EXCLUSIVE from the general director of the Kryvyi Rih "Kryvbas" Volodymyr Bayenko within the framework of the traditional column from the official sponsor of the FAVBET Club.
- Volodymyr Volodymyrovych, you recently returned from a business trip to the African continent together with the head scout of the Club Yevhenii Chistyakov. Tell us in more detail, what was the purpose of your trip?
- They recently returned from Nigeria. We were at a tournament held between the best Academies in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria. This is the place where all the best Academies gather. There were 48 of them. In five days, we saw more than a thousand football players in action. That is, we watched the games in the morning and until the evening. Really very impressed. We needed to go there and see with our own eyes exactly how it goes.
Because "Kryvbas" has experience of good cooperation with African footballers and foreigners. And it was a very important step for the Club to watch them at a young age. Because we already have some experience, we in the U-19 are now giving a chance to young African footballers. After the trip, we entered into negotiations with some performers and are already dealing with visas. In the near future, there will be new young players from Nigeria in Kryvyi Rih.
- Did we understand correctly that currently the African vector is considered not only for the main team, but also for FA "Kryvbas"?
- It is impossible to say that it is an African vector or a Latin American one. It will not be very correct in relation to other football players. I repeat, we have experience, we have contacts, there is a good atmosphere where the guys quickly adapt and show results. Therefore, it is very logical from our side: everything works out and we continue to work in this direction. Our first steps were already with adult football players. But everyone understands that an adult football player already costs a certain amount of money.
It is important for any club to educate its own pupils and invite promising young footballers. So yes, this is a new experience and an important step for us. I think that we will see the results, probably a little later, because young football players need more time to adapt. We are currently in negotiations with these players and, if everything goes well, we will probably see new faces in the U-19 in the second part of the season.
- Chinedu Ichoku and Uzom Chijoke, who recently joined "Kryvbas" U-19 - was this the first step in the development of a new vector of the academy's work? What impressions do they make on you personally and how were the boys received in the team?
- We try to eliminate any language barriers, because "Kryvbas" is a progressive team and one of the criteria for requirements for all football players is knowledge of the English language. As for Ichoku and Chijoke, they have adapted well and are showing themselves well. I hope they will show good results in the future.
For my part, I would like to thank the professional work of our U-19 coaches: how they met the newcomers and how they work with them. It is also a new experience for our coaches. U-19 coaches are young coaches. It's also experience, it's their growth, it's the team's growth, it's the Club's growth. Therefore, I will repeat again and again, we are not stopping, we are only moving forward.
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