Thanks to Shakhtar for this year!
Tuesday, July 7, 2020
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Assistant manager Filipe Celikkaya leaves Shakhtar. The specialist accepted the offer to lead the Lisbon-based Sporting U21 team
- Filipe, you are starting a new stage in your career. Tell us about this challenge.
- Yes, indeed, I am returning to Portugal, to my home. I am going back to the players whom I’ve coached in the U19 team. Now, I am going to be the head coach of Sporting U21, and my task will be to prepare players for the first team. Life constantly brings us various challenges: I already worked as a head coach in the past, then as an assistant I went a long way in competitions at a higher level both in Portugal and Ukraine, and now I have the opportunity to return to my homeland and take charge of the U21 team. I am sure that it has been the last years that I spent with Luis Castro that helped me get this job.
- You spent exactly one year at Shakhtar. What will this period be like in your memories?
- Just as great time! We managed to become the Champions. Although I would like to win even more trophies, I am leaving with a sense of accomplishment. I was happy to work with Luis Castro and his coaching staff, with Darijo Srna who exceeded all my expectations as a person and a professional. I will also remember the excellent people I met at the club, the great atmosphere in all departments and the help that everyone provides to the coaching staff to work without any problems. I am very grateful to the club for this year! In football, you never know what might happen tomorrow. I am a young coach, and it’s possible that in some 15 years I will return to Shakhtar again.
- How did your work at Shakhtar and life in Ukraine influence you both professionally and personally?
- I really liked my spell at this club and in this country. Not only because of the sporting component, but also socially and culturally. I got some huge experience – both in professional and household terms, I made friends with many wonderful people. I was happy to work with the footballers who also became my big friends. Without exception, they all are just great guys. Therefore, I am leaving Ukraine being very and very happy and confident that this period will remain with me forever.
- What are the major sporting highlights for you this season?
- Firstly, that’s our games against Dynamo. They are always memorable. When you win a meeting with your title challengers, you feel something special. And, fortunately, Shakhtar managed to win most of the encounters with Dynamo this season. Secondly, I’m sure that the level at which we were after the winter break in the games vs Benfica is also a very important point. Many people believe that the Ukrainian teams after a long break can’t really display any good football and advance to the next stage of European competitions in February, but we came and proved that this is completely wrong. We were stronger than the champions of Portugal both at home and away, having managed to get to the next stage. I believe that Shakhtar are able to advance very far in the Europa League. And thanks to this, the victories will become even more pleasant.
- What did Luis Castro tell you when you were leaving?
- We parted with Luis Castro as good friends. Our relationship with him has always been really warm and open. Vitor Severino and I are the people who have been with Luis since working at Chaves. Together we covered a really tough path and managed to reach the level of the giants Shakhtar. So our conversation was as friendly as possible. We wished each other happiness and good luck in everything. I know that Luis will always rejoice at my successes, just as I am now glad that he is successful. And I know for sure that he will continue to be successful because he is a great coach and a very and very good person. I remember when we just started working together, we once had dinner at a restaurant in the city of Figueira da Foz, and I told him: “Mister, in three or four years we will become champions.” But I would never ever have thought that this would happen in Ukraine! And then my prediction came true. And I will always be happy to see Luis Castro lift trophies.
- Filipe, we wish you great success and victories too. What would you like to finally tell Shakhtar and the fans of the team?
- It was really a great honour for me to become part of such a great club as Shakhtar. This club represents Ukraine at the topmost level in world football, and especially in Europe. It’s an honour for me to be part of the team of qualified football players who display football of a very high quality, being currently managed by my big friend Mr. Luis Castro. I would like to thank everyone for their excellent attitude towards me. I want to thank the club president Rinat Akhmetov and the CEO Sergei Palkin for this opportunity. I want to say thank you to the whole club administration and personally Darijo Srna for the way he received me. I also want to thank Luis Castro and the entire coaching staff for the joint work. Plus many thanks to the fans for their support. They are always with the team: they believe and help the team win. Even when the club is far away from its hometown, we can still feel kindness, joy and positive thinking of all the fans. I’m sure that someday Shakhtar will be able to return to their home ground in Donetsk, and then you will again meet with your fans in the packed stadium. I want to wish everyone happiness, and good luck to the club, and I want to say a thousand times thank you from the bottom of my heart!
- Yes, indeed, I am returning to Portugal, to my home. I am going back to the players whom I’ve coached in the U19 team. Now, I am going to be the head coach of Sporting U21, and my task will be to prepare players for the first team. Life constantly brings us various challenges: I already worked as a head coach in the past, then as an assistant I went a long way in competitions at a higher level both in Portugal and Ukraine, and now I have the opportunity to return to my homeland and take charge of the U21 team. I am sure that it has been the last years that I spent with Luis Castro that helped me get this job.
- You spent exactly one year at Shakhtar. What will this period be like in your memories?
- Just as great time! We managed to become the Champions. Although I would like to win even more trophies, I am leaving with a sense of accomplishment. I was happy to work with Luis Castro and his coaching staff, with Darijo Srna who exceeded all my expectations as a person and a professional. I will also remember the excellent people I met at the club, the great atmosphere in all departments and the help that everyone provides to the coaching staff to work without any problems. I am very grateful to the club for this year! In football, you never know what might happen tomorrow. I am a young coach, and it’s possible that in some 15 years I will return to Shakhtar again.
- How did your work at Shakhtar and life in Ukraine influence you both professionally and personally?
- I really liked my spell at this club and in this country. Not only because of the sporting component, but also socially and culturally. I got some huge experience – both in professional and household terms, I made friends with many wonderful people. I was happy to work with the footballers who also became my big friends. Without exception, they all are just great guys. Therefore, I am leaving Ukraine being very and very happy and confident that this period will remain with me forever.
- What are the major sporting highlights for you this season?
- Firstly, that’s our games against Dynamo. They are always memorable. When you win a meeting with your title challengers, you feel something special. And, fortunately, Shakhtar managed to win most of the encounters with Dynamo this season. Secondly, I’m sure that the level at which we were after the winter break in the games vs Benfica is also a very important point. Many people believe that the Ukrainian teams after a long break can’t really display any good football and advance to the next stage of European competitions in February, but we came and proved that this is completely wrong. We were stronger than the champions of Portugal both at home and away, having managed to get to the next stage. I believe that Shakhtar are able to advance very far in the Europa League. And thanks to this, the victories will become even more pleasant.
- What did Luis Castro tell you when you were leaving?
- We parted with Luis Castro as good friends. Our relationship with him has always been really warm and open. Vitor Severino and I are the people who have been with Luis since working at Chaves. Together we covered a really tough path and managed to reach the level of the giants Shakhtar. So our conversation was as friendly as possible. We wished each other happiness and good luck in everything. I know that Luis will always rejoice at my successes, just as I am now glad that he is successful. And I know for sure that he will continue to be successful because he is a great coach and a very and very good person. I remember when we just started working together, we once had dinner at a restaurant in the city of Figueira da Foz, and I told him: “Mister, in three or four years we will become champions.” But I would never ever have thought that this would happen in Ukraine! And then my prediction came true. And I will always be happy to see Luis Castro lift trophies.
- Filipe, we wish you great success and victories too. What would you like to finally tell Shakhtar and the fans of the team?
- It was really a great honour for me to become part of such a great club as Shakhtar. This club represents Ukraine at the topmost level in world football, and especially in Europe. It’s an honour for me to be part of the team of qualified football players who display football of a very high quality, being currently managed by my big friend Mr. Luis Castro. I would like to thank everyone for their excellent attitude towards me. I want to thank the club president Rinat Akhmetov and the CEO Sergei Palkin for this opportunity. I want to say thank you to the whole club administration and personally Darijo Srna for the way he received me. I also want to thank Luis Castro and the entire coaching staff for the joint work. Plus many thanks to the fans for their support. They are always with the team: they believe and help the team win. Even when the club is far away from its hometown, we can still feel kindness, joy and positive thinking of all the fans. I’m sure that someday Shakhtar will be able to return to their home ground in Donetsk, and then you will again meet with your fans in the packed stadium. I want to wish everyone happiness, and good luck to the club, and I want to say a thousand times thank you from the bottom of my heart!
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