Kondratyev names trusted Belarus squad for finals
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
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Georgi Kondratyev set his sights on a semi-final spot after naming a 23-man squad of players "I trust and who won't let me down" for the UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Denmark.
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Coach Georgi Kondratyev has drawn on a tried-and-trusted group of players in his 23-man squad for this month's UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Denmark.
Four senior internationals feature in Kondratyev's party – while Yegor Filipenko, Mikhail Sivakov and Denis Polyakov are already part of the squad, Andrei Voronkov will join up with the U21s following Friday's UEFA EURO 2012 qualifier against France.
"Do not ask me why I called this player and haven't called another," said Kondratyev. "I have chosen the players I trust, the players who were with me in difficult situations and who would never let me down. The decision is made and I ask you to respect it." Belarus kick off their Group A campaign against Iceland on 11 June, with fixtures against Denmark and Switzerland to follow.
"We know virtually everything about our opponents," added the coach. "We followed Iceland more closely than the others, while Denmark have serious ambitions ahead of the finals. They have solid players who have already made their bow in the senior squad. As for our task, we will fight for a ticket to the London Olympics [via qualification from the group]."
Belarus squad
Goalkeepers: Aleksandr Gutor (FC BATE Borisov), Dmitri Guschenko (FC Vitebsk), Artyom Gomelko (FC Lokomotiv Moskva).
Defenders: Oleg Veretilo (FC Dinamo Minsk), Denis Polyakov (FC Shakhtyor Soligorsk), Yegor Filipenko (FC BATE Borisov), Sergei Politevich (FC Dinamo Minsk), Sergei Matveychik (FC Gomel), Evgeni Savostyanov (FC Neman Grodno), Yuri Ostroukh (FC Vedrich-97 Rechitsa), Yuri Ryzhko (FC Torpedo Zhodino), Vitali Gayduchik (FC Dinamo Brest).
Midfielders: Stanislav Dragun (FC Dinamo Minsk), Dmitri Baga (FC BATE Borisov), Mikhail Sivakov (Wisła Kraków), Nikita Bukatkin (FC Naftan Novopolotsk), Pavel Nekhaychik (FC BATE Borisov), Dmitri Rekish (KSP Polonia Warszawa), Mikhail Gordeychuk (FC BATE Borisov).
Forwards: Maksim Skavysh (FC BATE Borisov), Vladimir Yurchenko (FC Shakhtyor Soligorsk), Andrei Voronkov (FC Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih), Vladimir Khvoshchynski (FC Dinamo Brest).
