Kalitvintsev states Ukraine intent

Yuriy Kalitvintsev believes UEFA European Under-19 Championship hosts Ukraine must reach the final as a "minimum" if they are to count the tournament as a success. Ukraine got to the semi-finals in Switzerland five years ago – losing on penalties to eventual champions Spain – although they have not qualified since. With Switzerland joining England and Slovenia as Group A opposition, Kalitvintsev – who guided Ukraine to the U17 Championship two years ago – knows his side will have their work cut out if they are to emulate the 2000 U18 side and reach the final but his hopes are nevertheless high of a memorable two weeks.

uefa.com: What's the mood in your team and what targets have you set them?

Yuriy Kalitvintsev: We know the strengths of the other sides but our minimum task – to get to the final – was set before the draw for the tournament was made. To succeed we have to qualify from our group and then go further. We regularly update the information about our rivals, and I can't pick any obvious favourites; everybody has a chance of winning.

uefa.com: Does the fact you're at home and will have a few FC Shakhtar Donetsk players in your squad help?

Kalitvintsev: We'll see. The mentality of young players is very fragile. Playing in front of their fans, parents, relatives and friends can make them too nervous, they can burn out. We understand that and try to turn it to our advantage. We have enough time and we're aware of the players' individual strengths. Our coaching staff will find the right approach although you have to be careful and act according to the situation. Excitement can appear two days or an hour before a match. If we need to motivate players we will do.

uefa.com: How would you describe your team's style?

Kalitvintsev: Regardless of the strength of our opponents we try to make them play our type of football. I can't say we always dominate, though we analyse the weaknesses and strengths of our opponents and try to dictate them our terms. Of course it's easier to do that at home than away.

uefa.com: What are the main differences between U17 and U19 football?

Kalitvintsev: Seventeen-year-olds still play children's football with individual skill to the fore, while 19-year-olds are almost professionals. They're stronger physically, train with senior teams and start to earn money and think seriously about how to get a regular place in their club sides. Moreover 19-year-olds think differently tactically, they are ready to accept the principles of team play. There's a darker side though; some players stop progressing and even vanish completely.

uefa.com: Are there any individuals in your side you'd pick out as future stars?

Kalitvintsev: All our players are promising. Their future depends on themselves and on the coaches who should realise their potential. There's often talk about our captain Kyrylo Petrov and our top scorer Dmytro Korkishko, while experts also pay attention to Artur Karnoza, Yevgen Shahov, Dmytro Eremenko and Serhiy Shevchyuk.

uefa.com: This team reached the U17 finals before you left to spend two years with FC Dynamo Kyiv's reserves. Have you noticed any changes since you've returned?

Kalitvintsev: The squad has remained virtually the same, and I stayed in close contact with Yuriy Moroz, who remained part of our coaching staff, so I have plenty of information on the players. Also, eleven regular squad members come from Dynamo; they, together with players from Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk and Shakhtar, form the backbone of this team.