Selection process underway for head coaches of Ukraine women’s and girls’ national teams

30.01.2025 10:00

A competition to fill the vacant head coach positions for Ukraine's women’s and girls’ national football teams was recently held by the Ukrainian Association of Football (UAF).

The competition attracted 22 candidates, each eager to lead one of the teams and contribute to its development. Among the applicants for the head coach position of the senior women’s national team were Nataliya Zinchenko, Volodymyr Pyatenko, and Kostyantyn Frolov. Candidates for the head coach roles of the youth teams in different age categories (WU-19, WU-17, WU-15) included Karina Kulakovska, Iryna Vasylyuk, Yuliya Motko, Lyudmyla Lemeshko, Nataliya Ihnatovych, Tetyana Verezubova, Olena Kudziyeva, Valeriy Palamarchuk, Oleh Bortnik, Volodymyr Yefimako, Yevhen Kravchenko, Maksym Rakhayev, Yuriy Panfilov, Denys Matsebura, Mykhaylo Halych, Oleksandr Kunytsya, Denys Sytnyk, Robert Makarevych (Poland), and Dimitris Vlatzos (Greece).

Photo by UAF press service

A specially appointed commission, consisting of UAF representatives, officials from the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, and experienced football and coaching professionals, evaluated the candidates.

The commission was chaired by Anastasiya Klipachenko, the head of the UAF Women’s and Girls’ Football Committee. Other members included:

• Anatoliy Savin — national coach of the Ukraine national football team at the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine;
• Mykola Pavlov — president of the All-Ukrainian Association of Football Coaches, member of the UAF Executive Committee, and the UAF National Teams Committee;
• Oleh Luzhnyi — head of the UAF Professional Football Committee;
• Valeriy Shamardin — director of the UAF Licensing Center.

Photo by UAF press service

The selection process involved multiple stages, including the evaluation of coaching resumes, presentations of national team development programs, strategies for preparing teams for international tournaments, and personal interviews.

Photo by UAF press service

Candidates were required to outline their vision for the development of women’s football, provide insights into tactical and strategic training approaches, and present plans for integrating young talents into the national teams.

Photo by UAF press service

The commission paid special attention to:

• experience in football, particularly with women’s teams;
• tactical vision and adaptability to modern football requirements;
• knowledge of the specifics of Ukrainian and European women’s football;
• leadership qualities and communication skills with players of different age groups;
• readiness to compete on the international stage;

The official results of the competition will be announced soon, following the completion of all necessary procedures.