The President of the Ukrainian Football Association, Andriy Shevchenko, explained the choice of Andrea Maldera as the head coach of the Ukrainian national team. According to the head of UAF, the association considered four candidates, but preferred the Italian specialist due to his experience working with the Ukrainian team. Shevchenko stated this during a press conference at the Football House, reports Suspіlne Sport.
Shevchenko stated that UAF considered four candidates
According to Andriy Shevchenko, after the departure of Serhiy Rebrov from the position of the head coach of the national team, UAF analyzed several candidates at once.
The head of the association did not name the other candidates, but confirmed that there were four.
Shevchenko explained that Andrea Maldera has significant international experience and is well familiar with the system of Ukrainian football.
Shevchenko called Maldera 'an Italian with a Ukrainian soul'
The president of UAF emphasized that Maldera worked as an assistant in the Ukrainian national team for five years and knows most of the national team's players well.
According to Shevchenko, the Italian:
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worked as an assistant in three top leagues;
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maintained contact with Ukrainian football;
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kept an eye on players since the youth national teams.
'An Italian with a Ukrainian soul', — this is how Shevchenko characterized the new coach of the national team.
He also mentioned that after working in Ukraine, Maldera continued his career in Roberto De Zerbi's staff.
Andrea Maldera will be a head coach for the first time
For Andrea Maldera, this will be his first experience as a head coach.
Previously, he worked as an assistant in:
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the Italian 'Milan';
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the English 'Brighton';
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the French 'Marseille'.
In the last two clubs, Maldera was part of Roberto De Zerbi's coaching staff.
A contract with the new head coach of the Ukrainian national team was signed for two years with the possibility of extension.
When will Maldera debut with the Ukrainian national team
The first matches for Andrea Maldera at the helm of the national team will be friendly matches:
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against Poland — May 31;
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against Denmark — June 7.
The official debut of the new coach will take place on September 25 in a Nations League match against Hungary.
The appointment of Maldera is historic for Ukrainian football, as he became the first foreign head coach of the Ukrainian national team.
Let us remind you that the Ukrainian president of the Football Association of Ukraine Andriy Shevchenko and the head of the UAF Referees Committee, Kateryna Monzul, were included in FIFA's permanent committees.