Oleksandr Babich: "Kryvbas" has always remained strong, friendly and ambitious

Oleksandr Babich, head coach of "Kryvbas" Kryvyi Rih, gave a long interview to the club's journalists based on the results of the first half of the season.

- How was your personal visitvacation?

- On New Year's Eve, friends invited me to Bukovel. Unforgettable memories of this vacation remained. However, I don't go skiing - I prefer to just be in nature. In general, my wife and I had an active vacation. He celebrated the New Year in Odessa with family and friends. Charged with wonderful emotions for the new year.

- Have you had time to adapt in Kryvyi Rih?

- I don't need adaptation as such in a new city. Worked in Mariupol, grew up in Alchevsk. Kryvyi Rih is also an industrial city. I feel quite comfortable here. I don't have free time as such. When there is a free moment, my wife and I go to the gym and walk with our three dogs. I would like to mention the Gdańsk Park, there is a place to walk.

- Please summarize the results of the first half of the championship.

- If we take the second step of "Kryvbas", which was before the arrival of our coaching staff, we have now secured it. We are currently in clear second place with a gap of nine points from third. Therefore, I believe, we are fulfilling the task. If we analyze the standings, we are satisfied with the situation.

If we analyze the matches, then in most of those where we lost points, we should have won. Failed implementation of moments. According to the five-point system, I can give the team a solid four.

- Did you have any doubts before accepting the offer from FC Kryvbas, because you took the team at the height of the season?

- I understood where I was going and what tasks the club faced. I understood that I would not have time to relax. On the other hand, any test is a test to show yourself and evaluate your qualities. I analyzed the risks, and understood that it would be necessary to join the battle immediately. I think our coaching team has coped with it.

- Do you remember the first words to the football players, and what was emphasized in the first days of training?

- First of all, I thanked the previous coaching staff and told the players that everyone will have a chance. That's how it turned out. Most importantly, I wanted the boys to feel better psychologically, because I saw that they were under pressure from the result and did not allow them to reveal their best qualities. Therefore, we did not look at the table, but thought about our game. We had a good winning streak, during which the boys believed in themselves even more.

- Which match can you call the most successful and which unsuccessful?

- Probably, I will note not even the victory over "Polyssia", but the victory over "Niva". That's when the opponent played against us in a different game pattern, for the first time in the season, and we had to readjust. In addition, the stadium, the quality of the field, the spectators in the stands - all this contributed. I liked the quality of Kryvbas' game and the fact that the team showed on the field everything we agreed on in the locker room.

As for the match with a minus sign, it is a game against VPC-Agro. Then we lost our moments, and I did not like the attitude of some football players. That's why we finished 0:0, although there were plenty of chances to score. Then, after talking with the team, I no longer saw a lack of concentration, and such moments almost did not happen.

- Can you name the most promising player of "Kryvbas" right now?

- These are young football players. I would single out Dmytro Semenov, if he can still be called young (smiles). And also Klim Pryhodko. Considering his age and the position he plays, he can develop into a good player. He needs to do well in training and get stronger.

- Is work on strengthening the team currently underway?

- Yes, we will provide specific information in the near future. We are currently considering applications. We don't want 5-6 newcomers to come. There will be point reinforcement. So that the newcomers had time to join the team, it was easier for us, the coaches, to convey our vision of football to them.

- "Kryvbas" will hold its first winter training camp in Kryvyi Rih. Will the weather interfere with the team's plans?

- Not for the first time in my practice, I will conduct the first winter collection in Ukraine. For this, we have all the necessary conditions here. We have already worked out a plan of action: training both in the arena and outdoors, in the fitness center. In general, I think the plan for the first meeting, despite some adjustments, we will fulfill 90 percent. The main goal of the first meeting is to lay the foundation of preparation. But in Turkey, there will be more work with the ball, more matches.

- With your arrival at Kryvbas, we saw a new tradition after winning matches. Can you tell me about her?

- It's very nice when you gather with football players in a circle, discuss something, everyone looks each other in the eye. It gives the right momentum. But, he believes, after not quite successful matches, we should also gather like this. We will come to that later. This is a very good tradition. It unites and, I think, football players will support me. After all, then the microclimate in the team improves.

- What can you say about our Kryvyi Rih fans?

- The fans help us a lot. We constantly feel their support. It has a very good effect on the team, because it is right when football players and fans are together. We would like our supporters to be even more at both home and away matches. I want to wish our fans health and patience. FC "Kryvbas" will give everything on the football field to make them happy.

- As a player, you repeatedly faced Kryvbas. What three words can you use to describe the club?

- Strong, friendly, like a family, after all, I know that football players are friends with entire families. Also ambitious. It was always very difficult for everyone to play against Kryvbas.

- How and who controls the nutrition of football players during vacation?

- Both the employees of our cafe at the Academy and the club doctor are responsible for the players' meals. Most likely, the club will also have a nutritionist who will be responsible for sports nutrition. All our guys are professionals when it comes to catering on vacation.

After the vacation, we have a mandatory weigh-in. Yes, we understand that you need to rest well during the holidays, but you can't let yourself go. Therefore, 1 kg of excess weight is not penalized in any way, but more than 1 kg - there are penalties, which football players know about.

- Which clubs, apart from "Kryvbas" and "Metalist", do you think have a chance to be promoted?

- "Polissya", as well as "Alliance" and "Niva".

- How are things going with the injured players of "Kryvbas"?

- We keep everything under control. There is a positive trend in both Zbuny and Lovrich. At the first meeting, they will undergo rehabilitation with their specialists, but both will join Kryvbas in Turkey. And our physical training coaches and rehabilitation specialists will begin to deal with them.

- Did you follow the performance of the team's loaned players?

- We are currently returning all loaned footballers to Kryvyi Rih. Trainers Filimonov and Lavrentsov are responsible for analyzing the performance of our boys who were on loan. During the first ten days, we will review them and understand how much their level has grown over the past six months.

- Which club in modern football is a benchmark for you?

- Diego Simeone's "Atletico" is very impressive. And Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool.

- What trophy would you like to win in the next five years?

- We will go step by step. First, enter the UPL, then win a place in the group stage of the Europa League. And then go higher and higher together with Kryvbas.

- What is your football dream?

- Hear the anthem of the Champions League. I think every football player and coach dreams of this. I think we will come to that. I am sure that my dream will come true.

Media of FC "Kryvbas" Kryvyi Rih