In November of 2017 he made his debut for the first team. Anyway, this conversation isn’t just about football.
- What can you tell about your childhood?
- Everything I remember is training sessions and school. I fell in love with football when I was six. As all kids, I played in the yard or at the ground next to our school. When I was 11 and moved to Mariupol, I became even more serious about football.
- What were your favourite subjects besides PT? Did you have good marks?
- I had good marks till the seventh form, but then football became my priority. But still parents insisted I mustn’t skip classes.
- How did you move to Mariupol? Weren’t parents afraid to let you go?
- I really wanted to go. At first I came to the trial and they told me I should come in a year as I was too young. When I came again, they offered me to stay. At first it was hard, I missed my family.
- Your former coach Mykola Pavlov speaks well of you…
- We often call each other. Sometimes I ask him for some advice. My father is also in accord with him.
- What changed after you moved to Kyiv? How is life in the capital different?
- Frankly speaking, I was afraid to go here. I was only 16. I remember the first training session with Spanish coaches. I didn’t understand anything. Later I got acquainted with guys, got some friends and became more confident.
- Do you have favourite spots in Kyiv?
- Sometimes I can meet my friends Vladyslav Dubinchak and Artem Kozak and spend some time in the downtown.
- Do you take books with you when you leave on vacation?
- Usually I don’t. Mostly I read biographies of famous sportsmen.
- Do you like active of passive leisure?
- Well, if I go on vacation with friends, I’m for active leisure.
- What hobbies do you have besides football? You used to live in Mariupol, so I guess you swim pretty well.
- (Smiling) No, one shouldn’t swim in Mariupol. I don’t have any special hobbies. Sometimes we play online games with guys. I also like to watch NBA.
- Do you have any drawbacks?
- Of course I do! Sometimes I’m too emotional which makes me play worse. That’s something I can’t control sometimes.
- How do you react to failures?
- I used to take every bad game and training session hard. Now I try just to move on.
- Who’s Dynamo biggest joker?
- Everyone knows that’s Denys Harmash. Mykola Moroziuk also was very funny! Actually everyone can make a joke.
- What’s your favourite food?
- I like pasta. They cook it really well at our training complex.
- Who’s your main critic?
- Of course that’s my father. After a bad game he can ask me: “What was that?” My agent Olexandr Kaprov also follows every match and gives me some advice.
Svitlana POLIAKOVA, Dynamo magazine (#2, April-June 2019)
