I’m not satisfied with the performance
Saturday, May 9, 2026
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Shakhtar U19 head coach Oleksii Bielik commented on the victory over Poltava, squad rotation and the final stretch of the league
– I’m not very satisfied because the only positive thing is the result and the three points. I’m completely unhappy with the performance. We have objective reasons: Tsukanov is serving a suspension and is with the first team, Smetana picked up an injury with the first team and cannot play. Bundash and Kanteh are dealing with minor discomfort, and Kanteh was not advised to play on artificial turf. Petruk was also unavailable due to suspension, so effectively the main attacking group was missing. As I have already mentioned, Bundash, Smetana and Kanteh are key players, and the absence of even one of them affects both the result and the quality of the performance. At the same time, I’m very dissatisfied with the players who got their chance: they are in a comfort zone, they do not take their opportunity and do not fight for it, they simply wait for their turn. Football does not forgive that and can leave you below the level Shakhtar should be at. The only positive thing is the victory.
– Compared to the previous match, there was quite a significant rotation. Did the players meet expectations?
– Rotation in any club, whether senior or youth, is always necessary. In our case, it was not a matter of choice but of the issues I mentioned earlier. In youth football, players must be given opportunities, but when they get them, they focus on the word “given” rather than “earned”. A chance should not be simply received, it must be fought for in training through professionalism and daily work, with the help of coaches, directors, educators, scouts and first and foremost, oneself. When this is not there and players are simply waiting in line, situations arise where leaders drop out for various reasons, and the team and the Academy as a whole fall to the level of sides that are at the bottom of the table.
– There are three remaining matches of the season in a tight schedule. How should the team prepare to achieve the required result?
– Show character. If I’m a footballer and I have competitive spirit, pride and ambition, I must prove that I deserve to be at Shakhtar. There is no other way. Without character it is impossible, no matter which team you play for. At Poltava, the players who are at the bottom of the table showed more character today. In August we were at a tournament in Croatia, where we played against PSG U19, Juventus U19 and Bologna U-9, and we played each match with a limited squad. Thanks to character, we managed to show decent performances. At the moment, with matches every second or third day, there is no proper training process – only recovery and pre-match sessions. Right now it is not even about the title; everyone understands that everything depends on us However, the players must first and foremost prove that they deserve to be part of Shakhtar U19 and the club structure.
– What are your expectations for the final rounds of the league?
– I’m not the type of coach who will fold his arms and calmly watch a match. I will do everything that depends on me at the maximum level. However, I do not understand how you cannot give your all for yourself and for your teammates you play with. From my side, I will do everything that depends on me, and as for the rest… That depends on many factors I have already mentioned.
– Compared to the previous match, there was quite a significant rotation. Did the players meet expectations?
– Rotation in any club, whether senior or youth, is always necessary. In our case, it was not a matter of choice but of the issues I mentioned earlier. In youth football, players must be given opportunities, but when they get them, they focus on the word “given” rather than “earned”. A chance should not be simply received, it must be fought for in training through professionalism and daily work, with the help of coaches, directors, educators, scouts and first and foremost, oneself. When this is not there and players are simply waiting in line, situations arise where leaders drop out for various reasons, and the team and the Academy as a whole fall to the level of sides that are at the bottom of the table.
– There are three remaining matches of the season in a tight schedule. How should the team prepare to achieve the required result?
– Show character. If I’m a footballer and I have competitive spirit, pride and ambition, I must prove that I deserve to be at Shakhtar. There is no other way. Without character it is impossible, no matter which team you play for. At Poltava, the players who are at the bottom of the table showed more character today. In August we were at a tournament in Croatia, where we played against PSG U19, Juventus U19 and Bologna U-9, and we played each match with a limited squad. Thanks to character, we managed to show decent performances. At the moment, with matches every second or third day, there is no proper training process – only recovery and pre-match sessions. Right now it is not even about the title; everyone understands that everything depends on us However, the players must first and foremost prove that they deserve to be part of Shakhtar U19 and the club structure.
– What are your expectations for the final rounds of the league?
– I’m not the type of coach who will fold his arms and calmly watch a match. I will do everything that depends on me at the maximum level. However, I do not understand how you cannot give your all for yourself and for your teammates you play with. From my side, I will do everything that depends on me, and as for the rest… That depends on many factors I have already mentioned.