After resting in Lutsk for a few days following the first training camp in Yevpatoria, the players of "Volyn" set off for the second one. Having reached Kyiv by club bus, the charges of head coach Vitaliy Kvartsyanyy, together with the president of FC "Volyn" Vasyl Stolyar, flew to Turkey. Here, in the town of Antalya, the players settled in the comfortable hotel "Kremlin Palace," where, by the way, they were also based last year. As for the club president's trip to Turkey, he is to sign contracts with new "Volyn" players there right away.
As became known, the players of our team are preparing for the season extremely seriously and responsibly. This is evidenced at least by the fact that on certain days the coaches held four (!) training sessions. Wake-up, for example, at 6:30 in the morning. After that – intensive exercises. At 11 o'clock the first training session on the football field, at 17:00 – the second. In the evening, classes in the gym, pool, aerobics... The head coach of Simferopol's "Tavriya" Oleh Fedorchuk, observing such a schedule, jokingly remarked: "In the evening we go to dinner, 'Volyn' – to training. In the morning we go to breakfast – the Lutsk players are returning from training. One gets the impression that the football players don't sleep at all. Now that's a team!"
In fairness, let us note that recently the coaches have somewhat reduced the workload, understanding that the players must approach the start of the second round "fresh," in fighting form. We can clarify that the first match after the tournament's "equator" the Volyn players will play against Uzhhorod's "Zakarpattia" in Lutsk not on February 27, as planned, but on the first day of March.
And now about what most interests and worries the supporters of our team – changes in its roster. The head coach took 31 football players to Antalya. These are both those with whom employment contracts had been signed earlier, as well as newcomers – potential "Volyn" players. We know that an experienced midfielder Serhiy Nahornyak has appeared at the training camp, who last year played for Kyiv's "Arsenal," as well as for one of the clubs in China. The coaches have again shown interest in Borys Polyakov and Andriy Sokolenko, who have already defended the colors of "Volyn," and last year took the field in the uniform of "Aktobe-Lento" – a club that performs successfully in the championship of Kazakhstan.
Until recently, there was talk that the Lutsk team was to be left by Estonian national team player Taavi Rähn, who attracted the interest of CSKA (Sofia). But when it came to concluding an agreement on the transfer, the bosses of the Bulgarian club could not find the necessary sum to pay the player's transfer value. So Taavi returned from Sofia to "Volyn" and, at minimum, until the end of the 14th Ukrainian championship will play in Lutsk.
There is more good news from the state of our team. The head coach of the national youth team Oleksiy Mykhaylychenko has invited Volyn player Roman Zhersh to the qualifying match of the 2006 World Championship against Albania. It is not excluded that our countryman will debut in the game against the Albanians. Another Lutsk player – Roman Stepanov – has been invited to the Ukrainian youth national team.
Last Friday "Volyn" held its first friendly match in Antalya. The opponent of our football players was one of the clubs playing in the championship of Azerbaijan. The Lutsk players won with a score of 4:0. The goals were scored by Serhiy Nahornyak, Ernest Siankam (two) and Mike Chidi. And on Sunday the Lutsk players tested their strength against Boryspil's "Borysfen" and ended the game in a draw – 3:3, although during the game our countrymen were ahead – 3:1. For "Volyn," Oleksandr Tryshovych, Meodrag Dzhudovych and Mike Chidi scored.
Several more friendly matches are planned. In one of them, by preliminary agreement, the Volyn players will meet Belgrade's "Crvena Zvezda." Clubs from Poland and Russia are also being considered as potential opponents. On February 19 "Volyn" will return to Lutsk, where it will complete preparations for the season. Let us recall that the club's management sets a high goal before the team – winning a berth in the European cups.
Vasyl FELENCHAK, Roman FLISHAROVSKYY