Ukraine in play-offs player row
UKRAINE’S preparations for their World Cup play-off against Scotland have been plunged into fresh chaos after a bitter row erupted between Dynamo Kyiv and national boss Oleksandr Petrakov. In a remarkable exchange, Petrakov yesterday accused Dynamo of ‘inventing reasons’ to prevent their players from joining up with the national team — and branded the whole thing as ‘nonsense’. Despite the ongoing war, Ukraine are planning to hold a month-long training camp in Slovenia, beginning on April 29, ahead of the rescheduled Hampden showdown with Scotland on June 1. Petrakov had selected a 25-man squad from their domestic league which
featured 12 Dynamo players, only for the club to announce that they will not release them.
Instead, Dynamo’s Romanian boss Mircea Lucescu has insisted that he needs the players in order to take part in a series of charity matches.
Lucescu, who was also a highly successful coach of Shakhtar Donetsk for more than ten years, has indicated that the players won’t be released until May 23 at the earliest, just a week before Ukraine face Scotland.
But, after the Ukrainian FA received an official letter from Dynamo outlining their intentions, Petrakov gave a passionate response.
‘Frankly, I’m shocked,’ he said. ‘I did not expect such an answer.
‘First of all, I would like to remind you if someone may have forgotten — in the current wartime, Ukrainian clubs, unfortunately, are deprived of the opportunity to participate in official games.
‘Only the Ukrainian national team is preparing for important international matches.
‘Which official matches are Dynamo preparing for and which FIFA regulations justify its refusal to provide players on the dates specified in the challenge?
‘There is a war in the country, all domestic competitions have been suspended. FIFA regulations apply to official matches, which our clubs do not have now due to the war. What are the interests of the Kyiv club now?
‘I would like to add that the UAF (Ukraine Association of Football) announced its intention to organise a training camp on April 29 for all our clubs, from which we invite candidates to the national team on April 11.
‘I don’t remember Dynamo announcing the schedule of charity matches at that time, which they quoted in a letter to us. Nobody called me or offered anything.’
Ukraine are planning to play at least three warm-up matches during their training camp as they prepare for the play-off against Steve Clarke’s Scots.
Lucescu has insisted that the Dynamo contingent will be better served by remaining with their club and playing in charity matches.
But Petrakov gave that short shrift, saying: ‘How can some players prepare separately from the national team and their coach be sure that he will better prepare them for the national team’s matches in this way?
‘Sorry, but this is nonsense. As long as I am the head coach of the national team, I am responsible for its preparation for the games and the result. Everything else is from the evil one.
‘It is obvious that Dynamo can play these (charity) games without national team players.
‘This is not the idea of footballers. I am constantly in touch with the guys and I know that they are ready to come to the national team and defend the colours of Ukraine.’
Despite the ongoing conflict in their homeland, the Ukrainian FA have been granted a special permit to leave the country and prepare for the World Cup qualifiers.
If Dynamo continue with their policy of withholding players, Petrakov concedes he will have no option but to select alternatives or promote players from the youth teams.
He continued: ‘My message is one: there is a challenge to the national team — I have to be in Slovenia on May 2.
‘I want to remind the club’s (Dynamo) management that the permits for temporary travel abroad to football clubs were granted precisely because of the preparation of the national team for the official games.
‘Everything should be clear: there is a call to the national team — please appear. If not — no matter how unfortunate, Dynamo will have to return to Ukraine, and I will have to replace Dynamo (players) with players from other clubs.
‘If there is a need to complete the team, I plan to do it with the help of players of the youth national team of Ukraine, and at the expense of more experienced performers from the Ukrainian championship and from abroad.’
Meanwhile, former Ukraine boss Myron Markevich has also hit out at the stance taken by Dynamo and their manager Lucescu.
‘This is madness,’ he said. ‘Why has Lucescu been allowed to decide what is best for our country? He is Romanian.
‘Our aim is to get the national team to Qatar and they have been let down by this incredibly selfish decision.
‘I urge Dynamo players to give up everything and go to the national team if they really love Ukraine and want to go to the World Cup.’