We have a great team
Wednesday, July 12, 2023
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Shakhtar fitness coach Carlo Nicolini spoke about his role in the new coaching staff, work at the training camp and key challenges of the upcoming season
– Carlo, you have been working at Shakhtar for a long time. Please tell us about yourself and your responsibilities in Patrick van Leeuwen's coaching staff.
– Yes, I have been at Shakhtar for twenty years. I came with Mircea Lucescu as his assistant and fitness coach. We worked for twelve years and then I left Shakhtar for a while. Three years ago, I came back as an assistant to Sports Director Darijo Srna to help the team with scouting and game analysis and to support Dario. This year, the team changed the head coach, the staff needed a fitness coach. The president and sports director asked me if I wanted to return to my previous position and I was happy to accept it of course. I always enjoy working with Shakhtar. And if Shakhtar needs me to fill this position this year, I will do my best to bring maximum benefit to the team.
– What are your personal goals as a coach?
– We have a very difficult season this year, just like last year. First of all, we have very short training camp. And, as our fans can already see, the players arrive in groups of three or four. For example, our fantastic Ukraine U21 players will join us in a few days. So, my aim will be to try to ensure good physical fitness of players for Mister during this month before the season starts. It is very difficult because, once again, they arrive at different times. There are also some players like Lassina Traore returning with injuries. They need additional individual work. So my task at the start of the season is a bit difficult, but we are trying our best.
– How long have you known head coach Patrick van Leeuwen?
– I have known Patrick for a long time because he was the Academy director during my first year at Shakhtar. We have a lot of opportunities to talk now as the Academy players have to grow to get into the first team. And when he was in Kazakhstan, Maccabi, we had the opportunity to meet at the training camps, and it was always nice as he is a very strong specialist. Smart people progress while talking about football. Of course, we need to adapt, but we have known each other for a long time. Yes, we have never worked together, but I think we can do a great job.
– What can you say about the current squad?
– I repeat, we have a great team. We have the best players in Ukraine and we are trying to prepare this squad, get everyone in shape. Our young performers already have some experience because they are constantly playing. But also, we must not forget that there are many players in the youth team, so we need to give them practice and the same experience as soon as possible so that they can progress and mature. I think that the team have a good combination of experienced footballers, such as Stepanenko, Matviienko, Rakitskyi and others, and also very talented young footballers, as well as very young ones who are already growing up little by little. As you can see, Bondarenko, Sudakov, Sikan and others played for the U21 national team, but they already have the experience of playing in the Ukraine national team. They have been playing in the Champions League for the last two years, so they already have experience and are still young. I think our team are very strong. This is the work of Dario and the president. And they can make the team even better, but I'm happy with the squad we have.
– What can you say about the preparation for the season? Can you explain the various details of your current work?
– This month we are trying to regain fitness of the players in order to start the championship in twenty days. It is necessary to understand in what condition the national team players return. And I don't think they lose much, but you have to be careful because they've had a long season, they haven't had a full rest, they'll only rest during the January break. So after the start of the season, like last year, we will have a lot of travel which means less time for training and recovery. And we need to focus better on training, on special training, focus very well on recovery and try to give the coach and his staff players in the best form for every game. This is my goal for this season: ensure good form to start the season and maintain it throughout the season. It will not be easy with the difficulties I mentioned.
– Yes, I have been at Shakhtar for twenty years. I came with Mircea Lucescu as his assistant and fitness coach. We worked for twelve years and then I left Shakhtar for a while. Three years ago, I came back as an assistant to Sports Director Darijo Srna to help the team with scouting and game analysis and to support Dario. This year, the team changed the head coach, the staff needed a fitness coach. The president and sports director asked me if I wanted to return to my previous position and I was happy to accept it of course. I always enjoy working with Shakhtar. And if Shakhtar needs me to fill this position this year, I will do my best to bring maximum benefit to the team.
– What are your personal goals as a coach?
– We have a very difficult season this year, just like last year. First of all, we have very short training camp. And, as our fans can already see, the players arrive in groups of three or four. For example, our fantastic Ukraine U21 players will join us in a few days. So, my aim will be to try to ensure good physical fitness of players for Mister during this month before the season starts. It is very difficult because, once again, they arrive at different times. There are also some players like Lassina Traore returning with injuries. They need additional individual work. So my task at the start of the season is a bit difficult, but we are trying our best.
– How long have you known head coach Patrick van Leeuwen?
– I have known Patrick for a long time because he was the Academy director during my first year at Shakhtar. We have a lot of opportunities to talk now as the Academy players have to grow to get into the first team. And when he was in Kazakhstan, Maccabi, we had the opportunity to meet at the training camps, and it was always nice as he is a very strong specialist. Smart people progress while talking about football. Of course, we need to adapt, but we have known each other for a long time. Yes, we have never worked together, but I think we can do a great job.
– What can you say about the current squad?
– I repeat, we have a great team. We have the best players in Ukraine and we are trying to prepare this squad, get everyone in shape. Our young performers already have some experience because they are constantly playing. But also, we must not forget that there are many players in the youth team, so we need to give them practice and the same experience as soon as possible so that they can progress and mature. I think that the team have a good combination of experienced footballers, such as Stepanenko, Matviienko, Rakitskyi and others, and also very talented young footballers, as well as very young ones who are already growing up little by little. As you can see, Bondarenko, Sudakov, Sikan and others played for the U21 national team, but they already have the experience of playing in the Ukraine national team. They have been playing in the Champions League for the last two years, so they already have experience and are still young. I think our team are very strong. This is the work of Dario and the president. And they can make the team even better, but I'm happy with the squad we have.
– What can you say about the preparation for the season? Can you explain the various details of your current work?
– This month we are trying to regain fitness of the players in order to start the championship in twenty days. It is necessary to understand in what condition the national team players return. And I don't think they lose much, but you have to be careful because they've had a long season, they haven't had a full rest, they'll only rest during the January break. So after the start of the season, like last year, we will have a lot of travel which means less time for training and recovery. And we need to focus better on training, on special training, focus very well on recovery and try to give the coach and his staff players in the best form for every game. This is my goal for this season: ensure good form to start the season and maintain it throughout the season. It will not be easy with the difficulties I mentioned.