We will win
Thursday, December 29, 2022
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FC Shakhtar CEO on 2022 results and future plans
– The 2022 was very difficult for all Ukrainians. What it was like for Shakhtar?
– Indeed, 2022 changed the plans of all Ukrainians including our club, staff, footballers. We lost half of the team due to the war started, 15 players left the main team, the coaching staff left. In fact, we started building the team from nothing. Yes, it has happened already in our modern history during the last 20 years when we were reforming the team: new footballers came, new coaching staff came. However, this happened for the first time in such an emergency. And it was for the last time, I hope. Everything had to be started from the beginning, no one could guarantee the result because everything happened very quickly and it was difficult to plan anything. When you have planning horizon of a few days and not like the clubs in Europe have – a year, two, four, five – then it is difficult to operate here. At least we did our best and today we can analyse and sum up the work done.
– Before the start of the season, current, young and Ukrainian Shakhtar was not taken seriously by many. How do you see the results of the first part of the season?
– If we analyse these six months that we played with new team, with new coaching staff, we can draw the following conclusions: before the war, the boys showing results today were still mostly kids, and after the war, they became men entrusted with responsibility and understanding the level of this responsibility, accepting the burden they were carrying. And they showed themselves in such a way that I didn't even expect such feedback and such level of football they have demonstrate. During this time, I spoke to the president several times and told him that I liked the football the boys played the most. I have been in the club for 20 years and have worked with many coaches, with many teams. Probably, having any coach or any team we had, we could have shown a magnificent game, could have declared ourselves in such a way that the entire world would talk about us. However, I like the fact that the current team show this splendid football not in one match, but there is a whole series of such games, there is constancy, stability. This made me happy. They played on the rebound of such responsibility, on the rebound of the fact that they cannot, as they say, "screw up", that maybe such a chance is given once in a lifetime when 11 Ukrainians take the field and you can show such football. Maybe this will never happen, but may God grant they will always be a team, always come on together. And they took advantage of this chance. I really liked and still like the football they demonstrated. I think that these circumstances, that we started almost from nothing, that there were 11 Ukrainians on the field, it all came together and ensured the result the team gave. Therefore, I will say it again, I really liked the football they showed in the first part of the season.
– Back in the summer, you said that Igor Jovicevic is a very promising coach. Did he satisfy the expectations or can we say that he exceeded them?
– When we made decisions regarding the footballers and the coaching staff, we understood: it was difficult to guarantee 100 percent success in the situation we were in. Therefore, there were doubts about many directions. However, a decision was made and these decisions tell us today that it was right, that the road, the path we chose was the right one. Both Jovicevic and his team did the job perfectly. At the moment when you need to switch footballers from wartime, from what is happening in the country, to football, to the result, this is where the fact that Igor is a very strong motivator worked. And he was able to reach the very depths of the footballer and made him to step over himself somewhere, to show football which he has never shown before. This is the main feature, the most important result he achieved. He is such a strong motivator that he rallied the team. I know many footballers well, both on and off the field, and I understand that it is very difficult to reach out to some of them. No one could do it before Jovicevic, but he did. I just saw the reaction of these guys regarding him, the coaching staff and I was very surprised. And then, when you put it all together, you realize that the coach has created a team. You can have many individually strong footballers, stars, but he made a star team where one is for all and all for one. This is what he did at the right moment: it was then that it was important to unite the team we had just gathered, moulded in haste into one whole. And we needed part of the season exactly for this work. The next stage will be the improvement of football principles which are carried out directly on the field. This is already a different stage and we will evaluate it, perhaps, from another side.
– In addition to all the positive inner team moments, there is a situation that many people still don’t understand, we are talking about the situation with FIFA. Tell me at what stage solving of this issue is?
– We had a CAS hearing on December 22 in Lausanne and I think we pleaded quite well: our team looked confident, we provided all the available information, all the evidence base showing that FIFA's decisions were wrong. In addition, one of my main messages during the meeting itself, where representatives of FIFA and referees were present, was as follows: "How can you interpret Ukraine in the same way as Russia? If you don't understand the difference, I can explain it to you now.” And I saw that they were ashamed at that moment, as if they became shorter in height when you told them about it. I tried to reach out to them. After all, there are discussions about the essence of the issue and there are joint conversations where I explained that the whole world supports us, and they put Ukraine on the same level with Russia and treat us the same way. You know, it's like everyone thought that Russia would deal with us within two days, but they still can't do it. The same with FIFA: yes, we may lose the battle, but we will not lose the war for one simple reason – we have the truth. And the truth must prevail, both on the battlefield in our country and in our relations with FIFA. What is the question? What did FIFA do in the end? They picked the pockets of Ukrainian clubs and simply took out the major asset. That's all. Today, foreign football players, regardless of nationality, are free to do whatever they want. They have agents who understand that they can make money by taking players for free. And European teams will pay the agents personally instead of paying the club. The money factor came into play there and that's all. FIFA says they were just trying to protect the players. However, I also explained to them that we did not call any footballer back, there were already agreements with each of them and their agents, we practically signed transfer contracts with some of them which could provide income to the club. And we could invest this money in some other footballers. Otherwise, how can we play if there is no half of the team. Back then, I tried to explain to FIFA that the championship of Ukraine will start in our country, that we need to play in the group stage of the Champions League and you took away half of the team from us. How should we be? And I asked the same thing in the courtroom: how should we exist? It turns out that they push us to incur additional expenses, that is, inviting new footballers which we actually did. We returned Ukrainian players, we spent money on transfers, salaries, etc. Therefore, I do not understand such actions of FIFA. And all this happened because they simply did not want to talk to us, neither with our federation, nor with the UPL, nor with the clubs. They decided it back there between themselves and made such a decision.
– How much did you lack the international players, Brazilians in the Champions League matches? Or was their absence not felt?
– It's not a matter of whether it was felt or not. No one would return them, there was no task to return them. I understand that many of them are afraid. At the same time, I tried to explain in the courtroom that two foreigners came to us after the beginning of war, Traore stayed with us and this guy also came from Ajax, not from somewhere else. I tried to show them that from the point of view of security, the league, the federation, our club did everything and for six months there were no negative cases. Yes, match could have been stopped due to an air raid alert – they waited and continued. However, there were no life threatening situations at all, not a single moment. That is, it was not about return, but of how it all happened and how they did it all. Probably, if we take the international footballers who left us, then in a situation when Zubkov and Shved are injured, a couple of Brazilians would have been helpful.
– But are the Ukrainian players now in the first place in terms of priority?
– Of course, today they are. I think, we will even adjust our strategy somewhere in the future in favour of the fact that the main team should include 65–70 percent of the Ukrainian players. And the rest are foreign footballers. I'm not saying that it has to be Brazilians. Now there are a lot of good professionals everywhere.
– Currently, fans are choosing the best player of Shakhtar in 2022 on social media. Who do you think was the best player this year?
– I have an opinion, but I prefer not to express it. Because it is difficult to manage a team when you single out someone. So let the fans do it, it is their right.
– Can you name someone who has made great progress?
– These are those about whom I have said earlier that the boys became men: Trubin, Bondar, Sudakov, Bondarenko, Konoplia. Many of them started from the bench before the war and today they are the core. This is the most important thing that happened, they felt strength and self-confidence. And the football they are showing today is worth of great respect.
– Currently, they also vote for the best goal scored during this year on social media in the Goal Battle project. I think that goals by Oleksandr Zubkov against Real Madrid and Mykhailo Mudryk against Celtic will be in the final. Who do you think will win?
– For me, this is probably Mudryk's goal. Although Zubkov’s goal too... You see, both these goals were important. This is not the case when we scored two goals and the third one scored was good in the end, but it was a moment when they were as valuable as gold. And they were performed impressively. That's why both goals are gorgeous for me.
– The hottest topic during the pre-season period is transfers. Are there any incoming transfers planned during this winter window?
– Well, we have already made one: we bought Georgian right defender Gocholeishvili from Saburtalo matching our style; he is fast, technical, with an emphasis on attack. And other investments will depend on many factors, for example, whether someone will leave or not. There is not final decision yet. Transfer windows did not open yet; it will happen from January to early February. So, we can work, everything is ahead. Again, let's see who will leave.
– Are we talking about selling of the players now?
– It all depends on the market. Winter transfer window is too active if we focus on Europe. For the most part, everyone makes purchases in the summer and now they have ongoing championships: they play on December 31, January 2. The leagues don't stop, so they don't have much time to make serious purchases. I think these transfers are more likely to be in summer than in winter. Although I do not reject such a possibility.
– And the issue all the world football media is interested in: Mykhailo Mudryk's potential transfer to another championship. Is such transfer possible now or is such option not being considered at the moment?
– Negotiations are continuing. We receive offers, but they are not the ones we would like to see on our table. Now, literally in 5 minutes, I will have a phone conversation with Arsenal. We are open to negotiations, ready to exchange ideas and figures. If we will agree, then let it be so. If we will not, then let it be another time.
– Few words about the future. Shakhtar always have the highest ambitions and goals. What is the team's goal for the second part of the season? Will the current young Ukrainian Shakhtar be able to surprise the entire world even more?
– The number one game for us right now is the one against Rennes. If you look at the Europa League today, it is difficult to find a difference with the Champions League. There are such top clubs that, frankly speaking, it will be very difficult. We will head from game to game. On January 10, the training camp will begin, the injured lads will return and there were many of them. This was the reason why we slightly "stain" the end of the first part of the season. Maybe the guys "had enough" somehow. Therefore, I hope that everyone will be okay by that time, at a good physical and mental level. It is important for us, of course, to win the championship and to show good football and defeat Rennes in the Europa League. And we'll see who will get there. These will be completely different tasks.
– There is a training camp of the team ahead. Where will it be held and what is the plan of the Miners for this preparation period?
– The training camp begins on January 10 and ends on February 9. There may be a three-day break between these dates. There are 6 friendly matches planned. Our task today is to bring the injured guys back to their proper level first of all. The same Traore did not show himself at 100 percent: I think what he showed in the first part of the season is 30–40 percent of his capabilities. He had a major injury; he didn't play for a long time. And I somehow understand him because he is the only foreign footballer who remained after the start of the war, he felt some pressure. We even discussed the option that he will train abroad and come to us for games. Then he realized that it was physically impossible. It all comes together converting into the result. Therefore, I hope that it will all work out. By now, everyone understands what the situation is, they see that the logistics are working, our trips to other countries from Ukraine for the tournaments. That is, we have already made the path, and now we can focus on the result and prepare for the first game against Rennes.
– The mass media revealed information that Shakhtar plan to go to the USA for the second training camp. How true is this?
– We held negotiations with MLS, there were certain agreements. However, we began to "drift" in relation to dates, there was a discrepancy. We understood that we will play maximum 2 games there in the USA. And it turned out that we would be at a loss from economical point of view. We wanted to go there to give the money we earned to the army, refugees, and the people of Ukraine. And what should we give if we still turn out to be debtors? They simply calculated and realized that economically we do not fit into the budget. If there were more games, we would go. We needed at least 4 matches and then we would definitely go. But it didn't work out. We will prepare in Turkey.
– The New Year is ahead and all Ukrainians have only one cherished wish, the victory of Ukraine. What would you like to say and wish to all Ukrainians at the end of our interview?
– You know, the Ukrainian people have already endured so much suffering and are going through a lot now, so there is nothing left but to wish them health. Physical and mental health. It is difficult to stay healthy even after reading and watching this. And there are millions of people who are physically suffering from this war. Therefore, I want to wish you good health and patience. And may God grant all this will end as soon as possible: we will win and rebuild our country to be a thousand times better than it was before the war.
– Indeed, 2022 changed the plans of all Ukrainians including our club, staff, footballers. We lost half of the team due to the war started, 15 players left the main team, the coaching staff left. In fact, we started building the team from nothing. Yes, it has happened already in our modern history during the last 20 years when we were reforming the team: new footballers came, new coaching staff came. However, this happened for the first time in such an emergency. And it was for the last time, I hope. Everything had to be started from the beginning, no one could guarantee the result because everything happened very quickly and it was difficult to plan anything. When you have planning horizon of a few days and not like the clubs in Europe have – a year, two, four, five – then it is difficult to operate here. At least we did our best and today we can analyse and sum up the work done.
– Before the start of the season, current, young and Ukrainian Shakhtar was not taken seriously by many. How do you see the results of the first part of the season?
– If we analyse these six months that we played with new team, with new coaching staff, we can draw the following conclusions: before the war, the boys showing results today were still mostly kids, and after the war, they became men entrusted with responsibility and understanding the level of this responsibility, accepting the burden they were carrying. And they showed themselves in such a way that I didn't even expect such feedback and such level of football they have demonstrate. During this time, I spoke to the president several times and told him that I liked the football the boys played the most. I have been in the club for 20 years and have worked with many coaches, with many teams. Probably, having any coach or any team we had, we could have shown a magnificent game, could have declared ourselves in such a way that the entire world would talk about us. However, I like the fact that the current team show this splendid football not in one match, but there is a whole series of such games, there is constancy, stability. This made me happy. They played on the rebound of such responsibility, on the rebound of the fact that they cannot, as they say, "screw up", that maybe such a chance is given once in a lifetime when 11 Ukrainians take the field and you can show such football. Maybe this will never happen, but may God grant they will always be a team, always come on together. And they took advantage of this chance. I really liked and still like the football they demonstrated. I think that these circumstances, that we started almost from nothing, that there were 11 Ukrainians on the field, it all came together and ensured the result the team gave. Therefore, I will say it again, I really liked the football they showed in the first part of the season.
– Back in the summer, you said that Igor Jovicevic is a very promising coach. Did he satisfy the expectations or can we say that he exceeded them?
– When we made decisions regarding the footballers and the coaching staff, we understood: it was difficult to guarantee 100 percent success in the situation we were in. Therefore, there were doubts about many directions. However, a decision was made and these decisions tell us today that it was right, that the road, the path we chose was the right one. Both Jovicevic and his team did the job perfectly. At the moment when you need to switch footballers from wartime, from what is happening in the country, to football, to the result, this is where the fact that Igor is a very strong motivator worked. And he was able to reach the very depths of the footballer and made him to step over himself somewhere, to show football which he has never shown before. This is the main feature, the most important result he achieved. He is such a strong motivator that he rallied the team. I know many footballers well, both on and off the field, and I understand that it is very difficult to reach out to some of them. No one could do it before Jovicevic, but he did. I just saw the reaction of these guys regarding him, the coaching staff and I was very surprised. And then, when you put it all together, you realize that the coach has created a team. You can have many individually strong footballers, stars, but he made a star team where one is for all and all for one. This is what he did at the right moment: it was then that it was important to unite the team we had just gathered, moulded in haste into one whole. And we needed part of the season exactly for this work. The next stage will be the improvement of football principles which are carried out directly on the field. This is already a different stage and we will evaluate it, perhaps, from another side.
– In addition to all the positive inner team moments, there is a situation that many people still don’t understand, we are talking about the situation with FIFA. Tell me at what stage solving of this issue is?
– We had a CAS hearing on December 22 in Lausanne and I think we pleaded quite well: our team looked confident, we provided all the available information, all the evidence base showing that FIFA's decisions were wrong. In addition, one of my main messages during the meeting itself, where representatives of FIFA and referees were present, was as follows: "How can you interpret Ukraine in the same way as Russia? If you don't understand the difference, I can explain it to you now.” And I saw that they were ashamed at that moment, as if they became shorter in height when you told them about it. I tried to reach out to them. After all, there are discussions about the essence of the issue and there are joint conversations where I explained that the whole world supports us, and they put Ukraine on the same level with Russia and treat us the same way. You know, it's like everyone thought that Russia would deal with us within two days, but they still can't do it. The same with FIFA: yes, we may lose the battle, but we will not lose the war for one simple reason – we have the truth. And the truth must prevail, both on the battlefield in our country and in our relations with FIFA. What is the question? What did FIFA do in the end? They picked the pockets of Ukrainian clubs and simply took out the major asset. That's all. Today, foreign football players, regardless of nationality, are free to do whatever they want. They have agents who understand that they can make money by taking players for free. And European teams will pay the agents personally instead of paying the club. The money factor came into play there and that's all. FIFA says they were just trying to protect the players. However, I also explained to them that we did not call any footballer back, there were already agreements with each of them and their agents, we practically signed transfer contracts with some of them which could provide income to the club. And we could invest this money in some other footballers. Otherwise, how can we play if there is no half of the team. Back then, I tried to explain to FIFA that the championship of Ukraine will start in our country, that we need to play in the group stage of the Champions League and you took away half of the team from us. How should we be? And I asked the same thing in the courtroom: how should we exist? It turns out that they push us to incur additional expenses, that is, inviting new footballers which we actually did. We returned Ukrainian players, we spent money on transfers, salaries, etc. Therefore, I do not understand such actions of FIFA. And all this happened because they simply did not want to talk to us, neither with our federation, nor with the UPL, nor with the clubs. They decided it back there between themselves and made such a decision.
– How much did you lack the international players, Brazilians in the Champions League matches? Or was their absence not felt?
– It's not a matter of whether it was felt or not. No one would return them, there was no task to return them. I understand that many of them are afraid. At the same time, I tried to explain in the courtroom that two foreigners came to us after the beginning of war, Traore stayed with us and this guy also came from Ajax, not from somewhere else. I tried to show them that from the point of view of security, the league, the federation, our club did everything and for six months there were no negative cases. Yes, match could have been stopped due to an air raid alert – they waited and continued. However, there were no life threatening situations at all, not a single moment. That is, it was not about return, but of how it all happened and how they did it all. Probably, if we take the international footballers who left us, then in a situation when Zubkov and Shved are injured, a couple of Brazilians would have been helpful.
– But are the Ukrainian players now in the first place in terms of priority?
– Of course, today they are. I think, we will even adjust our strategy somewhere in the future in favour of the fact that the main team should include 65–70 percent of the Ukrainian players. And the rest are foreign footballers. I'm not saying that it has to be Brazilians. Now there are a lot of good professionals everywhere.
– Currently, fans are choosing the best player of Shakhtar in 2022 on social media. Who do you think was the best player this year?
– I have an opinion, but I prefer not to express it. Because it is difficult to manage a team when you single out someone. So let the fans do it, it is their right.
– Can you name someone who has made great progress?
– These are those about whom I have said earlier that the boys became men: Trubin, Bondar, Sudakov, Bondarenko, Konoplia. Many of them started from the bench before the war and today they are the core. This is the most important thing that happened, they felt strength and self-confidence. And the football they are showing today is worth of great respect.
– Currently, they also vote for the best goal scored during this year on social media in the Goal Battle project. I think that goals by Oleksandr Zubkov against Real Madrid and Mykhailo Mudryk against Celtic will be in the final. Who do you think will win?
– For me, this is probably Mudryk's goal. Although Zubkov’s goal too... You see, both these goals were important. This is not the case when we scored two goals and the third one scored was good in the end, but it was a moment when they were as valuable as gold. And they were performed impressively. That's why both goals are gorgeous for me.
– The hottest topic during the pre-season period is transfers. Are there any incoming transfers planned during this winter window?
– Well, we have already made one: we bought Georgian right defender Gocholeishvili from Saburtalo matching our style; he is fast, technical, with an emphasis on attack. And other investments will depend on many factors, for example, whether someone will leave or not. There is not final decision yet. Transfer windows did not open yet; it will happen from January to early February. So, we can work, everything is ahead. Again, let's see who will leave.
– Are we talking about selling of the players now?
– It all depends on the market. Winter transfer window is too active if we focus on Europe. For the most part, everyone makes purchases in the summer and now they have ongoing championships: they play on December 31, January 2. The leagues don't stop, so they don't have much time to make serious purchases. I think these transfers are more likely to be in summer than in winter. Although I do not reject such a possibility.
– And the issue all the world football media is interested in: Mykhailo Mudryk's potential transfer to another championship. Is such transfer possible now or is such option not being considered at the moment?
– Negotiations are continuing. We receive offers, but they are not the ones we would like to see on our table. Now, literally in 5 minutes, I will have a phone conversation with Arsenal. We are open to negotiations, ready to exchange ideas and figures. If we will agree, then let it be so. If we will not, then let it be another time.
– Few words about the future. Shakhtar always have the highest ambitions and goals. What is the team's goal for the second part of the season? Will the current young Ukrainian Shakhtar be able to surprise the entire world even more?
– The number one game for us right now is the one against Rennes. If you look at the Europa League today, it is difficult to find a difference with the Champions League. There are such top clubs that, frankly speaking, it will be very difficult. We will head from game to game. On January 10, the training camp will begin, the injured lads will return and there were many of them. This was the reason why we slightly "stain" the end of the first part of the season. Maybe the guys "had enough" somehow. Therefore, I hope that everyone will be okay by that time, at a good physical and mental level. It is important for us, of course, to win the championship and to show good football and defeat Rennes in the Europa League. And we'll see who will get there. These will be completely different tasks.
– There is a training camp of the team ahead. Where will it be held and what is the plan of the Miners for this preparation period?
– The training camp begins on January 10 and ends on February 9. There may be a three-day break between these dates. There are 6 friendly matches planned. Our task today is to bring the injured guys back to their proper level first of all. The same Traore did not show himself at 100 percent: I think what he showed in the first part of the season is 30–40 percent of his capabilities. He had a major injury; he didn't play for a long time. And I somehow understand him because he is the only foreign footballer who remained after the start of the war, he felt some pressure. We even discussed the option that he will train abroad and come to us for games. Then he realized that it was physically impossible. It all comes together converting into the result. Therefore, I hope that it will all work out. By now, everyone understands what the situation is, they see that the logistics are working, our trips to other countries from Ukraine for the tournaments. That is, we have already made the path, and now we can focus on the result and prepare for the first game against Rennes.
– The mass media revealed information that Shakhtar plan to go to the USA for the second training camp. How true is this?
– We held negotiations with MLS, there were certain agreements. However, we began to "drift" in relation to dates, there was a discrepancy. We understood that we will play maximum 2 games there in the USA. And it turned out that we would be at a loss from economical point of view. We wanted to go there to give the money we earned to the army, refugees, and the people of Ukraine. And what should we give if we still turn out to be debtors? They simply calculated and realized that economically we do not fit into the budget. If there were more games, we would go. We needed at least 4 matches and then we would definitely go. But it didn't work out. We will prepare in Turkey.
– The New Year is ahead and all Ukrainians have only one cherished wish, the victory of Ukraine. What would you like to say and wish to all Ukrainians at the end of our interview?
– You know, the Ukrainian people have already endured so much suffering and are going through a lot now, so there is nothing left but to wish them health. Physical and mental health. It is difficult to stay healthy even after reading and watching this. And there are millions of people who are physically suffering from this war. Therefore, I want to wish you good health and patience. And may God grant all this will end as soon as possible: we will win and rebuild our country to be a thousand times better than it was before the war.