Midfielder of Dynamo Oleksandr Pikhalonok spoke during the Media Game event about the team’s preparation for the first official match of the year and returning home from the winter training camp.
– The weather in Kyiv is very different from Turkey - it’s cold and snowy. How difficult is it to adapt and how will the team work over the next three days?
– We’ll work in our usual routine. We just need a bit of time to acclimatize but that’s normal. It’s not the first year we’ve returned from winter training camps so we know how to prepare considering the cold and the condition of the pitch. It’s nothing new for us.
– What are your feelings after returning home to Kyiv?
– Honestly I really missed home. Yes, in Turkey you have electricity, great pitches and everything else but home is home. There’s no place like it. Guys really wanted to come back, especially during the last week of the camp. Now the most important thing is to prepare well for the first match and, of course, to win it.
– Is it nice that the first two matches after the winter break will be at home?
– To be honest it’s very nice. Last year our home stadium had an excellent pitch for that time of year. I think nothing will change now.
– Did you follow Rukh during the winter break? Has the team changed much?
– I followed them a little but I won’t go into details.
– The Olympic Games are currently taking place. Are you interested in any winter sports?
– I watched a little but we didn’t really have time. Mostly I just read news about results. Again there wasn’t much time for it.
– Do you know athletes from other sports personally?
– Yes, there are few guys we keep in touch with.
– Do you go to support them at competitions?
– Again, there’s not enough time. If we don’t have training I try to spend as much time as possible with my family because they already don’t see me for long periods. If I used my free time to go somewhere else, that wouldn’t be right. So whenever I have a free moment I spend it with my family.
– How did you spend your free time during the training camp? Maybe you read a book or watched films?
– I watched films but I didn’t bring any books this time. I played cards. I think every team plays cards - it’s normal. You sit together with guys, talk about different topics, communicate. That’s completely normal, in my opinion.
– Do you usually take books to training camps?
– Yes, I used to. I can’t say I’m a huge fan but I really enjoy reading biographies of athletes from different sports.
