Yevhen Nazarov: "Our main task is to prepare football players for U-21 and the first team"

Senior coach of "Kharkiv" U-19 Yevheniy Nazarov shared his thoughts on the start of preparation for the new season:

— The team has returned from vacation. In what condition did the guys start preparing for the new season?

— The U-19 team returned from vacation and almost in full composition started preparation. Currently, most of the players are working together with the newly formed U-21 team, so the coaching staff of U-21 can more accurately assess the physical and functional condition of the players.

— How are the first training sessions going? What are you currently focusing on the most in working with the team?

— We have a clear training concept. We aim for all training sessions to be comprehensive. The main focus is on ball work, development of tactical thinking, and player interaction on the field.

— How will the U-19 team be formed this season?

— Currently, the U-19 squad is mainly formed from graduates of the U-17 team. This season, our U-17 team became the winners of the Elite League of the NLM of Ukraine, and I want to congratulate the players, coaching staff, club management, and the entire academy on this achievement.

Most of the players from this team will have the opportunity to train and play for U-19. At the same time, a group of eight U-17 players successfully trained and played for U-19 last season. Some received more playing time, some less. Currently, some of these players are working with the U-21 team, while others continue their preparation with the U-19 team.

— How will the formation of the U-21 team affect this process?

— Undoubtedly, the creation of the U-21 team significantly influences the development of young players. Currently, there are many players in its lineup who are still eligible to play for U-19. In addition, a group of seven to eight U-19 players went on educational and training camps with the first team to Austria last season.

Therefore, I believe that U-19 is fulfilling its main task - preparing players for the transition to U-21, and in the future, to the club's main team.

— What are the main goals you set for the team for the new season?

— It is too early to talk about specific tournament goals, as we do not yet know the final composition of the U-19 championship participants and do not have an approved schedule.

However, the main goal remains unchanged: the U-19 and U-21 teams should help identify young players who can grow into professional players. Our task is to provide them with quality training, necessary game practice, and all conditions for further development.