- Did you manage to have rest during this short vacation?
- Yes, I did. It’s always a pleasure to have rest.
- You have participated in Kakha Kaladze’s farewell match. What are your impressions?
- Actually I hardly managed to chat with Kakha as a lot of his friends came to visit him. He was very busy. Still I told him that he looks great for a minister. As I have understood, his new job is interesting and I’m sure that he’ll do his best to work properly.
- Has Kaladze’s political career inspired you?
- We’ll talk about it in several years.
- Did you watch Ukraine away game against Montenegro?
- I followed this match online. Of course I was pleasantly surprised with character our team demonstrated. From now on every following game will be a kind of decisive one.
- Many believe that Ukraine are able to qualify to the World Cup. Don’t you regret quitting the national team?
- I never regret anything. It was informed choice. Now I can spend more time with my family, which is very important for me.
- How can you estimate the last season for Dynamo?
- I’ve learned to forget about losses rather quickly. Of course this season was a failure for us. We lacked stability. I think we have finished third deservedly. Never the less we shouldn’t sprinkle ashes upon our heads. We must realize our mistakes. Everyone must be responsible for his own play.
- Did the team analyze main mistakes at the meeting after the end of the season?
- We had a short meeting after the final game of UPL, but during the first training camp we’ll analyze our mistakes in detail.
- Taras Mykhalyk has become a free agent. How can you comment upon that?
- There’s no doubt that Taras was one of Dynamo leaders. It was very interesting to work with him as he is very principal and uncompromising. Now he’s got a new challenge and I’ll be glad if he overcomes all difficulties. So I wish him luck and I hope he’ll prove his fans that he is a top level player.
- You substituted Maxym Koval in the last game of the season. Are you ready to play in full force and effect?
- Psychologically I’m ready. We have good relations with Maxym. We often discuss different matches, I always support him. It’s a pleasure to work with him as he’s very ambitious and self-rigorous.
- Do the Joint tournament games against Zenit Saint Petersburg and Spartak Moscow look interesting for you?
- These games may be useful for us before the start of the next season.
- What do you think of the idea of the Joint league?
- It looks interesting, but still there are a lot of problems to work at.
- They say that some Dynamo players are not satisfied with atmosphere inside the team. Kranjcar wants to leave, Khacheridi states that it’s difficult for him to work with Oleh Blokhin.
- Frankly speaking, it’s also difficult to work with Khacheridi. He is able to become a top level player, but his character and behavior are harmful for him.
- Can Dynamo win the UPL next season?
- We’ll see. It will depend upon our conditions. Anyway we always have maximal aims.
- Does Oleh Blokhin have any special demands which are tough for players?
- It’s surprising for me when some players state that fines are too tough. As for me, I was fined only a couple of times in the intervening years for arriving late at theoretical classes. Never the less I don’t think it’s a tough punishment. One should follow existing rules not to have problems of such kind.
- Are nowadays Dynamo able to make headway?
- We have a young team and everyone must realize that we must act creatively to fulfill our tasks. We also have a lot of good players and it’s very important for them to unlock their potential.
- How can players achieve mutual understanding if foreigners don’t speak Russian?
- In my opinion it must be obligatory for foreigners to study the language of the county they live and play in. It’s absolutely necessary for understanding of basic head coach’s demands.
- It seems that Dynamo foreign players feel very laid-back…
- I communicated with some Russians who play in NHL. They say that it’s prohibited for them to speak Russian with each other. And it’s normal. One must obey laws and traditions of the place he comes to. Our mentality makes us meet foreigners with open arms and allow them too much. I think we should meet players telling them something like: “Play and you’ll be fine”.
- Can Oleh Blokhin change this situation?
- He is trying, but some players don’t accept that. It’s difficult exterminate one’s habits.
