- Joining Dynamo in 2013 could you imagine you would become the team captain in four years?
- I couldn’t even dream of that. Recently we talked about that with Andriy Yarmolenko and he recalled me “sitting in Zaporizhia” (smiling).
- Olexandr Shovkovskyi used to be Dynamo skipper for quite a long period of time. How significant was his influence on the team?
- Olexandr was very authoritative. Everyone listened to him. The majority of players can only dream of so many appearances for the club and national team
- After Shovkovskyi finished his career Yarmolenko became the team captain. Did everyone listen to him on the field?
- Andriy didn’t talk a lot, but he demonstrated how one must act on the field, how to react to these or those situations. Still generally captain doesn’t differ from other performers a lot.
- After Yarmolenko signed a contract with Borussia he said he recommended Dynamo to make you a skipper. Have you discussed that with him?
- He said that in an interview, but actually he mocks me all the time (smiling). Jokes aside, when we joined the national team in September, he said he really recommended making me the team captain.
- Have you been a team captain before?
- I was in Metalurh youth football school senior group. I also wore captain’s armband in 2011/2012 season, when we performed in the Ukrainian First League.
- What did the procedure of making you the skipper look like? Was it coach’s decision or maybe you had some kind of polling?
- There was nothing special. After international fixtures we gathered at the training complex and Andriy Yarmolenko said goodbye to the team. As far as we needed new captain Olexandr Khatskevych offered my candidacy. No one objected.
- Does captain’s armband prevent you from being too emotional on the field?
- Frankly speaking, my attitude to the game hasn’t changed a lot so far. I’ve decided I should be myself on the field.
- Being a captain, can you yell on teammates if you have to?
- I haven’t done that yet. Actually we don’t yell at each other. Sometimes we can talk at top volume on the field, but it’s a game. There will always be mistakes. If I yell at someone or someone yells at me that won’t be a big deal.
- Who’s your role model among skippers?
- Recently I watched a film about Viktor Kolotov. He deserved respect due to his play and behavior. I’ve already mentioned Olexandr Shovkovskyi. As for foreigners, those are Steven Gerrard and Paolo Maldini.
Text – Yuriy Vyshnevskyi, photos – A. Lukatskyi, A. Kutsan
Material from FC Dynamo Kyiv official magazine (#4 – August-September of 2017)
You can purchase the magazine at Dynamo Stadium named after Valeriy Lobanovskyi box offices and in FC Dynamo Kyiv Internet-store.
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