Oleg Sobutsky: "From the Ukrainian Championship to the European Championship"
This year has been significant for veteran football in Ukraine. In the spring, a new team led by Oleh Sobutsky became the helm of the Football Veterans Association of Ukraine, and a strategy for the development and popularization of football among 35-year-old players was developed and implemented.
2017 was the last year for the old scheme of holding championships among veterans, after numerous discussions and study of world experience, the competition system will change dramatically. Our conversation with FFU Vice President, AVFU President Oleh Sobutsky about the new format of the Veterans Championship, the activities of the Ukrainian national team among veterans and the ambitious project to hold the European Championship among veterans.
Ukrainian Championship: three instead of six
- In April, at the AVFU Conference, it was very nice to receive unanimous support from my colleagues. At the same time, it is a great responsibility to lead all veteran football in Ukraine. Championships of Ukraine in different age categories have been held for about two decades, this year we decided not to change the system of competitions, holding them in six age groups, plus two Cups of Ukraine and one Super Cup. At the end of the year, a traditional tournament in memory of Kolotov and Rudakov will take place. At the same time, we had time to analyze the situation in which direction veteran football should move, we studied the experience of other countries. I do not hide, there were very heated discussions, listened to different arguments and points of view. It is good that people are not indifferent to veteran football, they want to develop it. Among the many proposals, they decided to focus on holding the Ukrainian championship in three age categories: 35+, 45+ and 55+. The matches of the latter will take place on half of the standard field. For example, in Spain there is only a 40+ tournament, and the team can involve two players over 35 years. In the end, they chose a compromise option.
- Why not leave the old system to which everyone is accustomed?
- You know, when talking to the chairman of the Association of Veterans of Spain Fernando Garay, I told him about our championship, he smiled and added: "You are a very rich country, if you can hold so many tournaments." The main thing is not the number of championships, but their quality, the presence of participating teams and the competitive level. Growth of mass is our main task, we want it to be three full-fledged tournaments, with representation of all regions of Ukraine. And not as before, when four or six teams competed for the championship.
- In what areas is veteran football the most developed?
- There are several, we can set an example for others. First of all, it is Odessa region, where thanks to the president of the regional federation, vice-president of our association Petro Chilibi an interesting championship is held, and the team "Richelieu" is a regular participant and winner of national and international tournaments. We have a good job in Dnipropetrovsk, Volyn, Cherkasy, Chernivtsi and other regions. At the same time, we see problem regions in which we now pay a lot of attention to working with assets in the field.
- How do you plan to increase the number of participants in the veterans' championship?
- Unfortunately, the situation in football is a direct reflection of the situation in the country. Starting this year, we have canceled the application fees from the participating teams, all costs are borne by the AVFU. We also try to optimize the calendar by reducing transportation and living costs. We work with the heads of regional federations to support veteran teams, communicate with government and business representatives. We have to hold three full-fledged championships, two Cups of Ukraine and a Super Cup next year. From the finals of the competition to create real holidays for fans to come, the media worked. When the football community sees such attention to veteran football, the number of participants will immediately begin to grow, and with it the quality of football.
- The organization of so many tournaments can not be pulled alone, who is part of your team in AVFU?
- I will note people who worked almost from the first day of creation of association: Vladimir Troshkin, Andrey Bibu, Vladimir Muntyan, Vitaly Kulibabenko. Currently, a lot of work is entrusted to Vice Presidents Anatoliy Demyanenko, Petro Chilibi and Serhiy Nagornyak, invaluable support is provided by the first adviser to the FFU President Vasyl Orletsky, famous players and coaches Myron Markevich, Vitaliy Kosovsky, Volodymyr Yezersky. The executive committee of the association consists of 15 authoritative and respected people, each of whom has made a great contribution to national football. The main thing at the first stage was to form a team of like-minded people and professionals who are able to produce ideas and solve problems.
The team of legends is the decoration of our football
- For almost two years of existence, the national team of Ukraine among veterans has visited almost all corners of Ukraine, held many matches abroad. Are the tasks set before her during the inauguration fulfilled?
- The national team took place, and this is the main thing. Today it is a large team, which includes hundreds of our outstanding players aged 36 to 67, an authoritative coaching staff led by Anatoly Demyanenko and Vladimir Lozynsky, service staff… In 2016, the team played 38 matches, in the current will be more than forty. But not to play as many matches as possible is our main priority, and to give the veterans the opportunity to meet again, and the spectators to enjoy their high skill. Admission to the national team match is free, each time we prepare small gifts for the spectators. We are trying to turn the game into a real show together with the organizers on the ground. If you take the attendance, it is not much different from our Premier League.
In Uzhgorod, for example, the match of veterans of Ukraine and Hungary, dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the first game of the national team of Ukraine, was attended by more than seven thousand spectators. There were five each in Kyiv and Uman in our matches with the star national teams of Georgia and Israel. The stadiums in Shepetivka are full of playing with veterans of the once famous Tempo, in Volochysk, Novohrad-Volynskyi, Berehove, Berdychiv, Khmelnytskyi ...
In less than two years, the veterans' team has become a full-fledged unit on the football map of Ukraine, we will have matches this year as well - we are preparing for the representative tournament "Cup of Legends" in the American city of Tampa. Last year we became its winners, then the competition was hosted by Chicago, we will try to repeat the success this time as well. A representative tournament in memory of David Petriashvili is scheduled for January 14 in the capital of Georgia, and on January 20 we will go to the other side of the Atlantic, to South America. Two games are planned in Brazil, after which we will fly to Argentina, where there will also be interesting matches. In parallel, we are forming an all-Ukrainian calendar of games for the competitive cycle of 2018, there are a lot of applications and calls from the regions, people are inviting, happy to see everywhere. Unlike other veteran teams, we travel absolutely free of charge, emphasizing our main goal everywhere - to promote the establishment of peace in Ukraine as soon as possible, to help the military in the anti-terrorist operation zone.
- By the way, just from the east of Ukraine the national team recently returned…
- Yes, this was our ninth visit to the anti-terrorist operation zone recently, this time we played matches in Starobilsk and Novoaydar. In the Luhansk region we were well received, in addition to football, we had a busy program with the military - everyone was presented with a gift, had dinner together, staying in the barracks for the night. It is said that our football stars are used to 5-star hotels, go through the conditions. Probably, the young generation is like that, and we thank the army once again for a wonderful reception. We hope to return to the east again soon, it feels like this is a very football region, earlier in the major leagues from Donetsk and Luhansk regions to play four or five teams. We pay attention to the military in other parts of Ukraine. In Ochakovo they played with the national team of the Armed Forces, in Vinnytsia - with the special forces, in Vyshneve - with the winner of the Cup of Heroes of the Anti-Terrorist Operation - FC "Presidential Regiment". Football allows guys to switch, forget about difficult military everyday life.
- Today the national team has a win-win series lasting six months. Is playing for the victory another task set for the team?
- See for yourself when so many big names appear on the field at the same time, what else should be the score on the scoreboard? Rivals give a real fight, sometimes together with local veterans release against us young players from the regional championship. We try to treat this with understanding, because everyone wants to write their name in history, to go against Kosovsky, Yezersky, Nazarenko or Shevchuk. From the sports point of view, the tournament in memory of David Petriashvili in Tbilisi was remembered - in the group we were ahead of the national teams of Azerbaijan and Spain, in the semifinals we defeated Turkey. And only in the final in the last minutes they lost to the hosts, the national team of Georgia. Each of the rivals included the best players, national legends. The Spaniards have Sergi Barhuan, Marcus Senna, Joan Capdevilla, Jose Amavisca, the Georgians have Levan Kobiashvili, Georgy Demetradze, Alexander Iashvili, David Mujiri ...
Not surprisingly, the stands of the arena in Tbilisi were completely filled with spectators. This year we have already visited Spain twice, where we are very well received, including the Ukrainian diaspora. As I have already said, a team of veterans has been set up at every professional club in this country, and we have already met four of them - Sevilla, Betis, Valencia and Villarreal. Their level is very serious, our players and coaches note the thoroughness with which the Spaniards approach veteran football.
- You said that the team includes up to hundreds of players. How do you choose the best among them?
- This is the prerogative of the coaching staff - Anatoly Demyanenko and Vladimir Lozynsky. They have great authority in the football environment, we trust them completely. In order for as many of our stars as possible to feel the game tone again, deserve applause from the fans, make replacements, vary the lineup. If someone refuses to go to a match, it is due to injury or employment.
European Championship: from dream to realization
- You recently spoke about a very ambitious idea to hold the European Championship among veterans. What will it be and at what stage of implementation?
- We all know that UEFA has been holding the European Championship among national teams for many years, as well as youth, youth, women's ... Association of Football Veterans of Ukraine, with the full support of the Football Federation of Ukraine and in particular Andriy Pavelko, Vadym Kostyuchenko, Yuriy Zapisotsky , went to UEFA with a proposal to hold the championship among veterans. We now need the support of other European countries to submit a formal application. During the year they held many meetings, talked, gave arguments. At present, there is an understanding that such a championship is needed by almost twenty countries - Spain, Hungary, Israel, Georgia ...
Recently negotiated with the English Football Association, they also support the idea. Here I have to mention the great work of our friend, the famous football agent Shandor Varga, who, thanks to his authority and connections, has the opportunity to negotiate with the leaders of national federations. He also had a wonderful relationship with the chairman of the Spanish Veterans Association, Fernando Garay. He is our lobbyist in the good sense of the word in Western Europe.
- What are the next steps when you can expect the first reaction from UEFA?
- In words, UEFA leaders are in favor, but they need specific letters from national federations in support of this project. It is no secret that many "Universiades" or "World Games" are held in Europe and around the world, where veteran teams compete. These tournaments are prestigious but unofficial, some of them are one-day, others are held more regularly. Our goal is for UEFA, with its vast experience in organizing continental tournaments, to also host the European Veterans Championship. Depending on the number of participants, there will probably be first qualifying groups, and then the final tournament.
- Ukraine rarely initiates any innovations at the European level, is veteran football the direction where we can lead the movement?
- We would also like to think so, but we still have a lot of work to do. First of all, over the mass of veteran football, so that local federations hold their championships in each region or district, and the culmination of this process would be all-Ukrainian tournaments with as many participants as possible. For example, as in Spain, with the experience of which we had the opportunity to get acquainted and try to implement the best examples in Ukraine. There are 56 veteran teams, most of which exist at professional clubs. At first, they play in four geographical zones, and the best go to the final round. The games are held in stadiums with stands, spectators come, there is television, the press, interest from sponsors ... This is what we have to go for, although it is difficult to compare the economic situation in our countries.
- When will the first European Championship take place?
- At the moment I can't name the exact date, we are working hard. Every week members of our team meet with representatives of national federations of European countries, we finalize the offer. We would like to hold it next year, but there is little time left. UEFA is a conservative organization, but if it takes on the championship, it will be serious and lasting. Maybe we will start in 2019, when we will pass all the organizational stages. We will work hard, step by step approaching the goal.
