Shakhtar's sports director Dario Srna named the footballers he considers among the best in the Donetsk club over the last two decades. He included Willian, Fernandinho, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, and Alan Patrick in his list. The best coach of this period, according to Srna, is Mircea Lucescu. He mentioned this in an interview with Dmytro Gordon on YouTube.
At the same time, Srna emphasized that there have been many strong footballers at Shakhtar during this time who, for various reasons, did not manage to fully realize their potential in the team.
Who did Srna name as the best footballers of Shakhtar over the past 20 years
The sports director could not choose just one strongest player. Among those who left the most impression with their level, he highlighted four footballers:
- Willian;
- Fernandinho;
- Henrikh Mkhitaryan;
- Alan Patrick.
Srna also specifically focused on Alan Patrick. According to him, the Brazilian went through a period at Shakhtar when he did not get enough playing time, although he later demonstrated a high level.
«Alan Patrick is today one of the best footballers in Brazil. At Shakhtar, there was a moment when he did not play and did not perform. It's sometimes a lottery,» said Srna.
He explained that even thorough scouting does not guarantee the success of a transfer. Factors such as character, family circumstances, relationships, moving to another country, and war can influence a player's adaptation. That is why before a transfer, Srna tries to personally communicate with potential newcomers.
Mircea Lucescu became the best coach of Shakhtar over the past 20 years
Srna considers Mircea Lucescu to be the best coach of Shakhtar during this period, with whom he worked for about 12 years. At the same time, the sports director acknowledged that at one time he felt it necessary to change the coach even after the team's greatest successes.
«At that time, when he was the coach, he was the ideal coach for Shakhtar. I personally worked with him for 12 years,» Srna said.
He recalled that before Shakhtar's triumph in the UEFA Cup, there was serious pressure on Lucescu. Some fans and journalists demanded his resignation; however, the club's president Rinat Akhmetov kept the Romanian specialist in his position.
Srna also positively evaluated the work of other Shakhtar coaches, including Paulo Fonseca, Luis Castro, Roberto De Zerbi, and Igor Jovičević. He expressed special thanks to the latter for his work after the start of the full-scale war when the team had to be essentially rebuilt.
It should be noted that the qualification in the Champions League has ended, after which the full composition of 36 clubs for the main stage became known. Ukraine will be represented in the most prestigious European cup by the Donetsk «Shakhtar», which ended up in the third basket before the draw.