Today footballers of Shakhtar came to pressmen later than it was planned. It was caused by the theoretic training which somewhat dragged on. “Miners” were going to the training field in no hurry talking with the reporter of the club press office.

Vasyl Kobin:

- Vasyl how are you adapting to the new team?
- To be honest I expected the adaptation to be longer. It is O'K. I’ve worked the first session not with all players. I can say there was only a half of the team. But nevertheless the adaptation goes well.

-You’ve said you live together with Ilsinho. Do you like your roommate?
- The matter is that there were no other places at the base. I think in the course of the championship I will live with somebody of Ukrainians. For example at the training session I lived with Fomin.

- Have you already decided on the playing number?
- I have – it is 14. I was proposed to choose any free number. I wanted it to be not more than 20. Finally I decided to choose the 14th.

- You have already participated in sparrings. Were your functions different than those you had in Carpathians?
- Shakhtar has another style of playing not like in Carpathians or other teams playing in the championship of Ukraine. There is no such running about here, there is more playing for pass, more schemes played.

- Do you play more for attack here?
- Depending on situation. It depends on the middle of the field how the fullback should play – for attack or for defence. If halfbacks hold the ball – sure, I play more for attack. If not, the team plays more for defence.

- Have you communicated with Darijo Srna?
- Darijo is a very cheerful guy and a real captain! I can say everyone emulates him.

Mykola Ishchenko:

- Kolya, today you kept the press worrying. Why were you late?
- We had the theory. The coach told us the plans for the next training session. Besides we viewed the last cup game against Vorskla.

- Does it mean you had no time to make an analysis of that match?
- Yes, we came to the celebration at once, then – vacation. And now we are together for the first time.

- While a part of the team was at the training session you were training at the base by a special program. Were the trainings intensive?
- Sure! We came back from vacations later, so we had to gain good form twice more quickly. We trained twice a day. In the morning – physical training, in the evening – training with balls. Massimo Ugolini and Dmytro Shutkov remained with us.

- Are you still far from your optimum form?
- Optimum conditions are not beside. The task is to gain the optimum form by the beginning of the championship.

Olexandr Kucher:

- You didn’t play any friendly match during the winter training session. Nevertheless you performed very well the spring part of the season. What is your secret of success?
- Then I had Achilles’ trauma, I was taking a treatment. I got the injury at the beginning of the session in Donetsk.

- So, when did you manage to gain the form?
- In the course of the season on trainings.

- Does it mean you may not train now?
- (laughing) No, quite the contrary – I must train! It is bad to miss a lot. It is better to train than to take a treatment.

- Now you’ve worked together with players of Ukraine team twice a day…
- Yes, we were trained by Massimo Ugolini and Dmytro Shutkov. In the morning it was racing work, in the evening – trainings with balls.

- Was it hot to work in Donetsk? As in Austria it is cooler…
- But the championship will be here. When we come back from Switzerland where probably it is also cool we should get accustomed to the heat again.

Fernandinho:

- Ferna, could you grade the first summer training session?
- We’ve worked very well. We had 10 trainings, plus games. Surely we’re not ready 100 percent. But we’ll work in Switzerland and gain a good form by the beginning of the championship.

- Did you like Austria in general?
- Yes! It is very beautiful. We stayed at a good five star hotel. We could renew after hard trainings.

- Did you spend your vacation in Brazil or somewhere else?
- Firstly I visited my friends in Italy for five days. I took part in the great congress of evangelists. Then I left for Brazil.

- Do fans recognize you in Brazil?
- Yes, now they do. Much better than three years ago.

FC Shakhtar
Press Office