- What are your impressions of the season in general?
- I’m in fine fettle. What’s the most important thing in football? That’s golden medals. We’ve won the league and the national cup. Don’t forget that we’ve been building this team with Serhiy Rebrov for only a year. His whole life is before him which makes me optimistic. Still we shouldn’t jump for joy too much. This season really was unusual. Anyway it’s not our fault. For example Dnipro reached the Europa League final even though they didn’t play a single home fixture of the competition in Dnipropetrovsk.
Still I think two teams have deserved victory in the Ukrainian Cup. It was a close match. Shakhtar needed one goal from the spot out of two shots in the penalty shootout to win. They missed and we scored. That’s a unique case.
What are my aims today? I want to save our leaders and enforce the team if it’s necessary. For six years I was patient, invested more and more money and I had no doubt we would win gold sooner or later. I was looking for this coach and I finally found him. I really respect Oleh Blokhin, but that’s not his team anymore. He invited some performers, but one must be also able to make them achieve positive results..
- It was quite risky to make Rebrov the head coach.
- As a president of the club I’m responsible for such decisions. Don’t you think I want to see positive results for my money?! Dynamo reached the Europa League quarterfinals and all bonuses have been paid. Players will also get money for the domestic title and for the national cup. Rebrov has turned out to be a true professional. He’s ready to dedicate himself to the team completely and make headway.
- Have you already got transfer offers for Yarmolenko?
- I haven’t got any offers yet. Frankly speaking I really hope I won’t. I want to save the team as money doesn’t matter to me. I do what I like and dedicate my life to Dynamo. Of course I don’t want to stop. I want the team to demonstrate it’s making headway in Europe, to get our of the Champions League group.
- Speaking about foreign players… What’s wrong with Mbokani?
- He’s not in proper conditions, but thinks he’ll perform for the main squad as he gets good salary. That won’t happen. Coach tells him: “Be Mbokani you were late in the last season. Then you’ll play”. He takes amiss, but he should take offence at himself. Believe me, he won’t get transfer offers and will feature for the second team. I won’t risk the team trying to match Mbokani or someone else.
There’s another example. If they didn’t let Belhanda take the field among first eleven in the cup final half a year ago he would have walked out in protest. Did you see how he made substitute appearance? He was calm… Only the best ones must play. Our performers know that.
- Weren’t you afraid Rebrov will fail just like Luzhnyi did?
- Luzhnyi is a great professional. I don’t want to compare them. Rebrov really has very good performers. Lens, Harmash, Sydorchuk, Khacheridi… I think the latter is the best centre back in Europe at the moment. Shovkovskyi is 41, but he clears penalties.
- Will Shovkovskyi stay?
- We’ve prolonged a contract with him. It will be valid for one more year. This year we’ve also signed several free agents though we were ready to pay money for them. Serhiy Rebrov wanted to have these players for competing in the team.
I think we have a good squad and I hope no one will leave. Maybe we’ll sign one more striker if Mbokani or Yarmolenko leave. Still Yarmolenko is irreplaceable at the moment.
- Aren’t you ready to let Yarmolenko go?
- I really want him to stay in Dynamo, but I’ve given him my word. If I don’t let him go players won’t believe me. If I get good compensation and Yarmolenko joins some top-club… Not Stoke City FC, but some team that will let him make headway.
- What would you like to tell fans after the incident after the Ukrainian Cup final?
- What happened on the field was a mess. That mustn’t happen anymore. I love our fans and appreciate their support. They believed in us for five years. So did I.
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