7: THE INTERVIEW: Serhiy Rebrov (Exclusive)

Hello, I'm Sergei Rebrow, are you listening to Ukraine Plus football? Hello everyone and welcome to Ukraine Plus Football, the home of the number one English language podcast on Ukrainian football. I'm your host, Andrew Todos of Zorel Andonsk, the number one source for Ukrainian football in English and I'm joined by regular co-host at the English speaking voice of Ukrainian football. Ray, how are you, Ray? Great to be here, Andrew and I have to say to all our listeners, enjoy tonight, you don't get much like this. Yep, absolutely. Adam is unable to join us for this one, but rest assured he'll be with us in spirit. We've also got regular guests of the show, Petroha Medov, Donetsk Way, joining us for this special episode. How are you, Petro? Hey guys, I'm really good, thank you very much, I'm really excited, but tonight's episode looking forward to it, thank you for having me on. Brilliant, and well, today's not about us anyway, as you'll have seen from the promos and the previews, we're very privileged to have Ukrainian football royalty with us. Said he had a brav joins us for those who don't know and I'm sure that's close to nobody on this podcast, as this is a Ukrainian football podcast, said he can be classed as one of Ukraine's greatest ever footballers and currently one of their best managers. He shares the record for the most Ukrainian Premier League goals in history alongside his former Dynamo KFT, Maksim Shatsky. He was also a member of the iconic Valeriy Lobanovsky side that reached the Champions League semifinals in 1999 and has also played for Spurs, West Ham, Fenerbahce, amongst other clubs. Since retiring in 2009, he's built up in a steamed career as coach and leading Dynamo KFT, UPL, glory in 2015 and 2016, taking Dynamo to their most recent UCL knockout rounds at time of recording and has just come off the back of winning the Hungarian title three years in a row with Fenerbahce. He's now preparing for his first season at New Club Alleyin in UAE. Welcome to the show, said he, how are you? Good, good, good, nice to hearing. Thanks for joining us. So, I guess we're going to start from a very early on in your career. You were born and raised in Holivka, if I'm not mistaken. You played for Shakhtar as a youth player and your first professional season before crossing the divide to Dynamo KFT was a Shakhtar. As we know, Holivka has had some very difficult times recently due to the war. What was life like back then and what is life like now there, whether you know what it's like, you know, under the occupation? Yeah, it's difficult to say it was the life now, but of course, when I born in Holivka, the life was different. Of course, I always think about football. All my life was about sports. My young life is much more football but I play the other different games with the balls. I play basketball, volleyball, but of course, now it's life absolutely different. Of course, I'm worried about this situation, but unfortunately, we cannot do nothing with this. Yeah, absolutely. So I mean, after Shakhtar, after that, you moved to Dynamo as we've already said it. At this period of time, this was not competition. Like now, Dynamo and Shakhtar, this big competition now, but then at this age, this Dynamo was number one and Shakhtar, yeah, they're trying to get something, but it's absolutely different level teams. I think now it's absolutely different. Every season, Dynamo and Shakhtar is waiting for the champions and at this time, this was possible. This move from Shakhtar to Dynamo in back. But now, I think this is this only one example was Morais who left from Dynamo gives to Shakhtar and that was a big rumours in his Ukraine. He's Brazilian. He's not Ukrainian player. Yeah, so we're just glad to know. Obviously, Varolil Ivanovsky is, you know, the father of Ukraine in football, so to speak, what was it like playing for him at Dynamo, and the Brazilian Ukraine as well? How was it for you? How big was his influence on the team and on yourself? Of course, I was very proud to work with him because for me, work of the coach is all about result. Of course, you can enjoy, you can be happy with the working, but if not results, it's not cos nothing. I'm pleasure for him. He showed the way for me, for Andrzej Django, for lots of players, the way in football, because he's not only about the football career. For example, now he's lots of players who was with Labanovsky, he became a manager, he's doing well, and I think it's very important to be clever. I mean, to be to add enough intellect on the pitch, outside the pitch, and he's trying to find that kind of place. And I'm glad that I work with him. He's a really big person in Ukraine, in Ukraine, football, and as a, as a, as a, as a Ukraine person. That's really cool. And obviously, whilst he was manager of Dynamo Cave, then you were part of that team that went on that famous Champions League run in 1999, where you made the semifinals a very unlucky losing to Bayern Munich. But after that, you eventually left Ukraine for England. You joined Spurs as your first sort of abroad club. How did Spurs help with your transition to moving to the UK? Was there a culture shock for you from moving from Ukraine to England? No, it's not that I was shocking with the culture. I come for the big club, and even now I think it was a very, very good way for Spurs, but I didn't expect that this course will play different footballs in Dynamo Cave. I remember George Graham, he were in white, me a very pleasure for him, he's a very good person. But when I start to play, and obviously he's asking me to, to find for the second ball. And this is, this was not my football, and in the beginning of my career, it was shocked for me. I was very happy in Tottenham. I saw the structure of the club. This was it for me. It's the best club in England, for me, because I was there, and I were very happy there. But the way of playing of this club at this period when I came there was absolutely different. And for me, this was quite hard to, to change my mind for, for this football. So the most difficult part of moving to Spurs was the footballing side. So that your general life side was quite easy to adapt to UK life. That was no problem. Anywhere I come in as a player, as a coach, I like to enjoy my work. I was very happy to play for Tottenham, and I cannot say I was not having, in first season I scored 12 goals in the league and in the club. For me, for Premier League at this period, this was a good result, but the problem is I played absolutely different football, and I needed a little bit more time to understand more of this football. And then after a coach has changed it, and that was a different story. Okay, so away from the footballing side in the UK, how much did Oleg Lushney help when you came over to UK? Great friendship with him. What was it like having him in London as well when you were playing there? Of course, he helped me a lot. He really was there, and he helped me a lot with life in London. This was not easy for me to change, but as I said, of course, I live with football, because for me, moving for Tottenham, a big step forward for me, even Tottenham didn't play in Champions League, but I knew what was the calibre of this club in England. For me, this was absolutely fine with supporters, with everybody, so I were very happy, but of course, it's different life with Ukraine and England. And the first period in London, of course, Oleg helps me a lot. I pleasure for him, for his family, and I think he was very famous in Arts. He's very good male. He's a strong person. He has a very good character, and of course, in England, without this characteristic, it's very difficult to play. Absolutely. After Spurs, had a low-speller fed a bad shape, and then you joined West Ham. Certain assessments in the media, etc. Classify your time as quite difficult, your period, your career. How do you assess your career in England, overall, if looking back on it? Yeah, I wish to come back to England. I had a contract with the Spurs, and they found Komi's very good option with West Ham, because even we played in Championship, but I knew, again, the level and calibre of this club, I were very pleasure to play in West Ham. Even in the Championship, I were very happy to play there. I played with lots of big players like Teddy Schengen, Thomas Ajepka. He's lots of players who are really, even now, this player, he's still playing at Mark Noble. He was very young when I was there. He's like a legend now in West Ham. I was really happy to enjoy this team, because, you know, doesn't matter what kind of the team. Anywhere I come, and I like to fight for winning the league, and with West Ham, even in Champions League, we try to win the league, and that was a successful season, and this season we move for the Premier League, and for me, doesn't matter how many minutes I spend on the pitch, but I try to do my best. All decision was with the coach, but I were very happy to be in West Ham. Sir, during that orange revolution in 2004, is that true that you wore an orange bracelet for Games in West Ham? Yeah, this is true. That's right. Lots of people in London would support this revolution. I was inside, of course, this was difficult to be in London and to see what's happened with my people in Ukraine, and I just saw my support for these people. I think this is important. This is not about football, this is not about the. this is about my position, what's happening in my country. All the people sometimes say it's. Football is outside of politics, but my opinion football is politic. I think lots of football is as much more popular in their countries than their politics. I think I could show my position and I'm not worried about this episode for me. That was true and I show my position. I was supporting people who was outside their houses and they stayed and paid for freedom. I really agree more. Now let's move on to your comeback to Dynamo Kiev. As we know from 1997 to 2005, Dynamo Kiev had proceeded to the Champions League group stage for eight seasons in a row. And you have returned to Dynamo Kiev in 2005. And you witnessed the Kiev side being beaten by FC Tune in second qualifying round, two-to-home and a zero-one away defeat, which felt like a tragic decline of 90s Dynamo Kiev team. In the interview of that time, you've had said that you were fed to play in the away game, but the head coach Leonid Burak did not include you in the squad after you played 90 minutes in Kiev. What's your insight on these events? And why do you think that took place and was it a fair ending to the 90s fairytale? You know, it's difficult to remind this time because it was a long, long time ago. But I remember this time, of course, I played 90 minutes at home, but the coach decided me to play ahead a little bit injured. But before the match, I made a full training session and I was ready to play. But I was not even in the first 18, and unfortunately we lost this game. Of course, after that kind of matches, everybody says trying to see which was the problem was. And lots of people tried to see if the problem was not on the pitch, it was not even on the bench. But again, it's always in football coaches decide everything. He decided that I was not ready, I didn't argue. I was outside the pitch, I was very upset. But I support our team because this game for us was very important. Unfortunately, we didn't go through, but I'm sure the problem is not with me. The problem is not because I was not on the pitch. I'm sure that this period of time Dynamo has lots of good plays, and the coach has choice. He chose this place, this is his decision. Thank you. Now let's touch on a bit about Ukrainian sort of coach of football, a coaching school of football and the preparation in general. A bit more touch on the history of Dynamo like after the 2005 disaster, the next season stop objective, as you remember, was to reach the group stage by enemies necessary. And it was completed, Dynamo beat your former club, Thunder Bucket, and received a place in a group with Real Madrid, Leon and Stau. However, the very first game at Olympus kick against the Armenians ended 1-4, and used for the only key of goal. Dynamo kick has finished last in the group with only two points from two draws in winter. The official reason of that result was excessive trainings in summer. Now, do you think that kind of the same burnout is the reason of what happens with our national team in Euro 2020 as we witnessed a long preparation, again, lack of rest of the players and only, well, to be fair, one and a half good matches and the tournament. So does the end justify the needs? Listen, you remind me the time, what was 15 years ago is good. You have a Wikipedia, you have all things. No, I was little kid, I live through this. I live through this, I don't know what all of us did. But believe me, it's very difficult to remind myself what's happened, why we didn't go through, but anyway, listen, when we played in 1998-99 years, when it was very successful for Ukraine, we played with most of the players, was from X-U as a card. It was Georgian players, Russian players. Most of them is Ukrainian, Belarusian players. And after when I moved for Tottenham, even I talked with Lavanovsky when he called me several times, and he said, "Myselgy, now it's very difficult to work with foreigners." Because most important in our team was physical conditions. We ran in on preseason, our physical condition was on the top. But of course, when the foreigner comes from to the Namokiv, they don't even know who is it, Lavanovsky. We worked for him, we fought for him, we ran in like a crazy, because we respect this person, we respect the Namokiv. But most of the foreigners who come to the Namokiv, of course, they cannot say they are not respect the Namokiv, but they didn't work with the spirit, with the heart for this team. And of course, if they're feeling the lot on the trainings is quite high, they moved away. And this is the problem. But in Lavanovsky, philosophy, all the players has to be in the same level. Everybody has to be the same. If you are not doing something, you are doing on the next day. But it was difficult to him to work with the foreigners. For me, this spirit was like a U-sadmiddish 2005. This five years was quite hard for the Namokiv, because this spirit was changed the time after. OK, it's 100% the place was from X-USSR. And after we got lots of foreigners, and of course, I think, the Namokiv and Coaches need the time to change the mind. Because at this time, all the teams, and Shakhtar, all the X-USSR teams, got the foreigners, like a wall, it goes down. A lot of foreigners go inside the U-sadmiddish. And for me, this was a big time to change. And that's very true. As Andrew said, you share no-time records with your long-time teammate, Maxim Shatsky. How did you feel when it was clarified that his 124th goal was an own goal? And you are now both level with 123 goals. Even now, if somebody does not remind me about these records, I would definitely not remember after the end of my life. It's 100%. You know, one of the players, now in Ukraine, I met him in the restaurant. If you know this player, now he played before in Kolas, his name is. what is his name? To his court, now, 121. Celiznov. -Oh, Celiznov. -He was played in Turkey, and I met him in the restaurant, and he said, "Celiznov, I come in back here to break your record." But I said, "Listen, I'm not even remembering about my record." He had a good contract in Turkey, but he said, "I come in here, I come in from very low salary, but I want to beat your record." But I said, "Please, think about yourself. Believe me, even if you beat this record, after 12 years, you will forget about this. The life is continued. You are not living with this record. Even now, I'm not worried about this record. Of course, I'm very proud to score that many goals who is helping for my team, but I'm definitely not living with this record." Brilliant. I mean, it's been actually really cool to listen about your career, but as you say, it was so long ago. So, we're not going to keep you too long remembering, you know, going back into the archives, trying to record on this. But obviously, we've touched on your club career. We can't not finish up on playing career without touching on Zbirna. As it's a Euro summer, let's not forget about your own career as a Ukraine player. You were, for a long time, Ukraine's second all-time scorer, but that has since been overtaken by Yadomolanko and Konrad Planko. You played and scored a memorable goal in Germany 2006 World Cup. What are your memories of that tournament? And in your eyes is that Ukraine's greatest ever team. Of course, for me, football is only about the result. It doesn't matter what kind of place, if you go to the result, of course, this is the best time and best time in history of Ukrainian football. I mean, in World Cup, for example, now, this first time Ukraine goes through the group stage in Yebro, but in World Cup, this was the same. This is the first time and I'm very proud to be part of this team. I remember after every match in Ukraine, this was unbelievable atmosphere inside. It's good. It was not COVID. Everybody was outside. Everybody was very happy with the winning, going through for the next stage. And of course, there's a memorable period. I don't know which teams is always the question mark. Which team is better? These stage, other edges, what does I say? I'm enjoying the edges where I played. I'm enjoying my working now like a coach. For me, I was very happy to be part of this team. We make a history for Ukraine on World Cup. Because of course, this is very prestige to be in play off, to be in what the final of World Cup. And I think this was a very good time for Ukraine and for national team. So, you mentioned there about your coaching. And that's what I wanted to ask you about next. And obviously, you've already briefly spoken about Lobanovsky. I was just wondering if there were any other key influences on your style of management. For example, you played under George Graham or Glenn Hoddle. Or are you trying to forge your own path and your own identity? Or are you working with the experiences you've had in the past? You see, I work in with lots of coaches. It's not only in England. I think Christophe Downe in Fenerbahgsche. I think he did very well. He won the league in Turkey. This is not easy. In Russia, I think, was very good coach. We worked with me in Ruby and Kazan. It's lots of coaches. After my playing career, I go for a European club. I go for Guardiola to see the trainings. I try to record to find my way. Because I think it's very difficult when the player is finishing his career. Of course, he has some mind. It's difficult to him to find right way. And I think he got lots of experience with the coaches, who I work with, and there's some experience with the practice with that. the coaches, like Loeb, like Guardiola, I watched some trainings. And then I find my way. I think this is important for young coach. Of course, when you finish your full book career, yet you are not ready to coaching because you have no experience. And I think you have to, especially for the all young coaches, I think we have to improve every day. We have to try to not only watching the matches, trying to find some, you know, some more education, trying to find some forms, talk with the other coaches, this is very important. Very insightful. So I mean, taking your experience into account as a player and a manager, how have clubs changed over the past 20 years with, you know, helping players move to different countries and that sort of thing to ensure that there's no issues. Maybe even like you mentioned for yourself, it was difficult to adapt to a new tactical style. Is there sort of a development since then to help players adapt better? You know, every year the football is changing. For me, now, it's football is much faster than before when I was a player. I think now it's football. We are always, it's always difficult, for example, for the player, explain why he's playing, why he's not. For me, it's now it's most important, most important part of the game is statistic. And you have to control statistic. For me, now, very important, how many kilometers player, not only running on the pitch, running intensive, maximal speed. And in this part of the, part of the game, you have to explain for the player. Of course, it's important, technical skill, lots of important things in football. But this is, this, this part is very important. I think now this part is improving with the last, I cannot say 20 years, but okay, last years, now is the speed in the game is much more faster. If you cannot analyze the teams who is the winning deletes, if you see, for example, one city, they are playing very fast football. Of course, they are getting the contract tax, but the ball is moving very fast. Pressing is immediately, for me, if I am comparing, for example, when I played for the number key even 98 and 99, it was different football in different way, how we got this result. But now, I think, without the pressing, without the intensive work on the pitch, it's very difficult to get results on the long distance. Yeah, you can, you can win one match. For example, one match, you can sit in the back, you can control in the positions. One match, you can win. But for me, no one teams, very difficult to win the league, very difficult to win the, you know, long, long way, 50, 45 games, without the intensive work. As a manager, you have great success with Obstet Benamo. And now, with Ference Varros in Hungary, you've taken a number of Ukrainian players with you to your team in Hungary and Karate and Zopkov. Would you encourage other Ukrainian's to build their careers in leagues like Hungary, or like we've seen the success in Belgium? And you obviously had time abroad yourself, so would you encourage them to leave Ukraine a little bit earlier and try their look in Western leagues? Or how, what would you encourage? Oh, listen, the working is the course. You never know what's happening tomorrow. You don't know where, where you will be tomorrow. You cannot say, I want to work in Premier League. But of course, the clubs in Premier League say, listen, wait a little bit, you need experience. Of course, I work in every day. I like to explain to my players, we are leaving every day. You have to concentrate next match and not thinking about the future. In the end of the way, we will see, we got result or not. Is the same, my way of the coaching is every day concentrated on my work, concentrated on every match, and in the end we will see. Is the same now, of course, I have some wish, where I wish to work, but of course, my wish can dead if nobody will not invite me. For this, I need to work in very hard in club where I am now to show something, and then maybe I will get a chance to go anywhere. For me, this is my way of work. Of course, the coach is like Maureenio, he's different things. Of course, even he starts from some club, the other big club is waiting for him, but my work is different for me. I have to concentrate every day, and in the end we will see result of my work. Just before we move on from that, how about for players, you know, Ukrainian players at the moment. So there's, you know, for example, a lot of people say that he moved to Western Europe too late in his career, and that sort of hindered his development. Do you think more Ukrainian players should move at younger age or not? I think, but it's up for the owners of the club. For me, the clubs like Dinamo and Shaktor, they hold in the place, and they try to get it to a big price for the players. Even I'm sure lots of players wish to go, but they respect the club very much, they respect the supporters, and maybe some places sitting too long. We never know. For me, Yarmolika, I think he moved in the right ages. I think he moved at 25, and that was the right time to move. But I'm sure before this age, lots of clubs was interesting, but it is depending for the club. For example, you wish to Yarmolika to go in the year, but when I was a coach, I didn't wish him to go because we are playing in the Champions League, it's not only Ukrainian league, and I think this player is very important in my team. Of course, you know, this is this is very hard question, but I'm pleasure for the president of Dinamo key, that he holds him long time in Dinamo key, then I'm sure Andrei is happy with his career. He's saying like me, I cannot say, of course, I didn't play lots in Tottenham or Westham, but I'm very proud to be a dead kind of the dead caliber of the clubs. I'm very happy to come for five minutes for Westham and try to do something special and support his respect me, because it doesn't matter how long you spend in there. You are represent the Ukraine, and I'm sure the supporters were happy with my performance. Talking about your coaching career now Sergei, your latest role will be in a Muslim and Arab country. You've managed to saw it in the past. Do you need to adapt your practices when working in United Arab Emirates, given the climate and religious differences? I think I had experienced working in Saudi Arabia, and of course, this is not easy. I understand how hard this region, but as I said before, I tried to find the teams. For example, now when I move from France, but I didn't move, it's a very difficult story, and I don't want to talk about this, but okay, now I'm out of France waters. In the end, I moved in the beginning of June, and lots of clubs have already found the coaches. I can say I had lots of offers, and for me, a line is good offer, because this club is with a big history, the club is waiting for the champions, and this is my target. The same way I came for Al-Ali because this club is always waiting for me in the league, and I think it's a good experience. I'm sure this is not easy to work in there. It's the same if everybody is thinking that it was easy to win three titles in the row in French War, in Hungary, or with the team caliber of French War, to go to Champions League. This was absolutely not easy, and that's a very hard work. I'm ready for any work. Of course, it's difficult for me to work in Vietnam now, for example. But I think, I think, with the club, with the ambition, with the place, I see the perspective of the club, and I will do my best for this club. I know you've said you can't predict the future, and you have to wait and see what happens, but obviously, your previous colleague, and not a good friend, Andres, you've done a fantastic job with his being in Ukraine. But in the future, do you have ambitions to be the Ukraine manager? Is that something that you've thought about or dream about? You know, I think all the coaches respect his country. Of course, everybody's wish to work in the national field, but you have to find right time. For me, Andres is doing very good to work in. For example, today, I spoke with Andres, we talk 10 minutes, with some different things. I try to support him, and we talk about the lots of things. I'm sure he's getting maximum for this place. He's got the chance to play him ever to represent Ukraine. Now he's playing the playoff. I think he's doing very good job, but you never know what's happening in the future. For example, Andres now working five years, he's working without experience as a team coach. And I'm sure he has a wish to try to work in every day, because he's still young coach. And for him, he's important now to find the club to work in every day. Because I think he, I see his future in the football, and he's enjoying this very much. But at this age, he has to work every day with the club. The same with me. I'm enjoying. I don't know what's happening, maybe after a couple of years. I don't know when. I will have a possibility to work in a Ukrainian national team. But now I'm enjoying to work in every day. And this is my life. And I'm enjoying every day coming for the place to talk with them, to help them, to using my experience with them. And for me, it's a different work than when you are working in a national team. Because there, I think, has to be coaches with more experience, who is more or less tired with working every day and using his experience in the national team. - I think that's more or less, more or less everything. Thanks for joining us today. Obviously, from all of us, we'd like to thank you for coming on and good luck in your debut season in the UAE. Hopefully, as you mentioned, we may see you in a top league in the future and hopefully everything goes well for you. Looking forward to following the Arab Emirates League, obviously with yourself there, a bit more closely. And all the very best, right? Thanks for joining us once again. - Thanks, I was proud to be here and I have to say that tonight, I would say we just got something beyond football. - And the problem is mind is not very good. I said to Dima, please, can you have some translate here? But with you three, I think we understand each other well. I found the words to explain, but not very important. - Exactly. - And I remember when I came for totem, and I made first interview and Steven Carr said, "Please, Sergei, not go any more for television." For bit about interview, you first, okay, get some interpreter or people who is working with you, but not do it by means. - Your English is great, your English is great. And Rey, if people want to find you on social media, where's the best place to find you? - It's Instagram, Rey, Vic. - And Petro, thanks for joining us, obviously, in a very enjoyable night. Anything you want to say to wrap up? - Yeah, thanks for having me today's love that to meet you and speak with you. It's always great to meet one of your footballing heroes when you're growing up. So that's been fantastic. So thank you very much for your time this evening, and good luck with your career in the Emirates and in the future. - Thank you. And Petro, if anyone wants to find you on social media, where's the best? - Yeah, best to find us at Donnex Square 2012 on Twitter and Instagram. - And if anyone wants to follow me, I'm a Zoriel on Donnex on Instagram and Twitter. Thanks for joining us, everyone. Please give us a positive review on whatever platform you listen to us on, subscribe to us, and help keep us moving. Thanks very much, and we'll see you soon. (upbeat music)