Dynamo’s head coach Oleksandr Shovkovskyi answered media questions after the away league match against Epicentr (1:4).
– Were you able to restore the team’s psychological balance after the defeat in Cyprus?
– We are playing on a very tight schedule. No matter how difficult things can be in life, we fully understand that the season is only just beginning. It hurts, it’s very unpleasant, of course. But we cannot allow ourselves to relax, to drop our heads, to bury them in the sand or anything like that. We prepare, we analyze, we draw conclusions and move forward. And in every match we will focus solely on going out, playing, and winning.
– Sometimes rotation is needed in matches. What tasks did you set for the younger players and did they fulfill them 100%?
– You know, our squad consists of 29 players. That is our main roster, to be clear. Then there’s the starting eleven for each game, which is determined by many factors – the previous match, the next match, giving some players rest, giving others a chance to prove themselves. But all 29 prepare equally. We always have choices – who goes into the starting lineup, who doesn’t, who makes the squad list, and sometimes players don’t even get into the squad. Players must understand that when they step onto the pitch, they must show their maximum. They are responsible for the quality of their performance. Today we fielded a lineup based on many considerations. And today we earned a very important victory for us because every point matters in the championship.
– Did the opponent surprise you today? Did you expect this type of performance from them?
– I’ll say this: early in the game we could have taken our chances and made it 3:0 or 4:0. Then came a costly mistake, we stepped on the same rake again, and the opponent equalized. Fortunately we work on these things in training. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. Today set pieces worked for us. They should have worked against Pafos, against Hamrun as well. We scored then, but the referee disallowed… Today it counted, and that’s good. The game is made up of taken and missed chances. But we studied the opponent, we knew how they would play, and we understood where we could be more effective in attack.
– At one of your recent press conferences you said you were sure Guerrero would score. You emphasized that. Today he did. Was this extra motivation from you? And please assess Torres’ debut.
– I saw how both of them worked in training. I saw their persistence. Torres had a difficult injury. As much as we wanted, we had to give him time. He was upset with me for not involving him but I knew he hadn’t yet reached the right condition to play in the starting lineup.
As for Edu, I felt he was very close to breaking through. Today he scored. I still believe the disallowed goal should have stood, because the pass came from a defender. And he also hit the post. It’s great that we have players ready to come in and make a difference. But we also understand that at a higher level of competition you get less space, less time, faster speed of play, higher football intelligence. That’s why I demand from my players in training to do everything as quickly as possible, so that both the team and each player individually can grow, become stronger – first of all, stronger than themselves. At a higher level: less time, less space, faster pace, quicker decision-making. And all of this ultimately affects results.
– How do you manage switching between European competitions and the Ukrainian league?
– The team is preparing, and it’s important for us to get through this stretch. Since July 28 we haven’t been home. And that’s connected with the situation in the country. So there is a certain psychological factor, and the players understand this. We try to explain to them so they take it in the right way. We prepare, and we will continue preparing, doing everything possible to go out and show good football and good results.
– About the goal you conceded. Do you think there was a foul?
– Honestly I haven’t reviewed it yet. But it wouldn’t change the referee’s decision anyway. We’ll need to take a closer look. But nowadays referees allow play to continue more. We understand we need to play until the whistle and make the right, unquestionable decisions.
Once again I congratulate our supporters on the victory. Life sometimes hits painfully, but you have to take the punch, prepare and move forward.
