Serhiy Rebrov: "I'm grateful to players for their dedication, tactical awareness, and understanding of their roles on the pitch"

12.10.2024 00:27

Following the Nations League 2024/2025 match against Georgia, which ended in a 1:0 victory, the head coach of the Ukraine national team, Serhiy Rebrov, held a press conference.

— We saw some debutants in the Ukrainian team. How satisfied are you with their performance and the team's overall play? Do you feel a bit relieved?

— I always focus on the game and don’t get distracted by any external factors. Today, as well as in the past, I was concentrating on the match. All the players who came on gave their all and, most importantly, achieved a result that is very important right now.

— Why did the team play with more intensity and energy than we saw in the previous two matches?

— Maybe you didn’t see it, but I did. Especially in the second half against Czechia. We had 20 shots but lost. We conceded five goals in two matches. It’s very hard to win when you concede three times. So, I’m not surprised because I saw the players' desire. The most important thing was to get the result. Today, that was the priority. I'm grateful to players for their dedication, tactical awareness, and understanding of their roles on the pitch.

— What was the argument between you and the Georgians in the second half about?

— We shouted a bit at each other. Everyone was very concerned about the result, and we raised our voices a little, but it was not a problem.

— Was there a specific approach to contain Khvicha Kvaratskhelia?

— The Georgian national team has very fast and technical attacking players. We tried to limit their ability to receive the ball facing our goal, so we played closer. As you saw, in the second half, Khvicha dropped deeper. That worked better for us since he’s a player with high individual qualities.

— Ivan Kaluzhnyi performed strongly on the pitch. How do you rate his game? Might he be one of your first choices for the next training camp?

— I’ve known Ivan for a long time and am aware of his qualities. He worked with me and my assistants when he was at Dynamo. When he steps onto the pitch, he forgets everything else. He showed today that he works very well for the team. He won many balls back. He earned this call-up, and I believe in this guy. He won’t stop at what he achieved today.

— Is Taras Stepanenko ready to play against Czechia?

— I’m grateful to Taras. He came to the national team. He’s a professional and prepared thoroughly for the game. Unfortunately, he has an injury that requires more time. We couldn’t count on him today, but I’m confident he will be ready for the next match. We are counting on him.

As a reminder, in October, the Ukraine national team will have another match in Group B1 of the Nations League 2024/2025 — on the 14th, the Blue and Yellows will play a nominal home match in Wroclaw at the Tarchynskyi Arena against Czechia.