The head coach of Dynamo Kyiv Ihor Kostiuk, in an interview with the club’s official website, commented on the summer training camp and the preparation process for the new season.
– The team gathered in a great mood after the holiday. All players underwent medical examinations, except those who arrived directly in Austria. Players involved with national teams will join us in the coming days.
We are grateful to our management for the opportunity to train in such comfortable conditions. This not only supports the training process but also ensures effective recovery and focus on work.
There have been important events in the team – two of our players got married. Matvii Ponomarenko did so at the end of the season, and Nazar Voloshyn during the holiday. I believe they have taken a very important step in life. This is about maturity and a new level of responsibility. Now they are responsible not only for themselves but also for their families. For me as a coach, and in a sense also as a father figure, since I have worked with them since they were 16–17, this is a very important indicator of their personal development. I believe this new stage in their lives will inspire them, add motivation, and help them become even more responsible both on and off the pitch.
– The opponent of Dynamo Kyiv in the first round of the UEFA Europa League is the strong Romanian side Universitatea Cluj. How did you react to the draw?
– We understand that there are no easy opponents in the Europa League qualifiers; all teams hold high positions in their domestic leagues. Yes, some other options might have looked easier on paper, but the draw gave us Universitatea, and we respect this opponent. It is a strong, well-organized team with good players.
At the same time, we are focusing primarily on ourselves. There is a training camp ahead, preparation, friendly matches; our task is to reach official games in the best possible condition. If you want serious results in European competitions, you must be ready to beat any opponent regardless of the draw. So we took the result calmly and are already preparing for the tie.
– Will the preparation of the team change in any way given that the first opponent is a fairly high-level team?
– We will not fundamentally change our preparation principles, as we always set maximum demands and a high level of competition. However, of course, we will study the opponent in detail, analyze their strengths, weaknesses, and style of play.
– The team is not currently training in full (some players will join later), so there may be a certain imbalance in fitness levels. How big of a problem is this given that the first match is already on July 9?
– It is not an ideal situation, but in modern football it is quite common. Some players were with national teams, some had extra rest, so there may indeed be differences in readiness. However, we have a clear plan for each player, and the task is to bring everyone to the same condition as quickly as possible. There is still time before the first match, so I do not see this as a critical problem. The main thing is to properly distribute the workload and arrive at the start of the season without injuries and in optimal physical condition.
– What is the current squad situation? Who will not train in the near future and what are their prospects for returning for matches against Universitatea?
– Denys Popov and Kostyantyn Vivcharenko are working on individual programs. Vladyslav Kabayev, Oleksandr Tymchyk, and Mykola Mykhailenko are recovering after surgery. Each of them has different recovery timelines.
– Several players from last season’s Dynamo Kyiv U19 (Dykyi, Osypenko, Manko) are training with the squad. Are they seen as future prospects or already competition for the first team?
– Osypenko has already been part of the first team since December. Unfortunately, he suffered an injury and was recovering. Denys Dykyi has been given a chance to work with us, as well as Borys Manko.
– In the Netherlands, Justin Lonwijk played in several central midfield roles, from defensive to attacking midfielder. What role do you see for him?
– I like Justin’s profile. As for the position, we will decide based on tactics for each match. It is good that he has this experience. Everything will depend on how well he can accept and execute our requirements.
– What are your impressions of the first days of Ilya Olkhovyi?
– The goalkeepers are currently doing more specific work separately from the outfield players. In communication, he leaves a pleasant impression; he is a modest and decent guy.
– Will you model training matches against the Romanian team or use them more for experimentation?
– The opponents are indeed high-quality; this is a conscious choice. Of course, we already have the upcoming matches with the Romanian team in mind, but I am not a supporter of fully adapting the entire training process to one opponent.
At this stage, it is important for us first of all to prepare our team: to work on playing principles, build up interactions, and give the players the necessary workload and match practice. At the same time, each friendly match gives an opportunity to see the team in different conditions, against representatives of different playing styles.
