Vadim Kostyuchenko: "DUFLU, together with the FFU, will continue to work on the implementation of already developed projects - such as, for example, the creation of the Elite League"

15.01.2019 13:02

Photo of FFU press service

FFU First Vice President Vadym Kostyuchenko summed up the results of 2018 in Ukrainian children's and youth football and spoke about the plans of the Football Federation of Ukraine and DUFLU to develop and improve the system of training young football players.

- Vadim Konstantinovich, what can you include in the assets of FFU in the direction of development and popularization of children's and youth football in 2018?

- The development and popularization of children's and youth football in our country have been and remain the main priorities in the work of the Football Federation of Ukraine. We have already done a lot in this direction, but we plan a lot for both 2019 and the coming years. Last year, our team convincingly proved that children's and youth football is a priority in the work of FFU. First of all, we are developing infrastructure for children, opening playgrounds in all regions of Ukraine without exception.

Last year, we held eight festivals of champions for children aged seven to nine. These festivals were organized taking into account the best European experience, the essence of which is that we did not identify the winners and prize-winners of these competitions, but recognized that the winners and prize-winners are all participants without exception, who received the same individual and team awards. All the children were delighted with such football holidays. This year we will continue this practice and give joy to young players.

The FFU Football Academy, opened in 2018, is making its first steps, but we already have a clear plan for its development and organization. So far, the coaching staff works with students born only in 2010, and in the year that has begun, we plan to attract two more groups of boys and two groups of girls to study at the academy.

Also to the positive results of the last year, we boldly refer to work on the settlement of issues of payment of compensatory funds for the preparation of young football players from professional football clubs in favor of children's and youth sports institutions. During the past year, the working group on the preparation of proposals for the FFU Regulation on the status and transfer of football players worked productively, systematizing and analyzing the state of affairs, and made sound proposals for amending the abovementioned regulation. As a result, we are hoping to see the first official compensation payments for young football players in the next transfer window.

- At the beginning of February, the Children's and Youth Football League of Ukraine starts the fourth, already traditional, all-Ukrainian football tournament among youth teams (U-16) - "DUFLU Winter Cup-2019". What can you say about this tournament, what it gives to the participating teams, what tasks it performs in the overall strategy of development of children's and youth football of FFU?

- I would like to remind you that the DUFLU Winter Cup competitions were held for the first time in early 2016. It was at this moment that a new team of specialists began to work fruitfully - both as part of the Children's and Youth Football League of Ukraine and as part of the FFU Children's and Youth Football Committee. DUFLU Winter Cup competitions did not arise out of nowhere, they became a desirable and useful tournament for children's and youth teams of Ukraine. Matches of these competitions provide a great opportunity to prepare for the second part of the season for all participating teams. The coaches of our youth national teams, who have a great opportunity to review potential candidates for their teams, also pay a lot of attention to the DUFLU Winter Cup matches.

It is also nice to note that the organizing committee of these competitions two years ago decided to participate in the tournament not only teams of the DUFLU Premier League, but also teams of the first DUFLU competition, which can be represented by U-17 age players. That is, due to this decision, we opened the way to winter races for more interested teams. And, as a result, 2019 teams of young football players are to start the 52 DUFLU Winter Cup.

- Judging by your words, are you satisfied with the cooperation of FFU with DUFLU?

- Yes, indeed, the FFU leadership is quite satisfied with the cooperation with DUFLU. We constantly support this organization, which should be a flagship and a model in the quality of organization of children's and youth competitions in Ukraine. The group of specialists who lead DUFLU makes a great contribution to the overall strategy of the FFU for the development of children's and youth football. We are also sincerely grateful to DUFLU President Vitaly Bort for his systematic support of the most promising direction in our football. It is thanks to this person that the league has not only a clear organizational structure, but also additional financial resources to support all promising initiatives of DUFLU and FFU.

I have information that on February 22 the Public Union "All-Ukrainian Children's and Youth Football League of Ukraine" is to hold its next reporting conference. I'm sure we will hear a lot of interesting suggestions. But I can already say that DUFLU together with FFU will continue to work on the implementation of already developed projects. Such as, for example, the creation of the DUFLU Elite League, and others that will bring a lot of benefits to Ukrainian children's and youth football.