Oleg Salenko Shares Thoughts on Potential Changes in Ukraine National Team's Coaching Staff

Former striker of Kyiv's Dynamo, Oleg Salenko, has voiced his opinions regarding potential changes in the coaching staff of the Ukraine national football team after the team failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. In his commentary, Salenko emphasizes the importance of selecting a worthy candidate for the head coach position if the decision is made to relieve Serhiy Rebrov of his duties.

The ex-footballer believes that collaboration with Rebrov should only be terminated if there is another genuinely strong candidate available. "Rebrov needs to sit down with Shevchenko and talk. Maybe not now, but in two months when his contract with the UAF expires. I heard that several friendly matches are planned for May," Salenko noted.

He also highlighted that if Rebrov has offers from clubs in Europe, he should be allowed to leave. "If Rebrov has offers from clubs in Europe, and they say there are, then he should be let go. If not, maybe continue the agreement, but only if there is no worthy replacement on the horizon," he added. Salenko believes that dismissing the coach is the simplest solution, but the question arises: who can lead the national team right now?

Oleg Salenko also commented on Serhiy Rebrov's behavior during press conferences, noting that the coach might be feeling nervous due to the team's failures. "Rebrov is almost growling at journalists because he is nervous, as the national team has failed. Who wouldn't be nervous in his position? It's all emotions, nothing more. Serhiy is nervous—that's all. He is being pressured from all sides. In life, he is normal, calm, and has become braver with age, while in his younger years, he was even a bit shy," Salenko stated, as reported by sport-express.ua.

It is worth recalling that the Ukraine national team failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, losing a playoff qualifying match to Sweden with a score of 1-3. This defeat has raised many questions regarding the future development of the team and its coaching staff.

Previously, former coach of the Ukraine national team also expressed his opinion on the main reason behind the team's failure in the match against Sweden, further underscoring the relevance of discussing changes within the coaching staff.

Tags: Oleg Salenko, Serhiy Rebrov, Ukraine National Team, Football