Dynamo’s head coach answered questions from media representatives after the final match of the season against Kudrivka.
— What happened with the team’s defense? The opponent scored two goals and could have scored at least three more… It has been a long time since we have seen such defending.
— We talked about this ourselves during halftime. There were too many mistakes in transition phases. But it is not only the defense that is to blame, it is the whole team, because we did not reorganize properly and allowed the opponent to launch quick attacks. The opponent took advantage of this very well, created superiority in attack, and indeed today there were a lot of chances, especially in the first half, when they could have scored more goals.
— Are there already any specific plans for the offseason? When will the players return from vacation, when will preparations begin, and where will they take place?
— On June 12 and 13, the team will undergo medical examinations. During the vacation, the players will be given a program that they must complete in the final week before the training camp. On June 14, we will travel to Austria for training camp.
— Ponomarenko became the top scorer of the championship, scoring 13 goals in 15 matches. Are you satisfied with his productivity and with the way the young players progressed this season?
— Of course, we are pleased that Dynamo has developed such a player, who became the top scorer in just 15 matches. He did not play in every match, but his scoring record speaks for itself. Trust in young players gives others a push to progress, compete, and generally adds energy to the team; the team looks different because of it.
— Yesterday Serhii Mokhnyk gave a comment about the club’s transfer activity but it was hard to learn much from it – only denials of rumors. Without naming names, what positions are you looking to strengthen this offseason?
— Let’s leave it without specifics for now, because today in our country there are many clubs competing with each other for players, and there are not that many available, so everyone is going in circles. Therefore, we will not talk about the positions we plan to strengthen or the players we hope to sign.
— Is Andriy Yarmolenko continuing or ending his career?
— Andriy is our player. Today you saw what kind of assist he delivered. Not every player can make such a delicate pass. We have spoken and heard the words of the president. Andriy is continuing his career and will prepare with us. Moreover, he has not a new, but a well-forgotten call-up to the national team. So his motivation is very high.
— Which loaned-out players could return and go to training camp?
— Everything will depend on reinforcements and transfers. We will see who can strengthen us. But we also have loaned-out players, some of whom have buyout options, and there are offers regarding these players. We will see who stays with us. We need 2–3 players for each position, because this season, when footballers got injured, there were problems in some positions. We do not want that to happen again. We always want to have players available who can compete and strengthen every line on the pitch.
