Dmytro Mykhailenko: "We aimed for a completely different result, but reality is harsh"

23.11.2024 14:10

The head coach of Ukraine's U-19 national team, Dmytro Mykhailenko, reviewed the performance of his players in the qualifying round of the European Championship.

The Ukraine U-19 team (players born in 2006 or later) did not finish the EURO 2025 (U-19) qualifying round as expected. Competing against Kazakhstan, Slovenia, and Netherlands, the Blue and Yellows ended up in fourth place, automatically excluding them from the contenders for a spot in the elite round.

Why this happened and how to avoid such situations in the future were the key topics addressed by the team’s coach, Dmytro Mykhailenko, in his interview with the UAF's official website.

— Mr. Mykhailenko, how do you explain the negative result of the team in the EURO 2025 (U-19) qualifying round?

— There is no single reason for this. A thorough analysis is ahead, but for now, I would like to focus on the following points: we need to analyze whether I, as a coach, made all the right decisions when forming the team and whether all the best players were included. Perhaps I overlooked someone, although we had time, and it seems we reviewed all the players.

Also, in our country, we face the issue of a low level of U-19 teams, where most of our players compete. The level on the international stage is far superior; everything is much faster there. We need to understand how our players can progress. Many of them are already in their third season playing for U-19 teams. I don’t think that players in Europe stay in youth teams for so long. Usually, after a year or two, they move to the next level. Initially, there is progress because a player competes against older opponents, but after three years, the same player faces younger competitors, and the growth expected from him either stops or critically slows down. Players who are already playing in senior football look more confident than those still participating in youth club competitions.

— What other factors affected the team’s performance?

— Another point I would like to highlight is personnel issues. On the very last day before leaving for the Netherlands, we had to make changes to the roster due to injuries sustained by Bohdan Redushko and Bohdan Budko. The same problems affected Hennadiy Synchuk, but he managed to recover as much as possible before the second match.

And I must note that nearly half of our squad consists of players from Dynamo and Shakhtar. For them, the match against Kazakhstan (the first in the tournament) was their sixth game in a stretch of playing every second or third day, including long trips. As a result, they lacked freshness in some moments.

I believe these reasons were the main factors. Determining which played a greater or lesser role will be clear, again, after an in-depth analysis. We also need to understand how to avoid such issues in the future.

— We outshot everyone. Over three matches, Ukraine made 37 attempts on goal but scored only once, and that was from a penalty…

— I think this is connected to the same reasons I mentioned earlier. The level of opposition was higher, they operated at a higher tempo than what we see throughout the Ukrainian championship season. There are such concepts as games under pressure and high-intensity matches. How a team copes with these is often reflected in the final result.

— Were there any players who disappointed you?

— Let me put it this way: some players performed below their potential. Some, I believe, buckled under the weight of responsibility. But some revealed themselves positively and showed their qualities in difficult situations. It all depended on how each individual responded to pressure.

— Did any of the opponents surprise you?

— All opponents were well-organized. Perhaps Netherlands surprised us with their intensity. They adapt skillfully to different situations and transition from defense excellently. Their tactical discipline is very high. Even our players noted this after the match. It’s worth mentioning that all Dutch players compete in senior football.

— What conclusion do you draw from the team’s performance?

— Undoubtedly, there is great disappointment. I expected better. We aimed for a completely different result, but the reality is harsh. As a coach, I believe our players need to set higher goals and face tougher challenges. If talent exists — and many of our players have it — they need to step out of their comfort zones. When you win in the domestic league with a five-goal margin every other match and still have 50% energy left after the game, what kind of growth can we talk about?

Coaches need a squad of players competing at a level comparable to international standards. As practice shows, in tournaments like the Euro qualifiers, what comes to the forefront is not skill but the ability to fight and endure.

Ukraine U-19 Squad:

Goalkeepers: Vyacheslav Surkis (Dynamo Kyiv), Nazar Makarenko (Oleksandriya), Markiyan Bakus (Rukh Lviv).

Defenders: Denys Dykyi, Vladyslav Zakharchenko, Maksym Korobov (all – Dynamo Kyiv), Vladyslav Shershen (Kolos Kovalivka), Daniel Vernattus, Kyrylo Dihtyar (both – Metalist Kharkiv), Oleksandr Havrylenko (Śląsk Wrocław, Poland).

Midfielders: Danylo Ishchenko, Kyrylo Osypenko, Bohdan Redushko (all – Dynamo Kyiv), Viktor Tsukanov (Shakhtar Donetsk), Hennadiy Synchuk (Metalist Kharkiv), Artem Husol (Kolos Kovalivka), Christian Shevchenko (Watford, England), Zakhar Baumann (Manchester United, England), Maksym Len (Fortuna, Germany).

Forwards: Matviy Ponomarenko (Dynamo Kyiv), Oleksandr Lomaha (Shakhtar Donetsk).

EURO 2025 (U-19) Qualifiers. Group 1

November 13, 2024

Ukraine — Kazakhstan - 1:2

Slovenia — Netherlands - 0:2

November 16, 2024

Ukraine — Slovenia - 0:1

Netherlands — Kazakhstan - 2:0

November 19, 2024

Netherlands - Ukraine - 1:0

Kazakhstan - Slovenia - 1:2

Standings

The elite round of qualification will include the top two teams from each group of the qualifying round and the best third-placed team. Alongside Portugal, in spring 2025, they will compete in seven groups for seven tickets to the final tournament. Romania received an automatic spot as the host.