Vyacheslav Shevchuk: I’m against the limit on foreign players

15-12-14 16:23:14

Text SizePrintSend

The Pitmen’s No. 13 has given an extensive interview to the site Football.ua.

About Champions League

- The precipitate is still there - we were not able to claim the first place, it is most distressing. I think in winter we will prepare well and will be stronger. I do not doubt it.

About strongest squad

- I think potentially strong squad was two years ago - with Willian, Mkhitaryan. Fantastic players! We lost to Borussia – it was a pity, but they were in incredible form. We were not lucky to some extent, at home we failed to hold onto a win, and in Dortmund we failed to convert our chances.

About personal record in the match against BATE

- Three assists in the match - a personal record in official matches. I have also made three assists at the training camp in Switzerland.

About perfect game of top level

- I often remember our first season in the Champions League. Especially, our trip to London. Back then, no one knew Shakhtar in Europe - some club some from Ukraine, who were playing for the first time - probably Arsenal thought the same: who are they?! And back then the Arsenal were among the best teams in the world. So, I played the game very well. Especially for 20-year-old guy who first climbed to this level.

About Arsenal of those times

- Yes, there were 15 top level players: Henry, Bergkamp, Tony Adams, Pires. A team of stars! It is unfortunate that in the last minute we failed to hold on to a draw. The referee helped Arsenal: first when Popov was sent off in the first half, then a awarded a strange penalty-kick before the break.

About working with Kvartsyanyi

- He does not like hypocrisy. If a person is not sincere, both on the field and in everyday life, Kvartsyanyi will kill him. He always divides the players into two categories: those who fight and those who are not committed. Most of all, he does not like when a footballer is too cocky. He is tough, maximalist, very demanding. Well, I'm not one of those players who has achieved things due to incredible talent, I have always worked hard. Still, there was criticism from Kvartsyanyi, but in the future it helped me.

About retirement

- In life, everything is possible. I am pleased with this: everyone says that I am 35, the end of a career, the old man already. So what? I am 35, and now occasionally I get calls from very decent clubs, they ask whether I’m going to stay at Shakhtar, or going to look for something? I want to be at Shakhtar as long as they need me, as long as I feel that I'm on the level. If I begin to feel that I’m not higher, but on par with my competitors, then I will be the first to say: it's time to leave.

About feeling shame

- I feel it after every match that I lost. Introspection begins – you try to figure out where you could have done better, where you have made an error. I also love to revise their old matches that took place five years, ten years ago. That's interesting.

About brawls on the football field

- I never fought on the football field! I understand that if that happens, I will let my team down. Let them hit once, twice, ten times - I won’t strike back in order not to receive the red card and let my team down.

About Brandao

- I do not know about brawls, but as a player he was petty. That episode with Motta, for instance. Everyone at Shakhtar knew about his qualities. But we treated him without animosity. Each one has their own details in head. Although, I think that Brandao was a very strong striker.

About competition

- Well, you say as if after Rats I remained alone in the team. There are players who are trying to avoid competition, there are those who love competition. I'm from the second category. Yes, Mister trusted Razvan more - it must be admitted, and I have no right to question his decision, the coach knows better anyway.

About dream to play in Europe

- For example, I have always been attracted to the German Bundesliga. I think this is the championship, which could come to my liking. However, now, of course, I cannot seriously talk about it.

About Eduard Sobol

- He is a very smart and capable guy. Hopefully in the future he will play at a high level. I know that Mister highly appreciates its potential.

About Ismaily

- Ismaily is a strong defender. You can look at what level he played for Braga in the Champions League. Azevedo, who came in the summer, is also a player of the highest level. Because of injuries, they are not always in action, but one cannot doubt the qualities of these players.

About the limit on foreign players

- I am against the limit. I think it only hurts Ukrainian players. I just often see the example of young players, as the limit artificially raises the demand for them and only hurts their careers. It gives some immediate results. They receive five-year contracts, good wages, a guarantee that it will continue being like that. A desire to play football is decreasing: a leg hurts, or something else. Previously, there wasn’t such comfort; you had to fight for the first-team place though fractures and blood.

About fractures and blood

- At the beginning of my career it was unreal to get into the first team. I will not name names and teams, but I will tell you to understand how it was: senior players didn’t give away their first-team places, they would hit, break you in training. Besides, they literally broke you. Yes. I had real fractures. It was done deliberately. Now it is completely different. Any young football player can come up to me, and I'll be glad to help. I think this is a normal situation. Although even at Shakhtar there was subordination between young and senior players. I couldn’t come up to Atelkin or Starostyak, they wouldn’t allow that.

About minor injuries

- Minor injuries? Well, someone immediately visits a doctor when it hurts. Someone can cope with it. This is an individual issue.

About Mkhitaryan

- Oh, Henrikh is a great footballer and a very intelligent person. Not only did he live at the training base, but he also knew many languages. He always tried to move to a top European club - he did it.

About Castillo and Cristiano Lucarelli

- Castillo had totally crazy potential. He could be one of the best, but in the end he did not really play anywhere. So, it is an example of lack of professionalism. About Lucarelli - there's another little story. The man spent his entire life in Livorno, where the whole game was built around him, he got used to the style. And He was already an aging player, he moved to another country, where football was completely different. It was hard for him to adapt. Maybe, if he hadn’t left after six months, he would have shown his class.

FC Shakhtar Press Office based on materials from Football.ua