Ukrainian National Football Team: Oleg Fedorchuk on the Ideal Coach and the Team's Future

Renowned Ukrainian coach Oleg Fedorchuk has expressed his views on the future of the national football team, underlining the importance of selecting the right coach given the current situation. Fedorchuk believes that at this moment, Myron Markevych is the ideal candidate for the head coach position, citing his extensive experience and authority within the football community.

Fedorchuk stated, “Myron Markevych. Probably, at this moment, he is the ideal or at least the optimal candidate. He is currently unemployed, independent of agents, and possesses enormous authority and experience. The team needs not just to be trained but to be revived. We need a psychologist who can motivate the team and select the best players, rather than those pushed by the latest agent. What is happening now in clubs, where agent interests outweigh football, is a disease.”

Furthermore, Fedorchuk shared his thoughts on the possibility of appointing a foreign coach. He noted that if it weren't for the war, he would prefer to see a foreigner at the helm of the national team, but not from Southern Europe, rather from Scandinavia. “If it weren’t for the war, I would like to see a foreigner leading the national team, but not a Spaniard, Portuguese, or anyone else from the South. We are close to Scandinavia—Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Denmark. They are tough, disciplined, and we are mentally similar. Which countries are helping us the most now during the war? And who fought for us against the Russian Empire in the past? The Swedes! Our flags even look similar. We need an experienced transitional coach, like Mircea Lucescu with the Romanian national team.”

Fedorchuk also emphasized that inviting a foreign coach without experience in such conditions is not practical. “During the war, a good foreign coach will not come to us. So why invite a bad one?” he added in his interview with UF.

It is worth noting that recently, the Ukrainian national team suffered a defeat against Sweden, with a score of 1:3 in the semi-finals of the playoff qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, which eliminated their chances of participating in the tournament. In the final, Sweden defeated Poland 3:2, securing their spot in the World Cup. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian team achieved a victory in a friendly match against Albania, winning 1:0.

Earlier, it was reported that Serhiy Rebrov, who is currently the head coach of the Ukrainian national team, expressed his desire to remain in this position, stating he is willing to accept a salary reduction to continue working with the team. This indicates that the issue of the coaching staff remains relevant and requires serious discussion amid the changes occurring in Ukrainian football.