Oleg Kuznetsov: "As a part of the national team of Ukraine on the field there were no indifferent people, and this is the main thing"

After the BANNIKOV CUP tournament, where the youth national team of Ukraine U-17 took second place, the question of the official website of UAF was answered by the head coach of the blue-yellows Oleg Kuznetsov.

- Olezhe Volodymyrovych, do you have any sediment left from the tournament?

- Not at all. I would be disappointed if the guys did not try to show their best qualities. The Turkish national team always brings a strong team to this tournament. I think that the two strongest teams met in the final. The national team of Ukraine looked decent, but a little unlucky.

- Can we say that they gave a winning match?

- To some extent so. We could have closed the match if we had used all our goal moments in the first half and after the break. The Turkish national team was strong enough for us, but it's okay, now our players will be worse.

- At the end of the second half, your wards lacked strength?

- So. We talked to many coaches in this tournament, and everyone agreed that the format of the competition is not easy for 16-year-old players who had to play four matches in five days. In such a situation, it is difficult to demand anything from the players in terms of physical condition. On the example of my wards, I can say that the first fight in the tournament and the last in terms of intensity is heaven and earth. From fatigue at young football players and speed of thinking strongly falls. Hence the elementary mistakes. Yes, the boys themselves were disappointed after the final, but the coaching staff thanked them first of all for giving all their strength. As part of the Ukrainian national team, I did not see anyone indifferent on the field, and this is very important for future competitions.

- Do you already see the leaders of the team in the team that played at the BANNIKOV CUP?

- At this age, anyone can shoot. I don't want to single anyone out right now, but I liked one point. Most players were called from Dynamo. So, when there was a secret ballot among the players of the captain's choice, Yevhen Yanovych, a Shakhtar representative, received the most votes. So, there is cohesion and trust in the team. Yegor Syzonyuk (Dynamo) and Vladyslav Kravets (Shakhtar) were elected vice-captains. And, in my opinion, these guys claim to be the leaders of this team.

- This was the first training camp of this national team of Ukraine, but in two months your team will have qualifying matches for the European Championship. Did all the players satisfy you as the head coach?

- Some played a little better, some - a little worse, but there were no global failures. In a few days, we will talk to the UAF leadership about organizing another small gathering on UEFA dates in October. I would like to see more guys that we have on the sign. And only then make a comparative analysis to approach November in full force.

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