Hero of the 4th round of the Second League Ilchuk: “I played with Seleznev, Kopolovets, Kobin and many other legends”

PFL and Sport Arena faced perhaps the most difficult choice in the Hero of the Tour nomination, but among the bright attacking players they preferred the defender who laid the foundation for even the somewhat unexpected crushing victory of the Transcarpathians in Ivano-Frankivsk.

The hero of the 4th round in the Second League Ivan Ilchuk shared with Sport Arena his impressions of the first crushing victory of FC Uzhgorod after returning to the PFL, revealed the task and philosophy of his club and reported what helped defeat Revera 1908 (5:1 away). The defender has scored the turning point first and important fourth goals of his team, which after a terrible accident and several painful results won a strong-willed victory away from a difficult opponent.

– How unexpected and pleasant is it for you to be recognized as the best player of the round in the Second League?

– This recognition was a pleasant surprise for me, but I am not going to dwell on it. The main thing is to keep working, because it is one thing to get a result, and another to maintain and improve it.

– A very unpleasant story happened to your team recently. What is the situation with those injured in the accident now? How long did it take the team to recover?

– Yes, it hit our playing condition a little, because we trained without a coach and coaching staff. However, it did not hurt our team spirit at all – we were able to quickly pull ourselves together and show that we were not just playing for nothing.

– Before the match against Revera 1908, your team lost two rounds in a row. What conclusions did you draw from these defeats and what positive things did you take for yourself?

– Nothing motivates more than defeat. I speak for myself and our guys. We have come to the only conclusion – work and concentration. We can show results, and we will continue to work on this.

– What did the coaching staff focus on before the game against Revera 1908?

– The main focus was on high pressure and psychological preparation for the game. As you can see, we managed to implement everything on the field, it was not for nothing that our coaches returned from injuries.

– You scored twice in this match. Can you recall the moments with the goals? Which of the two goals do you remember the most?

– Actually, I only remember the second goal. I didn’t even see the first one, because of goalkeeper Revera’s thigh. But then I watched it on the replay. I’m glad I scored, it was pretty spectacular.

– Defenders don’t often score two goals in a game. How did you manage to do it? Maybe you’ve ever played as an attacker?

– I’ve never played in another position, let alone in attack. Football is about feeling the moment, that’s why I managed to score.

– How did your team manage to break the opponent’s resistance after the break? Was this Uzhgorod’s best second half of the season?

– The guys are great. There were many matches when we had to show results. I hope that this game will help us in terms of psychology.

– The team’s best assistant Karaman couldn’t come to Ivano-Frankivsk. Surely a victory with a weakened team is even more valuable?

– Yes, it’s a pity that Yaroslav didn’t go to the game, because he is a great talent and one of the best players of our club. This match will motivate the injured to return to the field faster.

– To what extent was the victory in such style over Revera 1908 unexpected for you?

– In fact, this victory was not unexpected for us. We prepared for the fight, studied Revera, as well as every opponent. Sooner or later we had to start winning.

– Uzhgorod has a very young team. Do you put the main emphasis on the development of football players or do you also not forget about the result?

– Yes, the main goal is to develop players and their abilities. We have excellent promising players, they are already showing their level in the Second League, and now imagine how they will play in a few years, when they gain experience.

– You are one of the most experienced in the team. At 24, do you already feel like a veteran?

– No, I’m still quite young, but since I’m the captain, I feel a certain responsibility.

– What is Jaromir Loboda’s coaching philosophy?

– Jaromir Osipovich loves his job very much, he instills in us attacking football, an emphasis on ball control and creating attacks. I like his approach and the way we play.

– Do you remember your first steps in football? How satisfied are you with your youth career?

– My football career started in Velyky Bychkiv. There I was provided with a football base and training. I played in the DUFL. I can’t say that I am happy with my youth career – everything could have been much better.

– Were you able to achieve what you had planned for yourself at the amateur level? What problems did you have to face at this level? Did you play with any famous football players as an amateur?

– The amateur championship gave me the opportunity to prepare for professional football. There are many teams at this level that are made up of experienced players. The downsides at this level are the bad pitches, which are hard to play on, but one of the positives is the opportunity to meet legends. I played with Kopolovets, Seleznev, Kobin and many other legends.

– Are you still in the process of transitioning from amateurs to professionals or can the adaptation be considered complete? What are the main differences between amateur football and the Second League?

– Yes, the Second League has faster football. A professional approach, the level of players. But I was ready for it.

– What goals do you set for yourself this season? Do you want to try your hand at the First League in the second part of the season?

– It’s too early to think about the First League, so we’re concentrating on each next game. We’ve just started, we have something to show.

BLITZ

• Born in the football town of Velyky Bychkiv, the home village of the legendary Ivan Yaremchuk
• Pupil of Uzhgorod SDYUSSHOR
• First coach – Nikolay Nikolaevich Voloshchuk
• Favorite club – Barcelona
• Favorite player: Ruben Dias
• Goal in football? Ukraine national team

Yaroslav Kroha