Ukraine national football team manager Oleksandr Petrakov has slammed the Russians and their actions since the morning of February 24 when the attacks began on his motherland.
Petrakov was appointed as the head coach of the national team after replacing the outgoing Andriy Shevchenko, who shocked the whole resignation by vacating his post after a successful UEFA European Championship 2020 campaign.
While taking over the reins, Petrakov promised that he would do everything in his power to take Ukraine to the 2022 FIFA World Cup, but circumstances have forced the 64-year-old to think about joining the Territorial Defense Forces, the reserve military force of the country.
According to Football UA, Petrakov was denied when he offered to join the civilians’ regiment on the basis of his age and stature in the national team.
Since Russia’s attack on Ukraine, competitive football across the country has been banned for people aged between 18 years old and 60 years old. Moreover, the players who take part in the domestic leagues are scattered across the country and are unable to train properly in a bid to survive and fight for their country.
Petrakov is expected to lead Ukraine in their 2022 FIFA World Cup playoff match against Scotland, which was initially scheduled for March 24 at Glasgow Park but was rescheduled to a later date in June due to the tension brewing between neighbours Ukraine and Russia.
The war-torn country could face Wales in the World Cup playoff final if they overcome the Scotland challenge in June. The national team manager feels it will be a huge task as the players haven’t been training for a while.
As per Sport.UA, he said that if they organised a national camp in Western Ukraine away from Kyiv, the aggressor country might start shelling at the base of the national team’s camp. Petrakov further stated that the Russians have no morals, no principles, and they can’t risk the lives of their players. He concluded by saying, “The Russians are not our brothers. They are the horde.”
There are talks of a Ukrainian national team camp to be held in London or a safe city in the United Kingdom where they can face powerhouses like Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Arsenal, or Manchester City. The proceeds from the friendlies could be donated to the Ukrainian armed forces while the players would get the much-needed practice they have been missing while staying in the war-torn country.
Petrakov also stated that he receives weekly calls from Andriy Yarmolenko and Oleksandr Zinchenko asking whether he is safe or not in Ukraine. The 64-year-old further said that neither the Man City full-back nor West Ham attacker, who has been responsible for the Hammers’ satisfying football scores recently, can focus on the ongoing European season with their parents back home in these times of uncertainty. Russia’s latest attack on the city of Bucha has left the whole country in shock, with many civilians losing their lives to the unprecedented attacks.
