A rather unexpected invitation for journalists to attend Valery Lobanovsky’s press conference at the Dynamo Koncha- Zaspa base near Kyiv intrigued many a soccer fan. The Dynamo and national team coach was expected to say something sensational or even announce the replacement of some coaches and players. And only those who know the Dynamo coach perfectly were surprisingly calm: Lobanovsky is not prone to shocking the press with sweeping statements.
Thus to make it more interesting to read about a meeting with this country’s chief coach, let us divide this article into two parts. The first will deal with what we heard from Mr. Lobanovsky and the second with what we would like to discuss with such an experienced expert. You can, of course, say that nobody kept us from discussing things at Koncha-Zaspa. The point is to ask more than two questions in the presence of several dozens of your colleagues is a sign of bad manners. So let us begin with the first part and try to single out facts proper and, pardon me, comments from the almost two- hour-long conversation between Lobanovsky and the press.
Here is the assessment of Dynamo’s performance in the Champions League: you cannot always win, playing to such a tight schedule; the team was destined to lose sooner or later.
Here comes the opinion about the lack of effort on the part of some players: this was really so, but, instead of jumping to conclusions, one must find out what caused this in each specific case.
The assessment of the club’s prospects in the next game against Manchester United: there is always a chance to win, but this time Dynamo is on the downside.
On the problem of Dynamo’s “internalization”: if we fail to find players of an adequate level in Ukraine, we will seek them abroad.
On the national championship’s level and need for any changes: the level is adequate, there is no need of any radical changes.
On the possibility of infusing fresh blood into Dynamo: there are several halfbacks under consideration, but it is too early to name names.
On the poor performance of forwards Shatskykh and Demetradze: both players have an ample potential, but, for various reasons, they failed to use it at the right moment.
On preparation for the next season: we plan to play in a Cyprus tournament and hold several training sessions.
On what caused the thin attendance of Dynamo matches in Kyiv: no one knows what more can be done when even Real and Bayern fail to draw full stadiums. Ticket prices is no problem: look at Portugal, where the fan is ready to shell out almost a fourth of his wages for a soccer ticket.
Perhaps I have not mentioned all the answers, but you will agree that all Mr. Lobanovsky said had been nicely expressed by him in two flash televised interviews after the defeats in Brussels and Kyiv. No one denies that Mr. Lobanovsky is a competent specialist in his line and knows how to defend his own views about how the team should play and soccer should develop. No doubt, he understands this, which his desire to communicate with the press only confirms, but this was only the first step, so I will let myself cut short the list of predetermined answers and go on to the second part of the article dealing with what we failed this time to discuss thoroughly.
The first question is competence. It is for almost thirty years that Mr. Lobanovsky has resorted to reproaching journalists for incompetence as the ultimo ratio in his polemics with the press. To his mind, only experts, which journalists certainly are not, have the right to write. This seems to be a dubious reproach, for nobody suggests that Lobanovsky should write: each to his own trade.
On the other hand, should we have the chance to meet regularly our most highly respected coach, we could perhaps ask him the questions he cannot or does not want to hear. So let us start.
Question one. Don’t you think that to complain about Dynamo players’ fatigue is putting it on a little thick? Suffice it to look at the match schedule of the Kyivans’ Eurocup rivals to see that it is their, not our, sides that are supposed to get tired, because they constantly play in extremely tense national championship and cup games, without postponing these at one’s own discretion.
Question two. Do you think the training methods the Dynamo club currently employs are not irreproachable? Is it not too expensive now to keep a talented player on the second string, when he can play, earn money, and entertain the fans, even if in a different club?
Question three. Is journalistic criticism really nothing but “slander and mudslinging?” Or perhaps journalists in this way really want to help and point to what the coach cannot see from his bench?
Question four. Is our chief coach prepared to see some other city, not Kyiv, as the center of Ukrainian soccer, just like the center of Soviet soccer once shifted from Moscow to Kyiv?
Question five. Can Dynamo set itself the job to not only achieve a good result but also show a true spectacle in every match they play, which will then draw audiences irrespective of whether our side won or lost?
We could ask Valery Lobanovsky many more questions that have accumulated over so many years, but questions without answers are not interesting. Let us hope Mr. Lobanovsky’s retort “not a chance!” he hurled during the latest press conference does not apply to future meetings with journalists.
