FC Dynamo Kyiv player Oleksandr Karavayev has told about his vacation, preparations for the season and shared expectations of the training camp:
- Have you managed to recover on vacation?
- Sure, we’ve had almost a month. My wife and I counted that for 10 years I practically had no rest in summer. This time it was an actual vacation which I spent with my family.
- Is today’s medical examination a check-up of what you did during your vacation?
- No, it’s something we do to make sure that everyone’s healthy and ready for the pre-season.
- Do you already know all doctors in person?
- Sure, there’s a lot of doctors who’ve been working here for years. They’re true professionals.
- Did you stick to your individual training program? Was it hard?
- Everything, as always, is about supporting your functional state and muscles. You need it so that you don’t have a hard time during training. I’ve spent 15 years playing football professionally and I’ve realized: no matter what you do, you’ll never get ready for a training camp good enough. Because training camps are preparations for the season. And preparing for a training camp just means being in a decent shape.
They always give us program we stick to on vacation. Someone may that he doesn’t need to do some stuff or can do some other exercises. I know that some experienced guys work individually with their coaches, because after many years in football they know their body better. I think you can spend half of the vacation resting and half getting ready. It’s enough to do regular cardio and some muscle exercises to be constantly in good shape. And then you go through full-fledged training camp.
- As champions of Ukraine, Dynamo will start the Champions League campaign with the second qualifying round, just like last season when you weren’t champions. Have you got accustomed to such schedule?
- This is the situation, we all realize that we’re gaining very few points in European competitions, which is why the rating is getting lower and lower. And now the victory in the UPL no longer guarantees a direct ticket to the main stage of the Champions League. Therefore, we must do everything possible to go through the qualification process and get to the main stage.
- Your opponent in the second qualifying round will be either Lithuanian Zalgiris or Hamrun Spartans from Malta. Have you considered these teams already?
- To be honest, I haven’t thought about it yet, but I believe that every team from any country that plays in European competitions –Champions League, Europa League or Conference League – is strong because they want to get through this stage and reach the main stage. There are many examples when teams from the first qualifying rounds made it to the main stage because they had great dedication, they wanted to prove themselves. Therefore, I’m not thinking about our opponents yet, but I understand that it won’t be easy. We’ll get ready.
- Next season four new teams will perform in the UPL. What do you think of those?
- It will be very interesting to see how the teams that played in the First League will look in the Premier League, because there are really a lot of newcomers. They won this place with their efforts, desire, and sportsmanship, and I congratulate them on that.
- A lot of youngsters will go to the training camp. As far as Dynamo youth team stays in Kyiv, they’ll be with the first team all the time. How do you like working with them as experienced player?
- I don’t have any issues with that. We communicate with everyone, we help, because everyone was young like them. Everyone was in the first team for the first time. They just have to understand that U19 is one thing, and the adult team is completely different. These are completely different requirements, levels. Every day you have to give more than 100%, because they have something to prove and demonstrate. There will only be support from me. Of course, not without tips, but not the ones that are given to children. They are all adults now, and this should be a tip that actually helps.
