Serhii Shishchenko: Bukovyna will be strengthened commensurate with its capabilities

Chernivtsi Bukovyna is one of the most discussed football clubs in Ukraine this spring. Serhii Shishchenko's team won the First League and from first place rose to the Premier League, where they will play for the first time in their history. However, the Bukovinians could not complete the maximum task and finish in first place without a single defeat - everything was spoiled by Chornomorets from Odessa, who will also play in the Ukrainian Premier League next season. In an exclusive media interview, the head coach of Bukovyna, Serhiy Shishchenko, talked about his impressions of the season, the team's prospects in the UPL, personnel news and stadium renovations. - To Serhiy Yuriyovych, the season ended the other day. Have you had time to analyze it, digest it for yourself? - You know, I have already left. We already understood that we can be champions. When this happened, it became easier in terms of psychology. From that moment, thoughts were more focused on the new season. - In the last matches of the First League, you understood that there was nowhere to move from the first place, the result did not put pressure on your game. How did you motivate your team for these games? - It was not difficult, because we had another goal - to go through the championship without defeats, to become the first team in the history of the First League to go through a season without defeats. There was no supernatural motivation. All the guys knew how to do it, but... Unfortunately, it didn't work out. We had to end the season with one defeat in the championship. It's a shame... - But it will be all the more important for you to face Chornomorets in the UPL, right? - And not only with Chornomorets. Now every match will be worth its weight in gold. It's a historic season and we want to look decent there. - The captain of the team, Petro Stasiuk, was injured in the match against Yuksa. What is his condition now and is there any information on the timing of recovery? - Everything is fine with Peter. His stitches were removed and he is recovering. In my opinion, he will already be working in the general group next month. - You already have good experience as a head coach: Polissia, Obolon, now Bukovyna. Are there still things that surprise you in your coaching journey? - You know, it's hard to remember... Well, when you're in the First League, it's easier for you to negotiate with football players, it's easier to invite. When you are in UPL, it is more difficult. There are football players of a different kind and there is a lot of competition among other clubs. It cannot be said that it is surprising, but sometimes the football players themselves are surprised in their decisions. Because first they have one vision, then another. There are different situations. And yes, everything is fine at work. If you are in a good club, it has proper organization and understanding of what each person does, then everything is fine. And when you are in a club where there are many pitfalls, some moments may not be surprising. So I was lucky in that sense. - If you analyze this season, which match in the First League was the most difficult for you? - Here I would single out several matches. This includes Ivano-Frankivsk, Prykarpattia-Blago in the first part of the season. It's also Fenix-Mariupol, when you win 2:0, then the score is equalized and you win in the last seconds. There was Left Bank, when we failed in the first half, but we won the second half and won. There were matches against weaker opponents, we wanted to show a better game, but we did not succeed. But we still achieved victory due to the class and good individual actions of the players and the team. - For the second year in a row, Bukovyna does not pass Dynamo in the Cup of Ukraine. Isn't this opponent starting to annoy you a little bit? - No, it's a great success for the First League club that we play in the semifinals two years in a row and show a decent game. And of course, we will play against Dynamo in the UPL, and our setup will be even more serious. We will try to collect points. And there is already time, and the matches themselves will show. - At one time, you helped Polissia to reach the European Cups for the first time in history, but you were not approved as the head coach. Do you have additional motivation to beat the Zhytomyr club in the UPL next season? Have you let go of that story yet? - No, absolutely. On the contrary: this story motivated me to go to Oboloni, this club was in a difficult situation at the time. But I went, I dared, because not everyone would have done that in my place in terms of decision and result. What we did with the football players, with the club's management, with the coaching staff... The result we achieved with Obolon is telling. Because many thought that this is the first contender for relegation. I dared, everything worked out, so it was that situation with Polissy that gave me the impetus to be even better. - UPL is an investment in transfers. What does the club management tell you? How active will Bukovyna be in the summer transfer window