You're reading: Blokhin: winning Euro 2012 the main task for Ukraine

Moscow, May 30 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukraine's national football team has set itself the task of winning the European Championship in 2012, which will take place in Poland and Ukraine, Ukraine coach Oleh Blokhin has said.

"The main task for this team is to win Euro 2012. But our first target must be to qualify from the group stage [of Euro 2012]. Of course, we will strive to achieve the maximum, but without completing the first task, the main one is impossible. So we will move step-by-step," Blokhin said in an interview with the official Web site of FIFA.

He said that there were seven or eight favorites, "because all best football teams [in the world] are from Europe, with the exception of Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay."

"France, England, Italy, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands are all traditionally contenders, and Portugal could also become involved in this fight," Blokhin said.

Blokhin said that Ukraine had two upcoming friendly matches against Uzbekistan and France, although "we won’t be able to play those with our strongest squad due to four or five of our players competing in the UEFA U-21 European Championship."

And added that "the next time you see the full-strength Ukraine squad will be in a friendly match on August 10 against Sweden."

He also said that Ukraine would also have a very intensive program in autumn and that it had already agreed away matches with the Czech Republic and Bulgaria, and that it was planned that the team would play Germany on November 11 in the reconstructed Olympic stadium in Kyiv.

Blokhin said that negotiations were also ongoing regarding a match with the world and European champions, Spain.

"First of all, we should work to improve the team’s defense. The midfield and attack worry me less, because I see some promise there even now," Blokhin said.

He also said he counted on the experience of striker Andriy Shevchenko, the best footballer in Europe in 2004.

"He will play an important role in our game plan. But this doesn’t mean that Shevchenko is our key player," Blokhin said.

He said that he was still not thinking about the World Cup in Brazil, which will be held in 2014.

"Let’s wait and see. For the moment, I have a one-year contract and after that we will see what happens.

With the management of the Football Federation of Ukraine, we have decided that if everything goes well, we will find a way to continue our cooperation," he said.