The main task is to reach the competitive group
Tuesday, December 30, 2025
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Shakhtar women’s team manager Roman Zaiev reflects on the first half of the season, the change in the Vyshcha League format and the team’s plans
– Shakhtar women’s team went on their winter break in fifth spot in the league table. How would you assess the results?
– At the start of the current season, we outlined our objectives and defined the directions for achieving them. The main goal is to provide strong competition to the leading teams in the fight for the top positions. The beginning of the season was encouraging: we won our first four matches and were among the best teams. However, in matches against direct competitors at the time, we fell short, and later an away game against Kryvbas led to the loss of another two points. As a result, we dropped to an interim fifth spot in the championship. Nevertheless, the season continues, and the teams still have three matches each to determine the top five for the subsequent final ranking. Undoubtedly, our main task is to reach the competitive group as this will give us the opportunity to play exactly against those teams whose results will determine our final standing.
– The format of the Vyshcha League competition has changed this year: the first stage matches will be completed after the winter break and two groups will be formed to compete for the medals and to retain their place in the elite division later. What can you say about this?
– The idea behind this format is to raise the level of the championship, which will then be reflected in international results. Considering that Ukraine’s senior, youth and women's national teams compete in League A, where the strongest European teams are gathered, this shows the rationale of such an approach. In my view, all innovations and decisions depend on the starting point and the result you aim for in the end. First and foremost, a general strategy for the development of women’s football should be formed and the UAF understands this, but it needs to be implemented on a much larger scale.
– Shakhtar women’s team had many intense matches over the past six months. Which one stands out the most and why?
– Every match against any opponent is quite intense due to the physical and mental demands. There is no point in highlighting a single one, as the championship is still ongoing. It will be appropriate to talk about the most important matches only after it concludes. The only thing I want to do is thank all the teams we have played against for their serious approach to matches against Shakhtar. This name motivates both the opponents and, of course, our players, which is why every encounter is intense and tough.
– The average age of Shakhtar women’s team squad is 22.4, making it one of the youngest in the league. Does this affect the style of play and preparation, and which player has shown the most progress?
– If we talk about age or age differences, it ultimately comes down to the concept of experience. Does it affect the overall result? That is a rhetorical question. Experience is formed through analysing mistakes and learning from them, which, in turn, reduces their number over time. There are many factors that influence the mistakes made and it is impossible to list them all, just as organising the training process does not guarantee their prevention. Technical skills, changes of direction and decision-making speed are the tools a footballer uses during a match. The correctness of their execution is built into a quality system designed to minimise errors, so it is incorrect to discuss the impact of average age. Preparation quality, systematic training and the quantitative set of playing tools have a much greater influence. In my view, all the girls in the team are growing professionally and deserve better competitive results. In this sense, age can be an advantage as they still have time to realise their potential.
– Can you tell us about the team’s preparation plan during the winter break?
– At the moment, the players are on holiday, which will end on January 15. Three training cycles are planned during the pre-season. The first, a transitional camp, will finish on January 21. Next is the basic phase, which will run until February 1 with two training sessions per day, and then there will be a special preparation cycle immediately before the start of the championship. On March 4, we will finalise the preparation with a league match against EMS-Podillia.
– What would you like to wish the fans and the team ahead of the New Year?
– I want to wish the fans happy holidays and express the hope for the swift end of the war, so that millions of Ukrainians can return to peaceful life. I thank everyone who stands to defend Ukrainian land. I wish all our supporters and our large football family exciting matches and victories, happiness, peace and well-being. May all troubles avoid you and your families. I wish the team faith, patience and the drive to move in the direction we have chosen to achieve our goals. I believe that we will succeed.
– At the start of the current season, we outlined our objectives and defined the directions for achieving them. The main goal is to provide strong competition to the leading teams in the fight for the top positions. The beginning of the season was encouraging: we won our first four matches and were among the best teams. However, in matches against direct competitors at the time, we fell short, and later an away game against Kryvbas led to the loss of another two points. As a result, we dropped to an interim fifth spot in the championship. Nevertheless, the season continues, and the teams still have three matches each to determine the top five for the subsequent final ranking. Undoubtedly, our main task is to reach the competitive group as this will give us the opportunity to play exactly against those teams whose results will determine our final standing.
– The format of the Vyshcha League competition has changed this year: the first stage matches will be completed after the winter break and two groups will be formed to compete for the medals and to retain their place in the elite division later. What can you say about this?
– The idea behind this format is to raise the level of the championship, which will then be reflected in international results. Considering that Ukraine’s senior, youth and women's national teams compete in League A, where the strongest European teams are gathered, this shows the rationale of such an approach. In my view, all innovations and decisions depend on the starting point and the result you aim for in the end. First and foremost, a general strategy for the development of women’s football should be formed and the UAF understands this, but it needs to be implemented on a much larger scale.
– Shakhtar women’s team had many intense matches over the past six months. Which one stands out the most and why?
– Every match against any opponent is quite intense due to the physical and mental demands. There is no point in highlighting a single one, as the championship is still ongoing. It will be appropriate to talk about the most important matches only after it concludes. The only thing I want to do is thank all the teams we have played against for their serious approach to matches against Shakhtar. This name motivates both the opponents and, of course, our players, which is why every encounter is intense and tough.
– The average age of Shakhtar women’s team squad is 22.4, making it one of the youngest in the league. Does this affect the style of play and preparation, and which player has shown the most progress?
– If we talk about age or age differences, it ultimately comes down to the concept of experience. Does it affect the overall result? That is a rhetorical question. Experience is formed through analysing mistakes and learning from them, which, in turn, reduces their number over time. There are many factors that influence the mistakes made and it is impossible to list them all, just as organising the training process does not guarantee their prevention. Technical skills, changes of direction and decision-making speed are the tools a footballer uses during a match. The correctness of their execution is built into a quality system designed to minimise errors, so it is incorrect to discuss the impact of average age. Preparation quality, systematic training and the quantitative set of playing tools have a much greater influence. In my view, all the girls in the team are growing professionally and deserve better competitive results. In this sense, age can be an advantage as they still have time to realise their potential.
– Can you tell us about the team’s preparation plan during the winter break?
– At the moment, the players are on holiday, which will end on January 15. Three training cycles are planned during the pre-season. The first, a transitional camp, will finish on January 21. Next is the basic phase, which will run until February 1 with two training sessions per day, and then there will be a special preparation cycle immediately before the start of the championship. On March 4, we will finalise the preparation with a league match against EMS-Podillia.
– What would you like to wish the fans and the team ahead of the New Year?
– I want to wish the fans happy holidays and express the hope for the swift end of the war, so that millions of Ukrainians can return to peaceful life. I thank everyone who stands to defend Ukrainian land. I wish all our supporters and our large football family exciting matches and victories, happiness, peace and well-being. May all troubles avoid you and your families. I wish the team faith, patience and the drive to move in the direction we have chosen to achieve our goals. I believe that we will succeed.