Shakhtar goalkeeping coach Dennis Gentenar spoke about his role in the headquarters, work with the Pitmen’s young goalkeepers and tasks for the season.
– Dennis, we continue to introduce our fans to the new coaching staff. Can you say a few words about yourself?
– My name is Dennis Gentenar, I’m from the Netherlands. Previously played for NEK (Nijmegen), Borussia Dortmund, Ajax Amsterdam, VVV-Venlo, Almere City and ended his career in his hometown – in NEK (Nijmegen). Subsequently, he became a goalkeeping coach – first at an amateur level, and then at the Ajax youth academy. Then he moved to Abu Dhabi to work at Al Wahdi, then moved to Maccabi (Tel Aviv), where I was in a team with Patrick van Leeuwen. And now I’m here at Shakhtar.
– How did you get an offer to join Shakhtar?
– Patrick told me that he was going to move to Shakhtar and asked if I wanted to join. I thought, talked, of course, with my family about it. I think that Shakhtar is a very good and big club that plays in the Champions League almost every year. So for me, from a sporting point of view, it was easy to decide.
– What are the duties in the coaching staff?
– Of course, as a goalkeeping coach, my area of responsibility is goalkeepers. I will also work together with Andriy Pyatov, which is very nice.
– Andriy Pyatov is a Shakhtar legend. What can you say about him and have you followed his playing career?
– I know that he played for Shakhtar for many years. A few years ago, Maccabi and I played against the Pitmen in the Europa League and crossed paths there. Since Shakhtar played in the Champions League, I saw their game and paid attention to the goalkeepers. It’s an honor to work with a club legend now, and it’s also good because we can combine our goalkeeping experience and pass it on to young goalkeepers.
– What can you say about Andrei’s coaching potential?
“His ability to speak naturally and directly to goalkeepers during training will help him transition easily from goalkeeping to coaching.
– Now Shakhtar has both young and experienced goalkeepers. What is their level?
– We have experienced goalkeepers, of course, but they are all young. They have great potential and are very hardworking. Let’s see. We are still in the off-season and working with them.
What are your goals for working with children?
– Like every coach, the goal is to make your players or goalkeepers better, to help them develop and progress. We want to help them become the best.
– What can you say about the current Shakhtar?
– The style of play that we want to see will be different from the previous one, so we should continue to work on it, so that later the players feel that this is their own style and that they should play like that.
