No resting on laurels for Gazzaev

Valeri Gazzaev's first official match in charge of FC Dynamo Kyiv ended with a trophy after FC Vorskla Poltava were defeated on penalties in the Ukrainian Super Cup on Saturday, but already the coach has turned his thoughts to the future.

Injury crisis
The 54-year-old replaced Yuri Semin at the end of May and promptly steered his new charges to a third Super Cup success in four seasons with a 4-2 defeat of Vorskla following a goalless draw, although with seven senior players out injured Gazzaev has plenty to ponder. "It's the first time in my career that I've simultaneously lost four centre-backs – Taras Mikhalik, Pape Diakhate, Goran Sabljić and Leandro Almeida – so we're entering the season with a newly-built defence," the coach told uefa.com, nonetheless swift to emphasise Dynamo's ability to cope: "In Kiev you don't have to explain versatility to the players – they are ready to play in any position. Defensive midfielder Roman Yeremenko is excellent as a right-back, while foward Roman Yarmolenko is good on the left."

High expectations
Dynamo will need every bit of that squad depth and versatility if they are to retain the Ukrainian title – they start their defence at home to FC Chornomorets Odesa on Saturday – and make an impact in the UEFA Champions League after entering the competition in the group stage. "We are expected to win the domestic league and cup regardless of our squad," Gazzaev explained. "Luckily, we usually play on a weekly basis. We'll have enough time to recover after each match and to prepare for the next fixture. In our situation it helps a lot. The main thing is to gain form without losing points; that is worth its weight in gold."

Fighting fit
Playing two matches a week is no novelty for Gazzaev, who enjoyed a memorable spell at PFC CSKA Moskva – including victory in the 2005 UEFA Cup, plus three Premier-Liga titles and four domestic cups – before leaving the Russian club at the end of last year. "It's an acceptable workload," he said. "In the last few years I worked in CSKA under such conditions without any problems. It all depends on a well-planned training process where you have to pay plenty of attention to players' regeneration."

'Tactical solutions'
The new man has changed Dynamo's formation to a more attacking 4-3-3, and has given himself three years to help his new club make an impact in Europe. "Semin achieved great results here and left me a very strong team, but each coach has his own philosophy," Gazzaev added. "We want our team to have a wide choice of tactical solutions. During the match the shape of the team is constantly changing, so players need to quickly make the best decisions and carry them out flawlessly. The squad can be changed as the work advances. We need to find more creativity, but it's totally worth it. Dynamo are already thinking about winning the Champions League."