Andriy Shevchenko: “There is a lot of work ahead, but it is nice that our achievements have already become record”

31.01.2020 14:00

Photo by Pavlo Kubanov

After the enchanting 2019, when the national team of Ukraine for the first time in history did not suffer a single defeat during the calendar year and took first place in the Euro qualifying group, the team will face a responsible 2020.

The head coach of the blue and yellows Andriy Shevchenko shared his impressions of the qualification for the 2020 European Championship and his thoughts on the final tournament in an interview with the official website of the UAF.

- Mr. Andriy, 2019 has become one of the most successful in the history of the national team of Ukraine. For you personally, can it also be added to the list of the brightest?

- Yes, of course, it was a special year for me. I am very pleased with the work we have done, and not just this season. The current results are the result of three years of work of our coaching staff. There is still a lot of work ahead, but it is gratifying that our current achievements, the first win of the selection for the Euro and the first year without defeats, have already become a record.

- The start of the Euro 2020 qualifiers against the current champions of the continent on their field provided not only effective tactical preparation for the match, but also skillful psychological work. Judging by the result, was it performed perfectly?

- The selection started difficult for us. We got an away game against the main competitor - Portugal, and away, at the beginning of the second part of the season, in March, when our clubs were just moving away from the three-month winter break. We had a tactically competent match, but I agree that a lot was decided by the high competitive mood of the players. The draw in Lisbon was a big bonus for us and gave confidence for further struggle in the group.

Photo by Pavlo Kubanov

- Given the course of events on the field, is it possible to call the victory in Luxembourg the core in terms of further struggle in the group?

- This match was only the second in the calendar of our cycle, we were lucky at the end of the game, but even after that there were six more matches ahead, and we can call that victory a turning point, only if we call each victory a turning point. Then, in March, we took four points in the first two matches, and it suited us perfectly.

- Is the quality of actions of your wards in Lviv in the match with Serbia already the standard to which you aspire in your work?

- We had a very successful match, I read, it is now called even the best level of the team's game of all time. Perfect matches are always ahead, but this one is really one of the best in the time that I have been coaching the national team. Before the match we had a very good preparation, it was a two-week meeting. The game was important both in terms of results and in terms of the quality of football. In the end, we were satisfied with everything. I also want to say about the cool atmosphere at the stadium, thanks to which the guys were charged for a good result.

- Sparring with Nigeria and Estonia have proved that there is still work to be done in terms of preparing a full reserve. Do you agree?

- We used these matches to allow those who did not get enough playing practice in previous matches to play. It was important for the reservists to feel in our system of the game, to understand the interaction, their positions on the field.

- The victory over Portugal was the culmination of the selection. Now that the emotions have subsided, name the three main components of that success.

- The first is that at the time of the game in Kyiv we all had a cage, everyone was healthy, and we had someone to choose from. The second is that the players approached the match in perfect shape, no one was confused after the victory over Lithuania, there was one desire - to play and win. And the third is the emotional component, we received the Portuguese at home at the largest stadium in the country, we received them as leaders, feeling the support of all the fans and the whole of Ukraine.

- Goals scored in the last minutes in matches with Luxembourg, Estonia, Serbia, testify to the character of Shevchenko's team. And this was noticeable last year - in the matches of the League of Nations with the Czechs and Slovaks ...

- Goals in the last minutes show that the team does not change the structure of its game, it operates throughout the match according to plan. And when there is a feeling that everything is done correctly, then no one loses his composure, just finishes everything to the end. Hence the goals in the last minutes or seconds. We just want to win.

- In the March matches with France and Poland, will you directly heat up the base for the Euro or will you still allow yourself some experiments with checking the reserve?

- We are very dependent on the players, on their form, state of health. We have to wait until the end of March, it is a difficult time for Ukraine, see if there will be any injuries, in what form our collections will be, and then decide who we will choose the team from.

- Does your coaching staff plan to watch live sparring matches with the participation of future rivals in the Euro - the Netherlands and Austria, as well as the playoff matches of the League of Nations, where the third opponent of the national team of Ukraine will be determined?

- We have enough coaches to share and attend all the matches we are interested in, there will be no problems with that.