It’s time to summarize the first half of the season. FC Dynamo Kyiv president Ihor Surkis has answered the official club web site questions.
- What can you say about the first half of the season in general?
- I think it was quite a success for us. We’ve fulfilled a great amount of work. I’m really glad that Serhiy Rebrov has managed to introduce the sole system of work for every Dynamo team from our Academy to the main squad. I always say that the majority of performers of this team must be Ukrainian (still we can’t do without foreigners). Otherwise we’ll have no future, considering what this club means to fans and our country in general.
We shouldn’t look for talents all over Ukraine. It’s good that out scouts work properly, but we must bring our own players up. That’s the main aim philosophy of our club today – Ukrainian coach and Ukrainian squad. Still there must be some good foreign performers.
- Johan Cruyff used to say that good coach is the one, who can do error correction. Considering how Serhiy Rebrov works, do you think that he does that constantly?
- We all say that Serhiy Rebrov is a young coach, but he’s 40 already. He works not only on players’ mistakes, but also on his own ones. That deserves respect. To do that one must admit errors and try to correct them. I think it’s of great importance that Rebrov has formed a proper training process. Besides he’s created a good atmosphere in the team. Players believe in their coach and I can assure you that it will give positive result.
- Even after failures in matches against Olimpik and Aalborg there was no hysterics, the team just moved on…
- There must be no hysterics in football. One should just move forward. If players believe in Rebrov’s game plan they’ll try to fulfill it. Discipline on the pitch is very important. It’s the result of positive atmosphere I’ve already mentioned. I think today we have high profile foreign performers. Everyone wants to win trophies. Of course it’s impossible to win all the time, but there must be no panic.
- It’s hardly possible to overestimate victory against FC Shakhtar Donetsk in the UPL…
- I don’t want to focus on one particular game. Shakhtar are very good ambitious team able to defeat anyone, but at that moment we were better. That means that we won a battle, but not war. Second half of the season will be very difficult. Shakhtar have experienced performers, they know how to win titles.
- What players surprised you in the first half of the season?
- I don’t want to offend anyone, but first of all that’s Serhiy Rybalka. He surprised me with his attitude to work. That’s also Artem Kravets. I always wanted him to stay in the team. I guess he just had some psychological problems. I’m sure Artem will play a lot of spectacular matches.
- What about veterans, such as Shovkovskyi and Husiev?
- Players shouldn’t be called veterans only because of their age. It seems Shovkovskyi has got second breath. Husiev is also a very important performer for our team.
Yarmolenko is also Dynamo old-timer already. He’s young, but he proves such players as Sydorchuk, Makarenko and Bezus that one can achieve a lot due to hard work. He’s demonstrated patriotism to the club as he has prolonged his contract. Money isn’t his priority. He came to my office and said: “Let’s sign new contract to get rid of rumors”. Anyway if we get offers from European top clubs we’ll discuss them.
- This year Dynamo family lost several outstanding personalities…
- Yes, we’ve lost Viktor Serebrianykov, Andriy Bal, Valentyn Belkevych, Andriy Husin… We all must remember them to let these people live in our hearts. There also was a tragedy in my family. My mother passed away, so did my niece’s husband.
This is a very difficult year. Thousands of our compatriots defend Ukraine in the lines and go to kingdom come. This is hard to take in. FC Dynamo Kyiv will do everything to help their families. We buy ambulance cars, medicines, clothing etc.
- What is your priority this season – domestic league or Europa League?
- Ukrainian Premier League is the way to Champions League. In recent years we featured in Europa League, which means we weren’t ready to perform on higher level. I don’t want Dynamo to qualify for the Champions league and feel ashamed in every group stage match. That’s why I think it’s better to build the team playing in Europa League.
If we keep improving our play I think we won’t be underdogs next autumn in case we reach the Champions League. Experience is vital for us. Lucescu always says that he has young performers even though direction of the club sets the goal to win the Champions League sooner or later. I won’t do that today. I won’t even set the goal to win the Europa League. We don’t know that the team is capable of sometimes.
When we’ll be ready to feature on the most prestigious level supporters will applaud us. My brother formed such a team in 1999. Dynamo were supposed to play in the Champions League final, but some concentration of circumstances didn’t let us do that. My dream is to build a team fans will be proud of.
We are to face Guingamp in Europa League. If we outplay this team we’ll think about our aims. Maybe we’ll reach our goal, which is to win European trophy. At the moment our task is to win the domestic league and Ukrainian Cup.
- Are Dynamo able to struggle for trophies in three competitions?
- We opposed FC Metalurh Donetsk after difficult away match against FC Vorskla Poltava. I came to the locker-room after the final whistle and it seemed to me that our performers were ready to play one more game at once. The thing is they enjoy what they do. That’s very important.
Copyright © 2014 FC Dynamo Kyiv
* picture by V. Rasner
