Head coach of Dynamo Kyiv Ihor Kostiuk answered questions from the media after the Ukrainian Cup final against Chernihiv in Lviv where “Whites and Blues” won 3:1 and lifted the trophy.
– You have qualified for European competitions, congratulations! Will you ask the president for reinforcements in the summer?
– Good evening. First of all I congratulate everyone on the football celebration because it really was a celebration – excellent organization and a true cup match. Regarding reinforcements – of course, we are working in this direction and considering options for positions that need strengthening.
– What can you say about the possible continuation of Andriy Yarmolenko’s career?
– Andriy’s experience is being passed on to younger players. This is very important for us, both in the locker room and on the field. After season ends we will have a conversation, see how he feels, what his plans are, and come to an agreement.
– Do you already know where your next European campaign will take place?
– We will start it in Lublin, Poland. For now, it’s playoff which we still need to get through.
– The first qualifying round of Europa League starts quite early. Will this change your preseason plans? Perhaps the vacation will be shorter or training camp dates will shift?
– We have already planned the training camp, set dates for friendly matches, determined location of the camp and team’s return from vacation. Everything has been worked out and we understand the plan moving forward.
– Back to the match. After the draw in the first half were there any fears that the team might lose the victory?
– There was a draw with only one shot on our goal. You saw how many chances we created. The responsibility and tension of the match didn’t allow us to convert our chances in the first half. But we discussed it during the break. In the second half experienced players – Vitalii Buialskii and Andriy Yarmolenko – scored their chances, and we also created many more opportunities.
Today, as in previous matches, the opponent’s goalkeeper performed wonders and played a very strong game. But in my opinion our victory was deserved.
– Chernihiv’s coach Valeriy Chornyi said there are already offers for their goalkeeper Maksym Tatarenko. Is Dynamo considering him?
– We will think about it. We have our own goalkeepers whom we rely on – our own academy graduates. Of course any position can be strengthened but currently goalkeeper position is covered.
– You took over the team mid-season. How do you evaluate the club’s success from a coach’s perspective?
– Our main task was to win the Cup, and we accomplished it. You can also see that we have involved many young players – that is today’s club philosophy.
As I mentioned earlier we took over the team in seventh place and moved up to fourth. I believe we lost points where we shouldn’t have – in matches after international breaks. For me this was also experience as a coach. You need to prepare differently for such games to avoid losing points.
In addition there were situations when our goals were disallowed which also affected the final league position.
– You started the season with the U19 team and now as Dynamo’s head coach you have won the Cup. How do you assess your contribution to this success?
– As I already said we have prepared a training plan and are getting ready for the next season. We also spoke with the president regarding squad reinforcement. We need to work productively in this direction because qualification starts on July 9, and there is little time to rest. Players will rest a bit and on June 14 we are heading to the training camp in Austria.
– Can you announce any reinforcements?
– Until agreements are reached and documents are signed there will be no announcements. You know transfer market likes silence.
– Rumors are spreading that Oleksandr Karavaiev might leave the team. Have you already spoken with him about this?
– Oleksandr’s contract is expiring. We will have a conversation. We need to find a compromise that suits both him and the club to continue cooperation.
– Next year marks the club’s centenary. What goals has the president set for the team and for you personally?
– Regarding plans and objectives we will discuss them with the president after the last match of this season.
– How would you rate this season on a ten-point scale?
– It’s not worth using any scale here. We took over the team late in the season and in European competitions there was almost no chance to improve the situation. Therefore evaluating it with numbers is not quite correct.
– How do you assess your role in the current Dynamo? Is the team ready to fight for top positions next season?
– Of course. We work in a big club – Dynamo Kyiv – and we are always tasked with maximum objectives. Today we won the Cup and this is already good. Of course coach also plays a role, determining tactics and the lineup. So I believe the credit of our coaching staff, including myself, in this success is significant.
