Anatoly Buznik: "At the Universiade in Italy we lacked quality rotation of players"

18.07.2019 14:01

Photo by vfas.org.ua

The student football team of Ukraine has returned from World Universities in Italy only on Tuesday night, and the first interview with the analysis of the performance of his wards head coach Anatoly Buznik gave to the official website of the UAF.

"I set my wards maximum goals," said the helmsman. - Unfortunately, not everything turned out the way we wanted, although, in my opinion, the national team of Ukraine deserved to play in the main final quartet, where the first to fourth places were played.

- Then clarify what happened?

- First of all, the Italians, as the organizers of the tournament, made adjustments at the last moment, and we were forced to hold the starting game with them not on July 3, as planned, but on the 5th. Since the tickets were purchased in advance, after arriving in Naples on June 30, it was difficult to keep the wards in the right tone for two extra days. In addition, I had to train on an artificial turf, and in the heat it created additional difficulties. There was nothing left but to give up one lesson, because the boys began to be bothered by calluses.

However, these are only trifles - the main thing is that the lack of high-quality rotation of players was noticed in the long tournament distance. When Maksym Hrysio, Bohdan Kushnirenko, and Anatoliy Nuriev dropped out due to injuries, they could not find a worthy replacement. Unfortunately, it was not without annoying individual mistakes of the performers, which led to missed goals in matches with Italy, Brazil and South Korea. There were problems with the implementation, especially in the matches where we opened the score. In the same confrontation with the Brazilians, if we used a few scoring opportunities, the issue of the winner could be removed from the agenda ahead of schedule.

- According to experts, it was the quarterfinal match with the Latin Americans that was key for our students…

- My wards were well adjusted to this confrontation, and the transition to the 3-4-3 scheme justified itself. We dictated the conditions for almost all 90 minutes, but, I repeat, the annoying individual mistakes of the players and some contradictory decisions of the referees allowed the opponent to tip the scales in their favor.

- By the way, why did the reporting Universiade take place in July, and not in August, as the previous ones?

- It was a requirement of the organizers of the competition, and the postponement also did not benefit us. The fact is that this time our team was 90 percent staffed by players of the master teams, for most of whom last season ended in early June. And in a month they will face a difficult test at the Universiade in Naples. Of course, there was clearly not enough time for a quality recovery and productive preparation for the Italian exam. And I do not hide that in recent matches there were signs of problems with the physical condition of the guys.

- When it comes to performers, which of them would you single out, and who did not live up to expectations?

- Unfortunately, Yevhen Chumak and Oleksiy Radchenko did not cope with the role of leaders, although they had experience playing even for elite domestic teams. As they say, goalkeepers Vadym Soldatenko and Artem Pospelov didn't help either. But who made me happy - it's Arsentiy Doroshenko, Andriy Ponedelnik, Dmytro Yukhymovich, Taras Zaviysky, Andriy Sokolov. I would especially like to mention the latter, after Kushnirenko's injury he relocated from the right to the left flank of the defense - and did not fail.

One of the best members of the student team of Ukraine at the World Universiade in Italy was the midfielder of Chernivtsi "Bukovyna" Andriy Ponedelnik. Photo by vfas.org.ua

- Did the Universiade football tournament arouse the interest of the fans, and who among the participants made the best impression on you?

- In general, as for student competitions, attendance was good, especially at matches with the participation of the hosts. However, one could only dream of such a full house, which was in the semifinal match of the Universiade 2001 between the national teams of China and Ukraine, when all 50 seats in the stands were occupied.

And the best impression was made by the national team of Japan, which deservedly conquered the highest step of the pedestal of honor, impressing everyone with the teamwork, when each performer clearly knew his maneuver. In the end, this is not surprising, because, as the coaches of the champions told me, for the last two years their wards, in order to better prepare, played as a separate team in the second-ranked division of Japanese football. Of course, we did not even think about it, although it should be said that the leadership of VFAS made efforts to ensure that my wards were provided with everything necessary, and at the forum in Italy, the national team of Ukraine was not a stranger.

- Two years ago at the Universiade in Taipei, the national team of Ukraine under your leadership took seventh place. She is in Italy took one step forward. Will you remain at the helm of the team?

- I don't know yet, it is better to ask the management of VFAS about it. Now the main thing is how to rest, because the preparatory process and the actual battles in Naples were very exhausting, suffice it to say that I lost more than 10 kg during this time. Taking this opportunity, I would like to thank the wards for their cooperation, wish them to recover as soon as possible, to gain strength, because soon they will play for their clubs on the all-Ukrainian arena. And the international experience gained at the Universiade, I am convinced, will definitely come in handy.