Schuster eyes Shakhtar success

By Igor Linnyk

Bernd Schuster has taken charge of a training session at FC Shakhtar Donetsk for the first time this week. However, several of his charges made inauspicious first impressions on Monday, as a number of players were late, prompting the German coach to emphasise the importance of discipline.

'Professional and proper'
"If the players want to win, which is why I'm here, they must do everything professionally and properly," Schuster said. "I'll talk with the squad and afterwards, hopefully the problem will be solved."

Two-year sabbatical
Schuster will be hoping to bring the experience he has gained from some of Europe's top trainers to bear on the Ukrainian Premier League side. He began his coaching career with 2.Bundesliga side SC Fortuna Köln and after a year moved on to 1. FC Köln for a two-season spell which ended in June 1999. A two-and-a-half-year break from coaching then followed.

'Different styles and ideas'
Schuster dedicated his time to gaining a professional coaching licence, and spent his time learning from a number of world-renowned coaches, including Louis van Gaal, Arsène Wenger and José Antonio Camacho. "I was very interested in studying different styles and ideas," Schuster said. "I had some probation periods at Feyenoord and Club Atlético de Madrid, and also observed Spain's national team in training. That's where I gained all the priceless experience that made me the coach I am."

Domestic supremacy
Schuster put his new experience into practice at Spanish third division outfit Xerez CD and came close to guiding the club to the top flight. However, he faces a different challenge in Ukraine, as his new task is to build a side capable of wresting domestic supremacy away from FC Dynamo Kyiv.

Single success
Nevio Scala remains the only coach to lead Shakhtar to championship glory, guiding the team to the title in 2002 and adding the Ukrainian Cup for good measure. However, ambitious club president Rinat Akhmetov is counting on Schuster not only to match Scala's domestic success, but at the same time produce a team capable of performing creditably in the UEFA Champions League.

European challenge
Shakhtar face the winner of the FC Sheriff Tiraspol - FC Flora tie in the second qualifying round, and Akhmetov is clear in his intentions. "We respect all our opponents, but Shakhtar simply has to get past these kind of teams," he said.

'Aiming high'
The new coach agrees with the president, saying that the Champions League is one of the reasons he joined the club. "We have to win the Ukrainian championship from Dynamo and produce competitive results in Europe," the 43-year-old coach said. "It's very important, not only for Shakhtar, but for me as well. None of my previous teams were aiming as high as we are here."

Scala sacked
Such big objectives mean signifcant responsibility, as Scala discovered last season. Despite having won the first championship in the club's history the previous year, the Italian coach was sacked after Shakhtar failed to reach the Champions League group stages and were then eliminated from the UEFA Cup in the first round by FK Austria Wien.

Title disappointment
Under Scala's replacement, Valeriy Yaremchenko, Shakhtar were unable to retain their title despite being seven points ahead of Dynamo with seven matches remaining, and finished in second place. However, Schuster is ready for the challenge, and has already stated that he aims to strengthen the defence while playing open, attacking football. It remains to be seen whether such preparations will give Shakhtar the edge in the season ahead.