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Shakhtar Donetsk president Rinat Akhmetov has called for major changes in the structure of Ukrainian football.
Akhmetov was speaking after his club's defeat to arch-rivals Dynamo Kiev on Monday, in a contest that saw Shakhtar coach Mircea Lucescu bring into question the referee's suitability to officiate a game of such magnitude.
Of the same opinion as his coach, after a game in which four red cards were dealt, Akhmetov believes referee Paulo Gomes was a wholly unsuitable choice.
"I do not believe the referee was capable. He provoked too much emotion on the pitch," Akhmetov argued.
Akhmetov went on to express his concern that a conflict of interest was occuring domestically, as Hrihory Surkis is currently acting as Ukrainian Soccer Federation boss while his brother, Ihor, is Dynamo's president.
"There is a problem within the system of Ukrainian soccer, where a club president and federation president amount to one and the same person," he added.
"This does not happen in any other country. It is a conflict of interest.
"We have to fight against this. This is what Lucescu was talking about. And I have also repeatedly spoken about it."
Meanwhile, Akhmetov has moved to reject talk that has suggested he is lining up Christoph Daum as a replacement for Lucescu - who has come under pressure following Shakhtar's indifferent start to the campaign.
"I get the impression that the leadership of Dynamo is itching to see me fire Mircea Lucescu. Well, I am going to disappoint them.
"Lucescu will remain in Donetsk until the end of his contract. And that means another three years."
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You've got to love Sky Sports... "indifferent start to the campain" being 9 wins, 2 draws and just the 2 loses - both of which in just over the last 2 weeks. *sigh*
Akhmetov was speaking after his club's defeat to arch-rivals Dynamo Kiev on Monday, in a contest that saw Shakhtar coach Mircea Lucescu bring into question the referee's suitability to officiate a game of such magnitude.
Of the same opinion as his coach, after a game in which four red cards were dealt, Akhmetov believes referee Paulo Gomes was a wholly unsuitable choice.
"I do not believe the referee was capable. He provoked too much emotion on the pitch," Akhmetov argued.
Akhmetov went on to express his concern that a conflict of interest was occuring domestically, as Hrihory Surkis is currently acting as Ukrainian Soccer Federation boss while his brother, Ihor, is Dynamo's president.
"There is a problem within the system of Ukrainian soccer, where a club president and federation president amount to one and the same person," he added.
"This does not happen in any other country. It is a conflict of interest.
"We have to fight against this. This is what Lucescu was talking about. And I have also repeatedly spoken about it."
Meanwhile, Akhmetov has moved to reject talk that has suggested he is lining up Christoph Daum as a replacement for Lucescu - who has come under pressure following Shakhtar's indifferent start to the campaign.
"I get the impression that the leadership of Dynamo is itching to see me fire Mircea Lucescu. Well, I am going to disappoint them.
"Lucescu will remain in Donetsk until the end of his contract. And that means another three years."
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You've got to love Sky Sports... "indifferent start to the campain" being 9 wins, 2 draws and just the 2 loses - both of which in just over the last 2 weeks. *sigh*
