Antonio Zago: Shakhtar is the team having elite status

18-05-15 09:02:12

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Today, May 18, Shakhtar’s assistant head coach Antonio Carlos Zago marks his birthday. The Brazilian specialist and a formerly renowned defender has been working at the Donetsk club for eighteen months now.

- Happy Birthday, Antonio! You have already spent some time at Shakhtar. Have you adapted and got used to it?
- Basically, I have never had any adaptation problems in any country. I would say that I like it here. I want to spend a lot of time here. As regards, for example, the cold – that’s fine: it’s chilly outside, but warm at home – so everything’s fine. Again, I like it here!

- There was a time when your name was mentioned in numerous publications due to the alleged move to another club...
- No, all that is just a hoax! I have an agreement - both with Mister and the club. We have agreed with Mircea Lucescu like this: for as long as he stays at the club, I will be here with him. Of course, I have a desire to start my own career, to be a coach. But all that is in the future. Not now. I’ve got used to Shakhtar. My son attends the Club Academy. So I'll stay at Shakhtar for as long as I can.

- You have worked with different clubs and played in different teams. What is special about Shakhtar?
- That’s the club that has been progressing in European football lately. For me personally, the distinctive feature is the fact that many Brazilians play here. I’ve never seen this in my career before. Plus the fact that the work organization at the club gets increasingly better. Of course, the situation in which Shakhtar currently find themselves is difficult. But still we try, we develop and move forward. The club is growing, and I like to be a part of this process.

- How did you build your relationships with the Brazilian part of the team which you are responsible for?
- From the beginning, I had good professional relationships with everyone. Not just Brazilians, but with the Ukrainians as well. I consider it to be my achievement. When a player or a coach joins the new team, the most important thing is to find a common language, so that an individual opens up to you, and you open up to them.

- If Shakhtar played in Brazil, what table spot would they be challenging for?
- We would be definitely sitting  some top spots, among the winners. We would be fighting and winning. Shakhtar is a good team, just look at the quality players we have. It’s very difficult to compare them with someone. Most likely, I would mention Sao Paulo, because their structure is similar to ours. The clubs are very similar in this regard. To an extent, their styles of play are similar as well.

- Your colleague Massimo Ugolini thinks that Italian teams wise, Shakhtar is a bit like Milan. What European teams would you compare the Pitmen to?
- That’s actually Milan, and I'll explain why. For example, Sao Paulo in Brazil is considered to be an elite club. They are basically supported by their home region. While Corinthians are the so-called people's team... In Ukraine, you have a similar situation: it’s true that Dynamo have more fans, but Shakhtar have elite status! The Donetsk club grows and gradually moves into European football. Similarly, Milan do.

- Is there anything that surprised you upon arrival in Ukraine?
- Yes. When you have a red-letter day coinciding with Saturday or Sunday, you just extend it to Monday. That's unusual!

FC Shakhtar