Press conference with Ukraine head coach Serhiy Rebrov and U-21 team coach Unai Melgosa

05.08.2024 17:02

On Monday, August 5, a press conference was held at the House of Football with the head coach of the Ukraine national team, Serhiy Rebrov, and the head coach of the Ukraine U-21 team, Unai Melgosa.

The press conference focused on the performance of Ukraine's youth and national teams at the European Championships and the plans and objectives for the upcoming season.

Serhiy Rebrov:

- Today we had a meeting of the National Teams Committee to conclude. We need to analyze and move forward. We will prepare for the 2026 World Cup qualifying cycle. We must qualify, whether through the Nations League or qualifying matches. We need to utilize all of Ukraine's potential.

When it comes to analysis and scouting, it involves the U-17 and U-19 teams because we already have all the information about the national and U-21 teams. We need to find video materials about players who have left Ukraine, and play in small clubs, but potentially can be players for various age-category teams.

- Mr. Melgosa, can you explain how the selection of players for the U-17 and U-19 teams occurs?

Unai Melgosa:

- First of all, I am happy to be here today and to attend this press conference. The head coach is responsible for the selection of players, as stated in the contract. I remind you that I am the head coach of the U-21 team. As a coordinator, I can advise other coaches on player options, but it's not my responsibility. The head coach makes the decisions. In coordination with various departments, analysts, and scouts, we decide together. The head coach takes full responsibility for the tournament results, but coordination and player selection are as I described.

- How do you comment on rumors that some analysts or even you interfered with the coaches' work during the final tournaments of the youth Euros?

Unai Melgosa:

- I'm not an analyst or expert on all issues, but I manage the process. This is my role as a coach — to manage the coaching staff at my disposal and to act as a manager. Based on this, I will bear responsibility for the results and the team's performance. I decide whether to express my opinion more or less on certain issues. Overall, as a manager, I am more responsible for the results.

When the U-17 and U-19 teams ask for help or advice, I always provide it. When they have doubts, I can give advice or stay out if they prefer. Everything we do is for the national association, not for building a personal image.

Photo by Dan Balashov

About the defeat to Romania at EURO 2024

- Mr. Rebrov, reflecting on EURO 2024, how do you explain the loss to Romania, and what caused it?

Serhiy Rebrov: 

- We shouldn't isolate one game. I told the players the tournament was fast, with no time to adjust. We didn't lose to the Romanians in all aspects. We played well but fell short in some areas. We controlled the ball but didn't create chances or finish attacks. We made silly mistakes in crucial moments. If we make mistakes in our half, it means the players play the same way in their clubs. For instance, why did Lunin pass to the flank? Because in Real Madrid, they ask him not to just clear the ball forward. But we can't play that way. Sometimes, under pressure, we need to play simply.

The Romanians defended compactly, and tightly, and it’s always tough to break such defense. Not only in the match against Romania, but our leaders also didn't show their true level. Many players now play in top leagues, and expectations are high.

Perhaps we needed such a game. When we played the next match against Slovakia, I saw the players did differently. I can't say it was the best game, but we changed in the transitional phase. I don't know why we reacted only after a hard blow. We've analyzed all matches and now need to move forward.

Photo by Dan Balashov

- How do you comment on the goal conceded from a corner in the match against Romania?

Serhiy Rebrov: 

- If you think we don't tell players what to do during opponent corners, that's not true. It’s probably about the score. At the Euros, even goals, not just points, decide a lot. We tried to freshen the team with substitutions, but unfortunately, we suffered such a defeat.

We've been working for a year, and such mistakes were in the qualifying cycle too. The important thing is how we react to them. After the game with Romania, there was a big reaction, and we all deserved the criticism. Fortunately, the players responded to it.

- Why was such a hard blow necessary?

Serhiy Rebrov: 

Unfortunately, we have a war now. I read many reviews about the Euro, saying we didn't set the team properly or didn't provide motivation. But all players are different, they react differently. Now, after a year of work, I understand who needs more motivation and who less. We had the youngest team at the Euro, and there was an experience issue. It was the first Euro for me and many players. Experience is important when you lose — how you react to it.

Unfortunately, I don't see a leader on the pitch who shows by example what needs to be done. If we recall the away game against North Macedonia, I don't remember the national team playing like that. But we scored the first goal, gained confidence, and eventually won.

I don't understand why we were considered favorites against Romania. First, they won their group with Switzerland. I don't understand why everyone said we must win. Romania showed it after the first goal. The opponent played very disciplined in defense, and it's always tough when you can't break through.

- So the main problem is the moral attitude of the national team players?

Serhiy Rebrov: 

- What is the root of the problem that all our teams reached the European Championships in a year? I never separated the players and myself. The first fault is mine if I didn’t convey something to the players. I don't know why journalists always try to find a scandal. They should respect the coach too. When the coach comes to a press conference, he thinks about important things for the team. My answers might not please someone, but it's not out of disrespect. It's because my thoughts are elsewhere. So it's not the players' fault, but all of ours. That’s why I say maybe I didn’t set the players properly.

Photo by Dan Balashov

- What needs to be done to prevent this from happening again?

Serhiy Rebrov: 

- Sorry, what exactly not to repeat? We gained four points, and for the first time, a team with such points didn’t reach the Euro playoffs. Conclusions need to be drawn from the first game against Romania. We talked a lot with the players, and I can't say the problem was in the wrong tactics. The Romanians didn't even press but stood in defense. It’s hard for players to break it if the leaders don’t show their maximum if moments aren’t created. But I can’t say we lost the game. We lost in key moments and made mistakes. Unfortunately, the first shot on target was around the 80th minute. That’s a problem. We need to play forward because football is about goals, not ball control. Control is important for preparing for the attack, but we must finish it. Unfortunately, it wasn’t there in this game.

About the match against Slovakia, the situation with Krevsun, and the scouting work algorithm

- How difficult will it be for Ukraine to play against opponents in the Nations League?

Serhiy Rebrov:

- It will be tough with everyone. All teams in our group that reached the Euro played disciplined there. There's a lot of information. We need to respect opponents but focus on our game first. We need to analyze our problems and try to fix them. The team needs to be confident in its strength and fight for Ukraine. Not just say we’ll fight. Not just players but me too. We all must not talk but go out and defend our country's honor.

- If you had the chance, what would you change in Ukraine's Euro squad? Do you think there are some deficit positions in Ukrainian football now?

Serhiy Rebrov:

- There are deficit positions, but that’s why we work. Now, we are trying to create a scouting structure with Andriy Shevchenko. It’s active now, but the people there work not only in the association. It’s important for us that people work in the association and help the coaches of all age teams.

Why did we naturalize Brazilians earlier? Because some positions need different competition. So I can't say I'd change something in the squad. For example, Pikhalonok had an injury before the Euro. Other experienced players with practice made it to the squad. The same applies to other players. Unfortunately, Tsygankov got injured in the first game, which allowed him to play only in the next match after Belgium.

- Returning to the Euro. Perhaps it was necessary to score another goal against Slovakia. It seems simpler to score another against Slovakia than to beat the Belgians later.

Serhiy Rebrov:

After the 0:3 loss to Romania, it was crucial to earn three points. I agree with you. However, I don't believe that at 2:1, we all needed to push forward. I can't say that our substitutions were aimed at holding the result, except for Talovierov's entry in the final minutes. We didn't tell the players not to go forward. It was very important to secure three points. If we had brought on another forward and ended up drawing 2:2, what would you have said to me after the game?

I said we needed to focus on defense, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't attack. But after the loss to Romania, the players went out with the determination to beat Slovakia at all costs. However, if we had put three forwards up to score a third goal and ended up conceding, it wouldn't be fair to the entire country. And let me remind you again that Slovakia had previously defeated Belgium.

- Mr. Melgosa, what is being done to prevent situations like the one with Krevsun, ensuring that coaches have complete information about young players playing in European leagues, so they don't get lost or overlooked?

Unai Melgosa:

- It’s incorrect to talk about individual players. Our scouting efforts are significant, and a lot is done to work with players abroad. We monitor them, and a lot of work is done. We had all the information about this player. There are situations where you might receive information from trusted sources, but you don't know the person's intentions. Sometimes, you may get one fact about a player, but it's entirely out of context. Therefore, you always need to consider the intent behind the information and take the human factor into account.

Serhiy Rebrov:

- We've talked about how analysts provide information to the head coach, and the head coach makes the decisions. I don't know why people say we didn't know about this player. We did know about him. I knew about him, maybe Oleg Kuznetsov didn't. The coach chose other players.

- What is the general scouting algorithm?

Unai Melgosa:

- This is one of our priorities but also a big challenge since many players are abroad. In Ukraine, we have better access to players. Abroad, we have people who go directly to clubs and evaluate the players' performances. But often, there are no video recordings of young players. It's much easier to work with well-known clubs, like Bayer. We are establishing relationships with clubs and trying to cooperate with them. Besides this, we communicate with parents. It’s important not only to see the players but also to understand the environment they grow up in. There is also a competitive factor between teams — not all players are revealed to us. After the agents' work, the coordinator steps in, providing some tips to the coach, who then makes the final decision.

- Is it important for you that all national teams play the same style of football and maintain a unified concept, especially since currently all the teams play differently? I would like to hear your assessment of our national teams' performances in major tournaments, as well as insights into the prospects of their coaches.

Unai Melgosa:

- I would distinguish between the system and the idea of a specific game, as there is always the factor of adaptation depending on who you play against. A style, of course, needs to be created for each team. Sometimes you think about implementing a particular style, but it turns out differently. At EURO 2024 (U-17), we had some problems, but during qualification, we managed to develop this style. The U-19 and U-21 teams are doing approximately the same things as Serhiy Rebrov's team. High pressing, quick transition from defense to attack — these are things we try to implement in all teams.

Regarding the U-21 team, it’s crucial to advance from the qualification round and reach the Euro. But it's also important for players to adapt, play more matches against strong teams, and gain experience at a high level to be ready to transition to the national team. The case of Brazhko is illustrative in this regard.

Serhiy Rebrov:

- Structure doesn't mean that all teams have to play with the same tactical scheme. If we take the first team, we use different schemes. Therefore, we are not saying that all age categories of teams should work according to one model, but it is very important to use players in their best positions. It’s crucial to understand the demands of modern football — fast play, quick recovery, compactness. Football is about goals, not ball possession. We need to understand why we control the ball. To score goals. Not to show the other team that our level is much higher. The level is shown by the results.

Photo by Dan Balashov

About the national team leaders and roster potential for the Olympics

- Mr. Rebrov, you mentioned that the team lacked a leader at the Euros. How will this issue be addressed in the future?

Serhiy Rebrov:

- We have the core of the team. The fact that we have a young team is a big plus. But it takes time for them to develop. If we say there's no leader, then we need to find one quickly. We’re not working in a club where we can send scouts to search for one. In my view, Yarmolenko is a leader when he plays regularly. He helps the players. Stepanenko is another one. But if we recall the matches against North Macedonia and Iceland, when we lost but eventually won, it was the goals scored that boosted confidence. I saw that the players were doing what was needed.

The Ukrainian national team is a process, as the people change. We will call up different players and review their performances. However, I can’t say that I’m actively looking for a team leader right now. Probably, after these games, the players will come out with a different mindset. The players follow my instructions. We’re playing against opponents who can be very strong. We can achieve success in every match if everyone gives their best. I don’t understand these expectations. Some even said we should win the Euros. The team is young, and I see great potential. But we need to work and have time.

— There’s a trend where the Ukrainian team concedes in the first half and then starts to come back after the break. How will the coaching staff address this?

Serhiy Rebrov:

- Probably, we needed a match like the one against Romania for the team to adjust a bit. I can’t say that there were no mistakes in the following games, but I saw a different team that understood that the result depended on everyone. Let’s see how the upcoming Nations League matches go. In my opinion, we’ll face even stronger opponents. Albania, Georgia, and the Czech Republic are very solid teams. If we don’t show our best, it will be very difficult. And right now, we made it to the Euros thanks to the Nations League.

The Ukrainian national team always has the maximum task. It was the same for the Euros. We understand the challenges of logistics at this time. But what does that compare to the motivation when your country is at war?

— We have four different teams reaching the final tournaments. How did it happen that for all of them, the worst matches were the first ones? Is there an explanation for this?

Unai Melgosa:

- I would differentiate between these teams because there’s no clear link between the young players from the U-17 team and the senior national team, for example. I agree that the teams didn’t perform their best and didn’t show their best football. The reasons can vary: psychology, pressure, responsibility, and preparation. Regarding the U-19 team, the team improved throughout the tournament, which is very important to me. This applies to their style, and confidence, which grew over time. Therefore, we need to look at the overall picture of how the team developed, not just the first matches.

The U-17 team performed well during the qualifiers in Greece. We discussed possible issues with the players and how to address them. Of course, there’s a sense of responsibility that all players feel, and they need to learn to work with that. Responsibility is there, but it’s not entirely on their shoulders. You can play well but still not score. There’s a sense of responsibility towards the people that the players feel. But at 16-17 years old, it’s hard for them to accept, so we will continue to teach these young players.

Serhiy Rebrov:

I’ll add that we are in a state of war, and our league is not at the top level. Therefore, intensity levels are very different. We saw this in friendly matches and official ones. Maybe that’s why the first matches were like that. Players see that they’re a bit behind but then adjust.

Photo by Dan Balashov

- Mr, Rebrov, the Olympic team went to the Games with a different squad than we wanted to see. Could the UAF have taken a stronger position in negotiations with the clubs? After all, any Olympic medal is fantastic for us, and a football one would be something extraordinary.

Serhiy Rebrov:

- When we talk about athletes preparing for the Olympics, it is the most important competition for them. But football is a bit different because the tournament doesn’t take place during FIFA dates, and the club has the right to decide. What should the UAF’s position be if the club is not obligated?

The only question I have is why Bondarenko didn’t go. Is he injured? I’m very grateful to all the players that Shakhtar released, but why didn’t he go? I also have questions for Rukh. But this is a matter of relations between the Olympic team and the clubs. We have to respect the clubs. We can’t force them. They asked to cancel the Super Cup and move the UPL. But players from the Ukrainian championship didn’t come. Unfortunately, we didn’t get everyone. If it’s not in the regulations, then clubs have to decide whether to release players or not.

We explained how important this competition is for Ukraine. Our Olympic team could have performed much better with different players. I’m not talking about foreign clubs since it’s not even worth discussing. For example, Real Madrid only released players for one summer tournament. So, it’s the clubs' prerogative. Taloviyrov was released. I spoke with Mudryk, Zabarnyi, and everyone — they were ready to go…

— Why specifically the complaints about Bondarenko not going and Rukh?

Serhiy Rebrov:

- I understand why Sudakov didn’t go and why players who played at the Euros didn’t go. Neshcheret? Dynamo is playing in the Champions League qualifiers. What if something happens to the first-choice goalkeeper? Even Dynamo released players. Now we have two teams in the group stages of European competitions, plus Kryvbas. We are all happy that Kyivans progressed past Partizan. But what if something happened to the goalkeeper? I understand Dynamo’s position. As for Rukh, three players went, but many more were called up.

About Serhiy Rebrov’s conversation with Andriy Shevchenko and national team coaches

— Mr. Rebrov, what do you see as your own mistakes regarding the national team’s performance at the Euros? What would you change in the preparation? Perhaps it wasn’t a good idea to have a friendly match against Moldova?

Serhiy Rebrov:

- We conducted an analysis and understand what happened. I want to emphasize that I never separate myself from the team. I won’t blame the players. We don’t tell the players to be like robots. There are areas where we need to play simply and not lose the ball. But the level of the national team players allows them to take risks in the final third because we need to take those risks. So I can’t say that they didn’t follow the coach’s instructions. They tried. In my opinion, our players didn’t show their best at this Euros. Why did this happen? We analyzed it within the team, held many meetings, and reviewed all the games. I am confident that by the next cycle, the players will approach it with a different mindset and psychological state.

Canceling the game against Moldova? Some teams played two friendlies. We played three. But you saw the workload all the players received — it was approximately the same. I can’t say that all three matches were played by the same team and that they were unprepared for the Euros. Everyone had roughly the same load. Yes, many teams played two games. Perhaps before the next major tournament, we will have two friendlies.

Photo by Dan Balashov

— How do you assess your work as a coach, vice president, and member of the UAF Executive Committee? How was this assessment conducted in the UAF?

Serhiy Rebrov:

- If there are questions about the national teams' institute, I always help and support them. But I can’t evaluate myself. I believe we should all respect the coach's work. If you count how many days I spent with the national team this year, excluding the Euros, it’s less than a month. Looking at the experience of leading teams, no one hires a coach for just one year. That’s too short a time for players to even understand your ideas. Players come from teams with different playing styles. Time, practice, and games are needed.

I agreed to sign a three-year contract, covering two qualifying cycles. If someone is not satisfied now, I am ready to step down. But I spoke with Andriy Shevchenko, and the next cycle is very important. If I see that things aren’t working out, I won’t stay here. Right now, we need to show ourselves as a team in this qualifying cycle. This is not a question of the Executive Committee or trust. There is a contract now, and I believe we had a decent first year. We need to move forward and look towards the future.

— Mr. Melgosa, there is a significant pause between the Euro 2025 (U-21) qualifiers. During this time, some players might gain form, and others might lose it. At the same time, many players in the U-19 team are being talked about. Are you planning to involve any of them in the youth team for upcoming matches?

Unai Melgosa:

- I think we need to consider two aspects. First, the player’s own opinion. Second, the moment in time in their development. Indeed, some players could join, but each has their development environment. Therefore, we need to be cautious. Of course, these players show promise, but we must remember that they are young.

— Mr, Rebrov, what are the plans for the Ukrainian national team in the coming month?

Serhiy Rebrov:

- We held an Executive Committee meeting, and I am pleased that the Ukrainian Championship has started. The national team players need to have practice. We are waiting for the start of European competitions, reviewing players, and working. This is an important period as we will play in the Nations League after a break and holidays. We need to watch many matches and review potential candidates for the team.

The start of the championship? It’s very important that it continues, and that the teams are playing, given that we have been in a state of war for over two years. Our championship is at a sufficiently high level now, with competition. It is important that the tournament continued after Dnipro-1 was withdrawn. The team that replaced it has proven itself in the competition. Livyi Bereh deserves to play in the Premier League.

Photo by Dan Balashov

— Batagov is now moving to Trabzonspor. Does he have a better chance of making the national team from the Turkish Championship compared to, for example, Zorya?

Serhiy Rebrov:

- I generally believe that it is better for the national team if our players go abroad. For instance, I see Shakhtar’s games, a high-level team. But when they play against lower-level teams, they play at 60-70% of their capacity, and when they score, it’s at 40-50%. When they are in European competitions, the football is completely different. Every game is like the last one.

Regarding Batagov, I have no information about his transfer. But yesterday I watched Zorya’s game. I liked it, and I liked Inhulets, which played intensely. Players gain different experiences abroad, and this experience will help the national team.

— Why do we lose to less strong opponents in European Cup qualifiers?

Serhiy Rebrov:

Each team is unique. For example, why does Dynamo win 6:2 against Partizan?

— Mr. Rebrov, will you be strengthening the national team’s coaching staff? What is the future for the U-17 and U-19 coaches?

Serhiy Rebrov:

- No, I won’t be strengthening the coaching staff. As for the youth teams, the coaches have contracts until the end of the year. We will make decisions. We haven’t heard from Yuriy Moroz and Dmytro Mykhailenko yet. Unfortunately, there have been many other questions regarding the future. We will resolve everything, conduct an analysis, and talk to the coaches.