This interview was originally posted on Ukrfootball.ua in Ukrainian and written by Andriy Kaplun
Midfielder Maksym Kucheriavyi, who has represented Ukraine U-21 and Olympic U-23 national teams, has summed up a five-year chapter of his career at Scottish club St. Johnstone.
Maksym Kucheriavyi is a product of Kyiv’s Youth Sports School No. 15. He moved to Scotland at the end of 2020, aged 18. The Ukrainian midfielder spent five seasons within the St. Johnstone structure, a club that played in the Scottish Premiership throughout that period.
He was loaned out three times — to Brechin City, Kelty Hearts, and Falkirk — but from the 2023/24 season became a regular first-team player at St. Johnstone. Unfortunately, in the 2024/25 season, he saw less and less game time for the team which was relegated from the top division.
Kucheriavyi also has international experience: five matches and one goal for Ukraine U-21, and four appearances for the Olympic U-23 team.
During his time in Scotland, Maksym made 47 appearances for St. Johnstone’s first team, scoring three goals and providing one assist. In May 2025, it was announced that Kucheriavyi, along with 20 other players, would leave the club.
— How would you assess the past season?
What prevented St. Johnstone from staying in the Scottish Premiership?
“Honestly, it’s difficult and not entirely fair to assess a season in which I didn’t play a major role. I spent five years at the club, and each of those years was different. In my view, this season’s relegation is the result of the directionthe club had been moving in over the past two or three years. And by “the club,” I mean not just the sporting side, but everything as a whole — the entire interconnected system. But I wouldn’t want to go too deep into that topic.
You may disagree with me, especially since I’ve already left St. Johnstone, but I still have respect for the people working there and I’m simply expressing my own view of the situation, based on my experience after spending five years at the club.”
— After being a regular starter for St. Johnstone in the 2023/24 season, why did you only play six matches last season and not appear in the squad from February to May?
“It’s best to start with the 2023/24 season. By far, it was the most mentally challenging year of my life. And I played 34 matches for the club. I played in almost every game in different positions, and that’s a positive thing — because I believe being versatile is good both for a player and for the team. I reacted very positively to the fact that the coaches knew I could play in various roles, and I’m grateful to them for trusting me and using me in different areas on the pitch.
However, a major obstacle for me was the frequent lack of clarity about what exactly the coach expected from me. I’m always focused on the team’s success and doing everything I can to contribute. And in that context, it’s important for me to understand the coach’s vision — which of my qualities he thinks can help the team the most, whileplaying in a specific role in a specific match — and to align that with how I see myself in that role.
Unfortunately, that clarity was missing.
Looking back, I can say that I lacked communication with the coaching staff. It ended up being a situation where I was playing in every game, but I didn’t feel like I was progressing or learning new things — sometimes I wasn’t even clear about the path I should be taking. On top of that, the team was fighting to avoid relegation the entire season, which certainly didn’t add any positivity.
Even though things didn’t quite “click” between me and the club the way we might have hoped, I was playing regularly, and at a certain point there were talks about extending my contract. I declined. That was a turning point in my relationship with St. Johnstone because I immediately felt a noticeable shift in how I was being treated. It’s hard to explain — it was just a clear feeling that things weren’t the same anymore.”
— How did St. Johnstone respond to your refusal to extend the contract?
“I felt that a lot of dissatisfaction and criticism came my way — some of it justified, some, in my opinion, not.
Eventually, my playing time decreased significantly. When the season ended, it felt like a huge relief, and I was called up to the national team by Ruslan Rotan (Olympic national team U-23 – editor’s note), which helped me feel better after the physical and emotional exhaustion I had gone through.
The club and coaching staff knew I would be away with the national team for nearly three weeks. I requested a customized training plan since St. Johnstone was set to resume practice the day after our final game at the tournament (Maurice Revello Cup in France – editor’s note). They assured me I would get sufficient rest, which I definitely needed — especially for my psychological recovery.
Two days before the team was due back from vacation, no one had yet contacted me, so I reached out to the coaches myself and was told I had to report to the training ground in five days. I couldn’t fully mentally reset — I came back feeling like I was still in that same relegation battle, even though the new season was far from starting.”
— Were there any injuries?
“During pre-season, I picked up an injury and overall was feeling irritable in training — which is not typical for me at all all. At one point, the manager called me in for a conversation and asked if I wanted to stay at the club. I answered honestly: “No.”
Even while I was at the tournament in France, I had asked my agents at the time to start looking for a new club for me, because I knew I didn’t want to go through the same experience again. I also felt that the shift in attitude toward me meant I’d be playing less.”
— What were the conversations like with St. Johnstone’s coaching staff?
“Since I truly believed and hoped that a transfer would happen, I was able to answer the coach honestly, and I believe that was the right decision. The move didn’t materialize — but that’s football, things like that happen. After that conversation with the manager, I understood I wouldn’t be playing anymore, and I was prepared for it.
Even after a new manager arrived (though the previous coaching staff remained), I kept hearing remarks that I was “unhappy at the club.” I appeared in four league matches.
There were injuries or suspensions, and I “filled in.” I was pleasantly surprised when I got the opportunity to play again. After playing a strong full match against Rangers (in which provided an assist – editor’s note), and even receiving praise from the opposing players after the game, I didn’t feature at all in the following match.
It’s hard for me to find any explanation for that other than simply being used as “cover.” Although one person floated a theory that I played three times in January so the club could try to sell me. I won’t comment on that — and at this point, it doesn’t matter anymore.
In January, a lot of new players arrived, including several foreign players, and once they all got their visas, I stopped being included in the squad. Even during training sessions, we had too many players for 11v11, and we had to rotate in and out.”
— Why did 20 players leave St. Johnstone at the end of the 2024/25 season?
“You’d have to ask the club directly. I imagine some players didn’t want to renew their contracts, and in other cases, the club may have decided not to continue the relationship. In any case, I think starting from scratch is the best thing for a club that clearly needs restructuring and a culture shift.”
— Is the club facing financial problems?
“When it comes to finances, the club has always tried to save as much as it could wherever it was possible — that’s been the case throughout my time there. Unfortunately, that approach has led to the result we now see, in my opinion. I hope relegation becomes a launchpad for a reset and helps the club change its culture.
As for players’ wages — we were always paid in full and on time, so I don’t think there are any financial issues.”
— You spent nearly five years in the St. Johnstone system. What are your most vivid memories from that time?
“Over five years, my most vivid memories would be my first year with the team, my full league debut, and our survival in the top division last season (2023/2024 – editor’s note).
In my first year, unfortunately, I wasn’t registered for the season due to an error in the registration request. That was during the pandemic, and we were split into groups of six in the dressing rooms. We had a really great and united group that year, and the experienced players supported and helped me a lot – I’m very grateful to them for that.
The team achieved something incredible by winning both national cups in the 2020/21 season. It’s a shame I wasn’t part of that success, as I was only involved in training sessions, but I learned a lot and truly enjoyed that time.
My first league start came in a match against Celtic – the strongest team in the country. We played really well in that game, but lost after conceding in the 90+4th minute.
It was a great test of my abilities against a high-level team, and the emotions from that match were very positive despite the result. Securing our place in the league two seasons ago brought a huge sense of relief — like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.”
— What feelings do you leave St. Johnstone with?
“Overall, I don’t see my time at St. Johnstone as a bad period. It was a difficult time, but definitely not a bad one.
On the contrary, I’m grateful for all the people and circumstances I encountered during my years in Scotland. Because of them, I gained valuable experience and grew both as a person and a professional.
I came there as a very young player, entering a new environment with a different culture, and I definitely matured and toughened up over that time. Even in the last year, when I wasn’t playing in official matches, there were still positive moments. I was fortunate to meet great people and true professionals with whom I built strong relationships — both on and off the pitch.”
— And what did you learn from those professionals?
“I’ve been working individually with a personal trainer for a long time (who’s now one of my closest friends), and last year I also got to know sports scientists who work with a university in Dundee. I’ve since adapted and combined two different programs into one system that suits me personally.
After training, I send my data to the scientists, and using their own software, they generate charts that track various metrics. From time to time, I visited the university for re-testing. Now I’m able to monitor my progress in areas I didn’t have access to before, and I find it all very fascinating to study.
In addition, I started working with a coach last year, and I feel I’ve made progress in terms of my mental approach too. Last summer, I also consulted a nutritionist for advice, and I still follow many of those recommendations. So while it might seem like I lost a year football-wise, in reality I made solid progress — confirmed by both my physical stats and my mental state.”
— Did you follow Hibernian and their Ukrainian striker Mykola Kuharevych? How would you assess the team’s achievement of winning the bronze medal in the Scottish Premiership? And do you personally keep in touch with Kuharevych?
“Yes, I stay in touch with Mykola and congratulated him on the bronze. Hibs’ season wasn’t as smooth as it might seem — at one point they were near the bottom of the table, but they managed to turn things around. Mykola spoke highly about the team and his role in it, so I’m genuinely happy for him.”
— What are your plans for the future? Do you already have offers from other clubs?
“I won’t share my plans, so no inside information here.”
— And if you received an offer from a club in the Ukrainian Premier League, would you consider it?
“I always consider all offers, including those from Ukraine. I don’t rule out returning to Ukraine at some point in my career, but right now I consider the European direction a priority. The final decision will depend on the offers I receive.”
ZORYA LONDONSK 