With a view to the Belarusian national team. Slovak Július Szöke is heading for another title – ŠPORT.sk

Shakhtar lost only twice in the league, the last time he took three points from the lawn of the strong Dinam Minsk (2: 1). The 26-year-old Slovak, who now wears a captain’s armband in Šachťor, is also full of satisfaction.

Slovak midfielder JÚLIUS SZŐKE after disappointment in cup Europe with Shakhtar Soligorsk for another title

Shakhtar is the leader of the Belarusian league. What is the atmosphere like at the club at the moment?

“It’s a little calmer because the previous months have been pretty turbulent. More specifically, there was literally a hurricane. We have our third coach and a new sports director in the season. A lot has changed here. The first changes came at a time when we were playing European Cups, the last ones ended maybe two or three weeks ago. It was also reflected in our game. We now have a new coach, under which we have completed three matches. We have won three times after about three of the best performances this season. ”

Shaker and Cup Europe this season, it was a really special chapter. You lost by a goal four times. First in the preliminary round of the Champions League with Ludogorc Razgrad, then in the preliminary round of the Conference League with the Luxembourg Fola Esch. What has happened?

“Ludogorec is, of course, higher than us in renking, so no one perceived falling out with him as a trip. We lost twice 0: 1. We completed the home match without spectators in Belgrade, for almost seventy minutes we were a better or even opponent to the favorite. We got the goal from the counter and Ludogorec already guarded it. If we played at home in front of our fans, the Bulhari would definitely be worried about the result until the last minute.

It was worse with Fo. We were supposed to go through that. In the first match, in Debrecen and again without spectators, we scored two goals in the opening half. They didn’t know how they gave them and we didn’t know how we got them. It was a shock for us! Nobody knew what to play, what to do. We finally lost 1: 2. Immediately after the match, they fired the coach in the locker room. New came, he wanted to play something completely different and new.

In retaliation in Luxembourg, we lost 0: 1 and it was bad again. We had ambitions to go almost to the Champions League group and suddenly we dropped out in the second round of the Conference League. It was transferred to the cabin, it was not good. We lost two matches in the league with Ruch Brest and BATE Borisov. The second coach, who was with the team for some two months, paid for it… ”

How did the management of the club perceive the fact that due to the UEFA decision, which applies to both the clubs and the Belarusian national team, you could not play at home?

“When we won the title last year, it was widely said here that we wanted to bring Europe to Soligorsk. However, even if we got into the group, our fans would not see it. We would play six matches outside. Specifically in Kazan, Russia. Where the national team now plays. The teammates who are in it are also not enthusiastic. Now they are playing in Kazan with the Czech Republic. Like at home, but what kind of home is it? It would be difficult. In any case, we counted on the group phase and we strengthened ourselves in this spirit. ”

How?

“We have a staff with twenty-five balanced and well-paid players. To participate in Europe, the club signed quality footballers. Now the problem is for everyone to play. ”

You are describing vicissitudes, but you have had an excellent start in the league…

“We won the first fourteen matches. At 15, we drew 1: 1 at home with Dinam Brest. The media immediately dealt with it as a disaster. Shakhtar is in crisis… I will say it this way: I have a feeling that we did not want the title very much in Belarus last season and that we generally do not even want the current position. ”

Why is it like that?

“I do not know. But since I’ve been here, it’s been that way. Maybe it will be a sponsorship background. Only we and Ruch Brest have private partners, other clubs have public ones. Maybe someone doesn’t like that we have quite a lot of money, that Šachťor has been able to buy more players lately and that he can afford to spend. In the last half of the year, we bought the three best BATE Borisov footballers – Stasevič, Filipenka, and Skavyš. Stasevich was the best assistant player in the European League three years ago.

Skavys was the best player last season, Filipenko was the key tracker of BATE. There is also a crisis in Belarus too and the clubs lack funding. However, it did not affect us. And since we wanted to play on two fronts, it was shopping. New legionaries have arrived – Serbs, Croats… At a time when it is difficult to do football business and the market is standing, we bought six or seven players. ”

In the match in Minsk, the situation took over from the last quarter, when the opponent’s player and the well-known representative Anton Pucila kicked you uncomfortably after falling to the ground. He didn’t even see the yellow card. At station 5 Belarus, they discussed it as one of the moments of the round.

“In connection with this situation, I also tried to avoid any conversations. Honestly, I don’t like moments like that. I was in a duel with him. My task was to eliminate him, I was in charge of the whole match. There was a fight, there was another, there was a whisper, here we said something.

He didn’t make it, he didn’t get into anything, and he was probably already nervous. At that moment, his nerves must have broken. I thought it was a pure red card. The boys also told me that I should have thrown myself on the ground and shouted. But it’s not me, I’ve never done something like that. After the match, I did not comment on it, although I was also asked to do so on television. ”

Why?

“Because I understood it as a moment. He is an excellent football player, in principle already a legend. He played in Hamburg, Turkey… I wouldn’t want to do such a personality in such a personality. ”

The referee was maybe seven to eight meters away from you. He obviously had to see everything.

“When the push was over, we went side by side and I asked him why he didn’t draw the red card. He told me he would have to exclude us both. Me why? And he that I stepped on him. I said to him, “Referee, look at it again tonight, I didn’t even touch it.” And he that Julius, well, well… I didn’t argue, I never like it. ”

Have you watched the Real Madrid – Sheriff Tiraspol Champions League match?

“He was watching. You know my former coach and teammate from Soligorsk are there and you’re going for it, right? ”

Yes. Coach Yuri Vernydub works wonders with the Moldovan champion and the first goal of the match in Madrid was scored by the Uzbek striker Yachshibayev. What do you think?

“We immediately wrote to each other in the group we have in Šachťor as much as possible. He played with us half a year ago and now he has scored a goal for Real Madrid. It also gives us motivation. We see that this is not such a huge difference. It was also interesting for me that maybe I communicated with the Sheriff half a year ago. I could go there, there was interest in me. I refused. I told myself that the Shakhtar is better, run and has ambitions. We dropped out and they win over Real Madrid… But I keep my fingers crossed for them. ”

Does Yuri Vernydub deserve it?

“Yes. He is an excellent coach. He was a bit unlucky with us that he didn’t have players available for the system he wanted to play. However, he was excellent, he confirmed this before in the Ukrainian Zorya Luhansk. Otherwise, he left us after he came first. ”

He was bowed out from Shakhtar at the time he dropped out with the Moldovan club Sfintul Gheorghe. Now he is shocking Europe with the Moldovan champion.

“Moldova is probably doomed for him. Me Apparently it should have been.”

What about you and your future? Your contract is ending…

“We will see. They are interested in me in Šachťor. Otherwise, they have already offered me citizenship here, I would probably go to the national team and also towards Russia it would be a bit easier due to the quotas. I said that when we get the title, I’ll change my mind. I take it so half-heartedly, but I would probably like to try something else. ”