Andriy Shevchenko: "My philosophy is to keep up with modern football"

04.10.2018 18:01

Photo by Pavlo Kubanov

The head coach of the national team of Ukraine gave an interview to UEFA for a TV magazine dedicated to the start of the League of Nations.

The story about the national team of our state is broadcast on the TV channels of the League of Nations today, and the conversation took place in Lviv the day after the debut of the national team of Ukraine in the new tournament.

- Mr. Andrew, first of all congratulations on the victory in matches of the League of Nations against the Czechs. Share your thoughts about this game…

- Of course, I am glad that such a competition as the League of Nations has appeared, which gives an opportunity to test the national team in important tournaments. Our team was ready for the match, which turned out to be dramatic, especially in the second half. Both teams had a good chance to win, but we were much closer to victory in this match and deservedly won, although we scored in the last minute.

- In your opinion, due to what qualities did the national team of Ukraine manage to achieve this result?

- First of all, we showed a good level of performance: the organization of the game was at the proper level. Despite the fact that we lost in the course of the match - 0: 1, the team kept the game under control, creating goal opportunities. We understood that at some point we would still equalize the score, and hoped to come forward later. I am satisfied with the quality of football shown by the team, the desire to win this match, especially in the last minutes, when there was open football, and there was an exchange of attacks.

This tournament forces each participant to constantly play to win. Groups are formed so that they have few teams, and rivals of the same level. Any victory immediately increases the chances of leaving the group. So the strategy in this tournament is a bit different than the selection: you have to use every game. This is the essence of the League of Nations. All teams have equal chances to leave the group, which makes the game more spectacular for the fans and forces the teams to improve their level of performance.

- The media and experts say that the game with the Czech Republic was the best under your leadership. Do you agree with this definition?

- We worked on it for a long time, played a number of good matches. The team is growing, we are trying to attract new young performers, a clear structure of the team game that we require is emerging. During these two years, many players passed through the national team. We managed to make a good selection. We select performers and will continue to do so. As for the question - I will say this: the team played well, and the quality of the game is one of the best matches.

- You say that in the small group of the League of Nations there is a different strategy of tournament struggle. Does this mean that it was very important to start successfully in such a fleeting tournament?

- Yes of course. You only have a few chances when you have four meetings - two at home and away. It is very important to successfully start the tournament, to enter the game. The requirements set for the team have been met. We lost - 0: 1, but the team did not stop, did not give up. We moved, equalized the score, then tried to score. The Czechs also acted sharply at times. The match turned out to be interesting for both teams. We were closer to victory. Probably, our team had more desire to win.

- From your words it seems that you evaluate the League of Nations as a new tournament very positively.

- Yes of course. I like the format of this tournament: levels by team strength, and therefore group levels. Everyone has the same chances. The only thing is that as a national team coach I would like to have more time to work with the national team. But we are all in the same situation. You have to experiment sometimes because some players do not have enough playing practice or are injured. We have to do selection: look for new performers, test them. But this is probably the interesting job of the national team coach.

- What task do you set for the team in the new tournament?

- It would be ideal for us to leave the group and get to the final part of Euro 2020. This is a chance for us, because if the group wins, we have the opportunity, in case of failure to reach the finals due to qualification, to go through another grid - the League of Nations. Such chances are rare, they should be used.

- There are three strong teams in your group, but all of them did not make it to the finals of the 2018 World Cup, although they were close to it. Does this fact give you motivation and tournament excitement?

- Each team fought for a place in the World Cup. We had a complex group. The Slovaks were the closest to reaching the finals, took second place, but did not reach the playoffs for the points scored. The national team of Slovakia is a very strong team that passed exactly the selection. It includes a number of age-old performers who constantly play in their clubs, mostly Italian (including Inter), and, accordingly, play great for their national team. The coach also works with the team for a long time. The Slovaks have a strong team with experienced players, complemented by young people.

- How would you assess the potential of the current national team of Ukraine?

- We have very good potential, but we lack results and stability. I think playing in the League of Nations will give us a very valuable experience. Those players who lack playing practice in clubs, or young performers who have not yet participated in international matches, will be able to get what they need for these four matches. We will give them the opportunity to experience this high level. I hope that the experience gained by the players will help us build a new team. I see good prospects. There is a lack of stability - so we will look for this stability.

- You attract many young players, some of whom become debutants of the national team. Can you tell us about those in whom you see a special perspective?

- There is a whole cohort of performers who came from the "youth", but, unfortunately, currently do not get playing practice in their clubs, losing the competition there. Many players went to strong foreign clubs. For example, the same Zinchenko, who spent a very good last season at Manchester City, and has not received playing practice since the beginning of this season. This means that the club is very competitive. However, Zinchenko is a very promising player. Like Kovalenko, who has also lost his place in the main squad of the club and has no practice. However, he is an interesting player. Malinowski, who is the leader in his club and had a great start to the season, added a lot. Yaremchuk, Tsygankov… We have a whole galaxy of young players we are counting on and who have the potential to grow into strong players and help the national team.

- By the way, about leaders. Today we talked to Yevhen Konoplyanka. How would you describe his role in the current team and his best qualities that he brings?

- Zhenya added a lot, especially in the national team, he diversified his game, just like Andriy Yarmolenko did. They became less flank players, stretching to the middle of the field. Accordingly, they began to work more for the team and participate more actively in the team construction of the game, than just improved their game and increased their potential. Confirmation is the figures of Konoplyanka and Yarmolenko - statistics of goals scored, number of attacks, ball control, percentage of marriage, the distance that these players cover per match, speed work… These figures give the understanding that these are not just words that Konoplyanka and Yarmolenko are the leaders of the team. Footballers prove this status by their performance on the field.

- Is the growth of diversity in the actions of the team leaders connected with the fact that the national team of Ukraine has changed its playing style? After all, wingers used to need space and the opportunity to escape, but now you play in such a way that they have less space?

- We have changed the structure of the game to a greater extent, but I would not say that we have changed the style. We demand much more from these performers than from regular flankers. This is a retreat into the middle, and attacks from the central zone. Playing as one striker, we have almost three strikers on the field, because by moving to the middle and clearing areas for flanking full-backs, when passing from the flanks and penetrating passes to the middle, they can attack the space, diversifying their game. Plus, the team has a good playing quality - the ability to control the ball. We really have a lot of progress in this: the team operates mobile, and it is very difficult to play with us. When our team starts to control the ball, it does it professionally. If the opponents press us carelessly, we will get a much better chance to score, which is an obvious plus for the team.

- Previously, the national team of Ukraine, like most Ukrainian clubs, had the reputation of a physically strong team that performs a large amount of power work and plays on counterattacks. You change it. Is this your coaching philosophy?

- I'm not trying to change anything, I'm trying to keep up with modern football. This is not just my philosophy. If you want to achieve a result today, you have to control the course of the game, and for this you need to be able to own the ball. Of course, there are transitions in the game when you need to defend properly and counterattack correctly. It's all a matter of game balance. However, if the team balance is shifted towards the game of counterattacks, in modern football it will be difficult to achieve the desired result. Yes, it can be achieved at a certain level, but it is not enough to set serious goals and move towards increasing the level of play of future generations.

The team must be able to perform all game phases and control the course of the game through possession of the ball. In the game there are situations when you need to defend and play easier. But if you do this constantly, it will be very difficult to achieve results in the future. I try to teach this balance to our players. We're adjusting the game a bit. When possible, we have to control the ball. However, control for control's sake is wrong: players need to understand that we have to own the ball in order to clear the zones to move to the next phase - attack.

- The qualifying round for the World Cup was the first for you as a head coach. What lessons did you learn from this qualification?

- First of all - to be able to properly analyze the course of the game, to correctly understand the qualities of players, to be cool in choosing substitutions. When you work with the national team, you have very little time, so you need to clearly identify the main aspects that need to be worked on. There is no time, and you can't do everything thoroughly. It is necessary to deal with a certain problem: tactical permutations or changes in the structure of the game, which, in your opinion, can improve it. That's what I realized best. Although there is a lack of time, you need to have time to study the opponent, select your team, understand the condition of each player, then make a clear analysis of the microcycle and work so productively that the team can transfer the experience to the football field.

- What tasks do you set for yourself and the team in this cycle?

- First of all - to get to the European Championship. We have two options - either through the League of Nations or through direct selection. Plus we will continue to try to improve the quality of our game.

- You have worked with many great coaches in the past - from whom did you learn the most in terms of coaching vision?

- I'm really lucky. I can't say from whom more, from whom less. Starting with working with Valery Lobanovsky and then - with Alberto Zaccheroni, Cesare Maldini, Fatih Terim, Carlo Ancelotti, Jose Mourinho - each of the coaches gave me valuable experience, each left something positive. And I'm trying to accumulate this wealth. I have my notes that will always help me: I can review them at any time.

Working with each of the specialists, I tried to analyze which of them is working in which direction. He wrote down some things related either to psychology, or to the method of work, or to the quality of the training process or the relationship between the players. Of course, this experience helps me.

- As a coach you have already gained some experience. Admit it, did you finally kill the player in yourself - does he sometimes pull on the football field?

- I definitely miss football as a player. If the opportunity arises, I will gladly play and train, but it does not in any way intersect with my work. I am a coach, and a coach should never think like a player. The desire to play with the ball is in no way transferred to my job.

the UEFA