine qualify for the Euro
2020 finals?
That is our main goal: to qualify,
playing attractive matches with
the fans in Ukraine waiting for us.
Interview by Samindra KuntiSHEVCHENKO
“[Winning the Under-20 World Cup] is a big
bonus for Ukraine...this young generation
can really reinforce the national team”
Observing...
Shevchenko watches
on from the sideline