"Dnipro-1" published an official statement regarding the transfer of Ihor Jovichevich to Shakhtar.
Dario Srna and Ihor Jovichevich. Photo: shakhtar.com"Nepoštovanje i izdaja from Jovičević and the double standards of FC Shakhtar
"Dnipro-1" has always declared its full commitment to the principles of Fair Play: we stand for the development of football on the basis of mutual respect, transparency and openness. At the same time, we believe that most conflict situations can be settled through negotiations, but under the conditions that the parties do not hold a stone in their bosom and observe elementary ethical standards. The common term "our big football family" is not a cliché for us, but a base from which we start in our relations with everyone related to football. However, in the current situation with the former coach, the proverb about "there's not a freak in the family" is being mentioned more and more often.
Here are some facts that have happened in recent months:
- Shortly after the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, it became clear that the 2021/2022 UPL competitive season would not be completed. The places of the clubs in the UPL tournament table were approved based on the results of the last round of the Championship played before the war;
- In March 2022, FIFA approved Annex No. 7 to the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players, under which, unless otherwise agreed between the parties, contracts with foreigners are automatically suspended until 30 June 2022. Appendix No. 7 is an exceptional measure that was intended to help Ukrainian clubs to unload salary information, and foreign coaches/football players to have the opportunity to get a job. In the conditions of the suspension of the championship, at first it seemed that this was not the worst option;
- Dnipro-1 focused on charitable activities, helping the Armed Forces and affected citizens, simultaneously working out with the UAF and UPL all possible scenarios for the resumption of the competition;
- In turn, Jovichevich, being abroad with his family after the start of the war, in telephone conversations with the management stated his intentions to continue working with Dnipro-1 in the new competitive season;
- The coach has repeatedly made similar statements in public. In particular, on May 27, in an interview, he stated the following: "My contract with Dnipro-1 is still valid, and I see myself as the coach of this club in the future as well. Since it all started, I've had a lot of offers, people calling me all the time, but I've turned them all down, and I'll keep turning them down. I can't just leave like that, it would be unfair to those people, to the club, to everything that Ukrainians are going through, I'm not that kind of person. My thoughts and my heart are with them, I believe that soon we will be together again, playing football and picking up where we left off. I'm not thinking about leaving the club yet. Of course, if all this, God forbid, continues, then I will see what happens, but now I am definitely the coach of Dnipro-1 and I want to stay";
- As of the end of May, there was complete uncertainty about the 2022/2023 UPL Championship - it was not clear whether it would be held at all and, if so, in what format, where exactly and how the safety of the participants of the competition would be ensured.
Jovichevich communicates with the management of Dnipro-1 and assures of his readiness to remain the coach of the main team of the Club for the next competitive season 2022/2023, if a decision is made to hold the Championship abroad or partially - in Western Ukraine, in a safe place;
- On May 27, 2022, at the UPL General Meeting, a unanimous decision was made regarding the need to resume the competition, although at that time it was not yet possible to reach a final understanding where it will be held - in Ukraine or abroad.
Meanwhile: De Derby is ready to stay with Shakhtar on the condition that the UPL championship will be held abroad. The miner "probes the ground" for a plan "B" in the event of the entry of De Derby - begins to negotiate with Jovićević;
- The beginning of June 2022 - Jovichevich communicates with the management of Dnipro-1 and asks to give him the right to choose: to stay in the team or to leave - depending on where and in what format the educational and training meetings (NTZ) and the UPL Championship will be held. Dnipro-1 treats the situation with understanding and, until the moment of certainty with the venue and format of the UPL Championship, postpones the activation of the option of unilateral extension of the contract with the coach, which Jovichevich and Dnipro-1 provided for in the contract.
Meanwhile: Plan B continues to be in development - Shakhtar in talks with Jovicevich;
- June 6, 2022 - information appears regarding Jovicevich's negotiations with Shakhtar. The coach assures the management of Dnipro-1 that the information is fake and that he is not conducting any negotiations with Shakhtar, on the contrary, he is preparing to host the Dnipro-1 team in the new competitive season. At the same time, Dnipro-1 asks to provide the most comfortable and favorable conditions for continuing work in the new competitive season.
Meanwhile: Shakhtar in talks with Jovicevich;
- Dnipro-1 started intensive consultations with Jovichevich on the pretext of preparing for the new competitive season: to meet the coach's needs, he was asked to decide on the country, place and schedule of NTZ and home matches. Jovichevich asks for time to study all possible options. During the next 10 days, the Club's management was engaged in working out and agreeing with Jovicevich on all organizational, technical, household, sports and legal issues related to the possible temporary relocation of the team abroad and the holding of Europa League matches there.
Meanwhile: Shakhtar in talks with Jovicevich;
- On June 10, 2022, information appears that the effect of Appendix No. 7 will be extended until June 30, 2023, that is, if the parties (foreign football player/coach and Ukrainian club) do not agree otherwise by June 30, 2022 by mutual consent, the effect their contracts will be suspended from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023.
In the meantime: Shakhtar continues negotiations with Jovicevich, because in the event of the UPL championship being held in Ukraine, De Dzerby will have the opportunity to leave Shakhtar;
- The venue of the UPL Championship has not been finally decided, the option of holding the first round of the Championship outside the border for teams participating in the Champions League and Europa League is being discussed. Dnipro-1 continues to organize comfortable conditions for Jovichevich's work with the main team in the new competitive season.
Meanwhile: Jovicevich continues talks with Shakhtar. The fate of De Dzerby in Shakhtar is not decided, so Jovicevich is trying to increase his soft spot without surgery and unnecessary hesitation, sitting on two chairs at the same time: 1) to show love and devotion to Dnipro-1, assuring his readiness to lead the main team of the Club - on if De Derby stays at Shakhtar; 2) show your love and loyalty to Shakhtar, in case De Derby leaves the miners;
- June 15, 2022 - Jovichevich communicates with the Honorary President of Dnipro-1 Yury Bereza and once again assures that he intends to lead Dnipro-1 in the 2022/2023 season;
Meanwhile: Shakhtar continue talks with Jovićević;
- June 17, 2022 - Dnipro-1 satisfied all the wishes of Jovichevich regarding the organization of NTZ in Slovenia and home matches in Uzhhorod; the coach must give the final answer to Dnipro-1. Jovicevich is in contact with the Club's management, "shakes hands" and expresses his full readiness to lead the Club. After waiting for the final confirmation from Jovichevich, Dnipro-1 will activate the unilateral option of the Club and extend the contract with the coach for the 2022/2023 season, with a salary increase of 1/3.
Meanwhile: Shakhtar continue talks with Jovićević;
- After June 17, 2022, Jovichevich "disappears from the radar" - he stops answering the calls of the Honorary President of Dnipro-1 Yury Bereza, and in text messages to Andrii Rusola, he motivates his disappearance with employment and promises to contact him in the near future.
Meanwhile: Shakhtar continue talks with Jovićević;
- On June 20, 2022, Appendix No. 7 to the updated FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players enters into force, according to which, unless otherwise mutually agreed by the parties (foreign football player/coach and Ukrainian club) by June 30, 2022, contracts with Ukrainian suspended by clubs until 30.06.2023;
Meanwhile, it becomes clear that:
1) there are no options under which the UPL Championship will be held abroad.
2) Where Derby will not stay in Shakhtar.
3) if by June 30, 2022, Jovichevich and Dnipro-1 do not mutually agree otherwise, the club's contract with the coach will be automatically suspended until June 30, 2023;
- On June 23, 2022, Dario Srna calls Andrii Rusol with information that Jovicevich will lead Shakhtar, and receives a reply that Jovicevich's contract with Dnipro-1 has been extended for another season. Dario is genuinely surprised and promises to call back, which never happened.
In the meantime: Jovichevich communicates with Rusol and tries to assure that he just received the contract from Shakhtar in his e-mail, he did not conduct any negotiations with the "miners" before that, and now he is thinking about what decision was made.
Palkin makes a passionate comment about dissatisfaction with new FIFA rules.
- On June 28, 2022, information appears in the public domain that Shakhtar used Addendum No. 7, took Jovichevich without the consent of Dnipro-1 and did not pay for him;
- On June 29, 2022, 4 days before the start of the NTZ of the main team of Dnipro-1 in Slovenia, Jovicevich sends a letter to the Club and informs that after June 30, 2022, he does not consider himself bound by labor relations with Dnipro-1;
- On July 4, 2022, Dnipro-1 started NTZ in Slovenia, as agreed with Jovicevich, but WITHOUT a coach.
- On 11 July 2022, De Derby officially leaves Shakhtar. On July 14, 2022, Jovićević officially became the head of Shakhtar.
Fans and the entire football community can draw their own conclusions.
The conclusion of Dnipro-1 is unequivocal and indisputable: war is a kind of litmus test that reveals in people those traits that they sometimes manage to hide in peacetime.
It was not the first time that Shakhtar showed that the club still has principles - Shakhtar was fundamentally impressed by the concepts of "mutual respect", "transparency" and "sincerity" in relations between football entities, and "we are for double standards" could become a new the main slogan of the Donetsk club.
Jovicevich showed himself as a real mole, and even long before his presentation as the head coach of Shakhtar.
But, as they say in Ukraine, "everything that is not done is for the best." Now the confrontation between Dnipro-1 and Shakhtar is reaching a fundamentally new level, which will definitely only benefit Ukrainian football.
Everything will be Ukraine. Everything will be Dnipro-1.
*Nepoštovanje i izdaja (Croatian) - disrespect and betrayal
