Head coach of Kryvyi Rih “Krivbass” Yuriy Vernidub summed up the results of the half-year in an interview UA-Football.
Yuri Vernidub
— The past year has presented you with a range of different feelings. What was more? — positive or negative?
– Considering how the team played and what results they achieved in the spring part of the last championship and before the winter intermission of the current one, there is only positive things. True, in the spring matches we did not manage to get into the top five, which we were aiming for. It wasn’t enough. However, I have already said that this is the first year of our work together, in which we fought until the last round for this five. But it is what it is. As for the autumn segment of the current championship, it did not start as we would like – we lost to Alexandria. But the guys responded properly, going the distance in the next sixteen rounds more or less consistently.
— Apparently, the opening defeat away from Oleksandriya only spurred your players on?
– I think yes. This is one of those games that I had a lot of negativity about. We didn’t lose on the basis of the game. And I am grateful to the players and the coaching staff that we responded to this quite quickly. Then in the championship we got the results we wanted.
— Having lost in Alexandria, after just a few rounds of the championship, Krivbass found itself at the top of the standings, and has not left it since then. Is it difficult to stay afloat for so long?
— Let me say briefly: it is easier to achieve something than to maintain what you have achieved.
— In the first round, your team went on a streak of seven unbeaten matches, with five wins and two draws. So the home defeat from Lviv “Rukh” after this period was perceived as a surprise. How would you explain it?
— The team as a whole played well, but Rukh is also an opponent who is showing very good football this season. I’m not even afraid of this word when I say “good”. “Rukh” is a young and ambitious team. You can see coaching practices that bring results. I can’t say that the Lviv team were superior to us in this match. Yes, we lost 1:3, but after leading 1:0 in just five minutes, somehow it all happened that we conceded three goals. Well, that’s what happens in football. And I repeat: it’s good that our team reacted properly to this defeat.
— “Rukh” showed its good side, as football fans have already seen more than once…
– This is true. I really like the game of this team, its tactical actions. If Rukh does not lose its existing players and at the same time strengthens itself, it can claim high places. Those guys who are now playing in the Lviv team were in its composition back in the last championship. And the young people who show their best side are those football players who performed well in the Youth Champions League. And this is not surprising. I am very impressed by Rukh head coach Vitaly Ponomarev, who knows how to work well. So we can say with confidence about Rukh: this is truly a coaching team.
— I probably won’t be wrong if I assume that, in addition to losing three points in the game with Rukh, there was a feeling of disappointment after two more matches at home — with Dynamo Kyiv and Zorya Lugansk?
– This is true. We lost to Dynamo 0:2, which we really didn’t want. But again: this is football. Moreover, we conceded a very fast goal, and then found ourselves in the minority already in the twelfth minute. Dynamo beat us with our own weapons, which we used against them before. The opponent had a very “low” defense, Dynamo did not put pressure, expecting our mistake. The ball was recovered and the goal took place immediately after our “standard”. And then Beskorovainy was sent off and the goal was conceded. Although, having lost 0:2, I can say that it was not our worst game. We looked very good in the minority. If we had managed to realize the chance that arose at the end of the first half and the teams had gone to the break with the score 1:2, then I am sure that the result would have been somewhat different. However, it is what it is. I must admit this, and I don’t see anything terrible here. After this defeat, the guys again reacted correctly and continued to score points. As for the match with Zorya, be that as it may, this is a good team. I really like it, especially now, under the leadership of Yuri Koval. Yuri Grigorievich and I once worked together at Zarya. He was my assistant, although older than me. I know this man well, and I can say that he is capable of building a team. There is no doubt that the team he leads will be well prepared physically and will play “vertical” football. So, in our match with Zorya we were leading 2:0, but in the end we tied, 2:2. Although, to be honest, they could have lost at the end of the match. But I still had a bad taste in my soul, because we should have won it. If Kojusko and Dibango had scored with the score 2:1, then everything would have been completely different. Unlike us, the opponent used his chances, and shortly before the final whistle Gorbach even spared us. There’s nothing you can do: there are mistakes. So we will work during the winter intermission to ensure that there are no more of them.
— The topic of refereeing in this championship has become especially acute. How long do you think football Ukraine will have to wait for order in the UAF Referees Committee?
– You know, this is exactly the topic that I least want to talk about. After what happened in the opening match of the championship in Alexandria, in which we lost 0:1, I said that I wouldn’t look at it or talk about it anymore. Let the leaders of our football and all people responsible for refereeing pay attention to this topic. You probably noticed that not once after that ill-fated game with Alexandria was there a time when I was publicly indignant or reacted in any other way to arbitration. I told myself “no” – that’s all.
— In terms of goals scored, Krivbass is second only to Dynamo. Does this mean that you have the least complaints about attacking players?
— I cannot say so, because as they say, defense begins with attack. In football, there is no such thing that defense is separate and attack is separate. We all attack together and we also defend together. As for the complaints, I’ll say this: they have always been, are and will be. The most important thing is to react to this correctly and analyze each game, proving to your guys exactly where the mistakes were – so that you can respond to them effectively and prevent them from happening in the future.
— Of the 31 effective shots, only nine were scored by the forwards. Isn’t this level enough for the players?
– I think it’s not enough. Of course, I would like more. But what we have is what we have, so we have something to work on. You need to make an effort to convert at least sixty to seventy percent of your chances.
— What can you say about the newcomers who joined Kryvbas during the summer transfer period?
— We did a good job in the breeding field. Those players who came to us really strengthened the team – both in terms of play and other factors. I am pleased with all the newcomers who played the autumn part of the championship.
— One of the representatives of your team’s foreign legion, defender Ivan Dibango, played all 17 matches of the autumn part of the championship from bell to bell. It seems that, unlike other foreign players, the Cameroonian fits most effectively into the Krivbass playing ensemble?
– This is not surprising, because he was the first to join the team. I think that Dibango more or less understands what the coaching staff wants from him and what is needed in order to grow in skill with each match played. He has really fit into our game well and is now the team leader among foreigners. However, I can also mention Bizimana, Ilic, and also Poe, who was treated for a year, but is beginning to thank us with his play for our attention and help to him. In the second round match with Alexandria, Poe scored one of the goals, which contributed to our 2:1 victory.
— There are rumors that Dibango has found himself in the sphere of interests of other clubs. Is this really true?
– Yes. But so far I have not heard that proposals for it have specifics. When it comes to this, then it will be possible to talk about something.
— How do legionnaires react to rocket and drone attacks on Krivoy Rog?
— All the guys who are Kryvbas players are already used to this and there are no problems with the fact that there are air raids and explosions. Since last year, we have been in Krivoy Rog and remain so. We work as we worked. We have no other option. And we ourselves don’t want to play anywhere. After all, we are “Krivbass” (Krivoy Rog), so we must work and play in Krivoy Rog, in front of our fans.
— Which match played in the autumn period of the championship fully satisfied you as a coach?
— There are many of them, so it’s difficult to single out just one or two. There was a good game with the same Zorya in the first round, when we won away 3:1. There was a very cool game with Shakhtar, in which our team lost 0:2, 1:3, but in the end we played 3:3. We should also remember the match with the same “Alexandria” at the beginning of the second round. In it, we initially lost the score 0:1, but made a comeback and won 2:1. All the matches we won were won with character and great desire. And that’s great! I understand that what we have achieved now will be difficult to maintain in the spring. I told the guys about this in the locker room immediately after the match with Zorya. The thirteen rounds that remain to be played in the current championship will be like thirteen finals for Krivbass.
— Which players will Kryvbas fans not see in the spring part of the season?
— All those who were in the composition will remain. Unless there will be some point perturbations. However, it is too early to talk about this. When we get together after the holidays, then it will be possible to say something on this topic. To be honest, at the end of the autumn part of the season I haven’t analyzed anything yet. A little later, closer to the New Year, my colleagues on the coaching staff and I will sit down and draw conclusions about our entire tournament path. Then we will understand what we need next. But be that as it may, on the breeding front we are constantly working, looking through potential newcomers and analyzing their properties. If possible, there will be some additions to Krivbass.
— In what positions?
– I don’t look at positions. The main thing is that the football player can really help us. Whether it’s a goalkeeper, defender, midfielder or striker, it doesn’t matter that much. No one will ever refuse a good player, you yourself understand this well. And even more so when a football player is versatile or capable of changing roles. It happens that we take a player as a defender, and he plays as a midfielder. It all depends on the quality and desire to play. We’ll see how it turns out, we’ll figure it out.
— What criteria will you use to select sparring partners at the training camp?
— I always want to play with strong opponents. With teams that have a name and look good in their national championships. I understand that these will be foreign clubs. And the stronger the opponent, the better for Krivbass. We return from vacation on January 8, we will work for one week. If everything works out, we will go to Spain for a training camp.
— How long will you be there?
— We are planning to go to Alicante for a month, as the Ministry of Sports gives us permission. We will work in Spain for two weeks, take two or three days off, and then continue working again. The only thing is that during our stay abroad we will change our location, moving from one hotel to another after the first training camp. So that the guys don’t get bored.
— How will you celebrate Christmas?
— I’m Ukrainian, and therefore I will celebrate, like all my compatriots, December 25th. It’s better to do what the whole world is doing, and not what our damned enemies are doing. Those who to this day say that they are our… brothers. Yes, we no longer have “brothers”!
— Where are you planning to celebrate Christmas and New Year?
— We will celebrate Christmas in Kyiv with my wife, children and grandchildren. And for the New Year we will go to Zaporozhye. This holiday, which, despite difficult times, should be celebrated in one’s home. We are planning to do this with my wife Lesya, inviting close friends. Those who are still in Zaporozhye to this day, helping the Armed Forces of Ukraine. We have the same thoughts, the same life. We will all wait for Victory together, and we will certainly wait for it.
Vyacheslav Kulchytskyi
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2023-12-19 17:51:00
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