Andriy Shevchenko: “To gain a foothold in the League of Nations will be even greater achievement than just getting to the elite”
Head coach of the national team of Ukraine Andriy Shevchenko commented the results of the draw group stage of the League of Nations 2020/2021.
Today in Amsterdam, national teams have learned the names of rivals in the second-ever League of Nations draw. The Blue and Yellows, who made it to the top division in 2018, reached the A4 group. Switzerland, Spain and Germany will be our opponents there. Immediately after the draw, the head coach of the Ukrainian Andriy Shevchenko shared his thoughts on the matter.
— What was your draw for you?
- I think that this is an achievement - to get into the group with the strongest teams in Europe. By no means did he expect weak opponents. Yes, we had strong teams, but it will be more interesting to play. Our footballers will get a real experience of such matches, and the spectators will be interested to see the best teams not only in Europe but also in the world. Therefore, I consider the draw successful. In this qualification, all teams are strong.
Photo by uefa.com
— How do you feel about the company of other elite teams? Is it nice to be among such national teams?
- Our team has only recently achieved some success. Now you need to try to gain a foothold in the elite division. Let's see if we can do it. A lot has been done to get to League A. For each of the players, this is a great motivation - to show their strength against the background of the strongest teams in Europe and the world. Getting a foothold here will be an even greater achievement than just getting into the elite.
— Which of these three rivals did you want to meet the least with?
- You know, I think the stronger the team, the more interesting it will be to test yourself. There is no pressure on our team. The tournament has not started yet. It was created to get a chance to qualify through the League of Nations. But above all - it is an opportunity to gain experience, to play with worthy opponents. We are waiting for games with Spain, Germany, Switzerland - top-level teams.
Photo by uefa.com
— It's a hot time for the Ukrainian national team. Will you think about the League of Nations later?
- Now the most important thing is to gather information about the players, create an ideal calendar for team preparation, hope that there will be no injuries, and the players will be in the best shape for the European Championship. The task before us is to leave the group.
— What are your goals for the next sparring with France and Poland?
- We play with very good teams, elite. Both represent the top division of the League of Nations. This pause in the national team's matches has dragged on, ahead of the last friendly matches before the start of preparations for Euro 2020. Sparring on the eve of the championship is a completely different matter.
In the meantime, let's experiment, try to involve the players we hope for. We may not call any of them. I can confirm that there will be new names. I will prepare a list soon. For footballers, matches with France and Poland are a serious motivation. We will once again check the coherence of interactions on all lines.
— Andrea Azzalin joined your coaching staff. What are his functions in the team?
- This is a wonderful specialist who worked at a high level, achieved success. We met him, invited him to the headquarters, spent some time with him. He is motivated, perfectly integrated into the team.
Photo by uefa.com
— Can you say that you have everything you need to prepare for Euro 2020?
- As for the coaching staff, everything is fine. Preparation planning is underway. It is gratifying that the Premier League has made concessions, shifting the calendar for a few days, which will allow players to get a minimum vacation. Over time, this will significantly affect their training. We will start the training camp on the eve of the European Championship in Kharkiv, we will play a friendly match. Then we will move to Kyiv, play with Northern Ireland. Next we will meet in Lviv with Israel. And after that we will go to the final tournament.
— March 6 marks five years since Andriy Pavelko headed the Ukrainian Football Association. Can we say that the president helps everyone in the national team of Ukraine?
- The results speak for themselves. Andriy Vasyliovych does a great job. We work as one team.
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