Football media focus last week was almost entirely in Ukraine on the so-called "meeting at the House of Football", which was arranged for some journalists by the head of UAF Andriy Pavelko.
Sports media workers have been waiting for his press conference for more than five years. And when in the end they had the opportunity to discuss pressing issues regarding the situation in the country's football economy, it seemed that all the participants of the proposed conversation should count on a certain frankness.
However, as it turned out, these hopes were in vain. After all, the plans of the organizers of the "meeting" and the vast majority of media representatives had diametrically opposite goals...
Filtration measures of the House of Football
A few days before the start of the event, it became known that a "warm informational bath" was being prepared for A. Pavelka, so that the current owner of the House of Football could avoid hot questions and unwanted topics for him.
"On the eve of the so-called meeting (the format of the event was not clearly defined), several well-known media persons and all-Ukrainian information resources were refused accreditation for the event under various pretexts. This proves that Andriy Pavelko's "going out into the world" is more of a propaganda event, which was planned to be carried out in a favorable direction for him, whitewashing the activities of the UAF president even in those cases that are now under investigation", journalists predicted in advance Tsn.ua (24.01.23).
And, indeed, it looked like that - either because of the wartime period, or because of his status as a figure in several criminal cases, released on multimillion-dollar bail, or for some other reasons - but the current head of the federation and his assistants did everything to minimize a stream of potentially awkward questions at you.
Real filtering procedures were applied to representatives of the press - only verified persons loyal to Pavelko, determined to be correct from the point of view of the UAF administration, and image-oriented in terms of the content of the PR question, were accredited for the announced media event (with a few exceptions).
Among the unwanted guests was the editors of "TSN", which refused to receive accreditation. The reason announced by the press service of the UAF - that television is not planned for this event and is already accredited by the media holding "1+1" - was called "purely formal" by the news service.
At the same time, Kostyantyn Andriyuk, a popular journalist and one of the fiercest opponents of the UAF president in the media field, was rejected for the reason that... he is not a journalist at all.
At least, this is the opinion of Oleksandr Glyvinsky, the current press attaché of the UAF and part-time head of the Association of Sports Journalists of Ukraine. (He will especially emphasize the last circumstance already during the "meeting of the chosen ones", bringing to the audience his own vision of the modern mission of the sports press, in particular, regarding the coverage of A. Pavelko's activities).
Therefore, it is not surprising that such filtering activities of the federation caused quite natural indignation on the part of the press. Some Ukrainian sports media and individual journalists even boycotted the event.
In particular, she showed solidarity with Tribune colleagues. The editors of the popular publication also refused the meeting and accreditation for it:
"On January 24, an event with the president of the Ukrainian Football Association, Andriy Pavelko, will be held in Kyiv. It was initiated by the UAF and called the event "meeting with the president of the UAF" (not a press conference, not a briefing) and announced accreditation. We emphasize that no one was informed about the format of the meeting, no time frame was set. It was not indicated whether there would be an opportunity to ask questions to the head of the UAF, etc.
It is already known that several journalists did not receive accreditation for the event. Among them is the publication "1+1" and journalist Kostyantyn Andriyuk. We have no doubt that the reason for these refusals is another attempt to censor the information field.
We respect any decisions of journalists from other publications - whether to go to a meeting with Pavelko or not. However, we will not take part in this, despite the fact that Tribuna.com reporter Iryna Kozyupa received accreditation.
If your "meeting" format involves a question, then we are ready to hear the answer from Andriy Pavelek: what should happen for you to finally leave Ukrainian football?» (Tribuna.com, 01/23/23).
In this light of events, the dinner table conversation with A. Pavelko in advance lost any practical meaning. In the end, 17 journalists came to meet with Pavelko, and three of them were full-time employees of UAF!
That is, in fact, only 14 people were interested in the opportunity to talk with the head of the national federation, so to speak, live - after five years of hiding him in the online productions for viewers of the former "Big Football".
By the way, yesterday's "great football players" Oleksandr Denisov and Igor Burbas were not only included in this group of 14 people, but, as evidenced by the photos from the event held on January 24, together with the full-time employees of the UAF, they still choose the closest places to Pavelka
Puppets and Football Circus
The vast majority of journalists agreed that the conversation with the current "owner of the football bunker" turned out to be "frankly shameful."
Thus, Vitaly Volochai, a commentator on Setanta Sports, Megogo, and "Suspilne Sport" television channels, without holding back his emotions, noted that he was disappointed by the behavior of his colleagues, some of whom, in his opinion, tried to create "friendly conditions" for the head of the UAF.
"I don't even know what's worse, the show or the clowns that were part of it... It's a shame". (Champion.com.ua, 25.01.23).
Kostyantyn Andriyuk also talks about the circus act by A. Pavelka, commenting on the answer to his question, which some of those present at the meeting were able to convey to the official.
"Friends, this is just a circus! I asked Pavel directly: "How many fields did the artificial fields plant in Kramatorsk build from May 2020 to February 24, 2022?" The person talked about the ECHR for 15 minutes and then stated: "I am not responsible for the factory in Kramatorsk." It's for them to answer."
Therefore! When the plant started in Kyiv, Pavelko commented on everything! When Ceferin came there, Pavelko came there and commented on everything. And as soon as the plant moved to Kramatorsk... EVERYTHING! Pavelko is no longer responsible for this! Easy? And when I predicted that he would not have an answer to this question, Pavelko declared: "This is Andriyuk's face", the observer wrote in his Telegram channel. (T.me/andriyukk, 24.01.23).
And Roman Bebeh, who was present in the hall, even repeatedly forced the press secretary of UAF Glyvinskyi to lower the level of discussion between the journalist and his boss, who avoided very uncomfortable questions as much as possible. Later, the author of the Bombardier YouTube channel will share his impressions of the meeting on the social network.
"Andriy Vasyliovych Pavelko was not impressed by anything. In his style, he migrated between lines, rarely answering specific questions. For example, how many fields did the UAF artificial field factory make between 2020 and full-scale war? — This question is not for me! — And to whom then?!
What did he do in terms of documents, not words, to defend Ukrainian interests at the UEFA and FIFA levels since February 24?! Why continue to extend contracts with Italian curators of referees, if there is no result? We did not hear the answers. It was especially funny when Pavelko said that in the house shown on 1+1 (Pavelko's house), several families related to my mother lived. I love such stories... I felt that Vasylovich realized that there were changes in the office of the president and it was time to launch a counterattack", R. Bebekh's Telegram channel "Bomber" (24.01.23).
Due to the reluctance of the UAF chairman to give specific answers and his not always correct statements about other persons, several attendees tried to leave the premises. However, the moderators managed to silence the scandal.
"...And that for me personally is the most shocking. When an adult person knowingly falsifies the name of another person, especially if he likes his father, doing it exclusively for the purpose of insulting, this speaks of his high culture and Einsteinian intelligence. I feel sorry for our country and our football, that he was the first to lead the budget committee, and football is still led by such a misunderstanding.
For me, Pavelko remains the coronavirus of our football - because the crown on his head is not too big, but how much damage he has done - not even a single virus can handle it!"- summarized Andriy Shakhov, deputy editor-in-chief of the weekly "Football" after watching this action, in a column on Fraza.com (27.01.23).
Resonance from the press, clubs, court...
Yuriy Sviridov, director of strategic development of Shakhtar FC, also publicly expressed his indignation with one of A. Pavelka's answers. When it came to the dispute between his club and FIFA regarding the loss of legionnaires' miners, the UAF president was asked why there was no help from his side to our clubs.
He replied that he tried to find a compromise, but it did not happen. In his turn, Sviridov appreciated the "efforts" of the head of the national federation on the pages of Tribune.
"I believe that during all 8 years of his leadership, football in the country is not developing, but is degrading. There is no transparency, no strategic vision, no projects, no leadership in football. Football is used as a tool to emphasize status, own PR and solve political issues, states sadly Sviridov.
— We do not know how much money UAF received from UEFA and FIFA and where it was spent. There is no open access annual development report on the UAF website. There is also no development strategy. In general, no numbers and statistics that would show where we are going from and where we are going. By the way, there is currently no coach for the men's national team.
...There is no strategy, no dynamics and no transparency. There is a drop in ratings next to a bunch of all kinds of scandals. This is a statement of facts without unnecessary emotions, accusations and insulting epithets addressed to Mr. Pavelko.
...If someone thinks that he owns football in the country, he is very mistaken. We must take care of the development of the game for the next generations, pass on the love of football to our children. And I sincerely believe that Mr. Pavelko and his team are people who do not care about football and cannot convey anything useful.
Eight years of the board have well demonstrated the capabilities of the current head of the UAF. These possibilities are extremely limited, so I think there is no point in continuing. The best thing that Pavelko can do for Ukrainian football at the moment is to leave, taking the whole team and his entourage with him. For a better future". (Ua.tribuna.com, 25.01.23).
So, at the club level, certain conclusions are already being drawn regarding the professional inactivity and fiscal antics of the head of the UAF... And in social networks and comments, his person is generally subjected to devastating criticism, sometimes not choosing expressions and words.
"In the end, the football official's meeting with the press turned into a meaningless and, accordingly, aimless waste of time for journalists. In response to the questions that were actually raised in the hall, the audience heard complete demagoguery from Pavelko or his henchmen. Everyone can make sure of this - the recording is on YouTube." — gives an example of public outrage Dynamo.kiev.ua (25.01.23).
"It seems that Pavelkov needed the journalistic mask only to try to once again point the finger at others for the "negative successes" of the UAF and to report that all the proceedings against him are fake. Who is this play for? To the court? To the fans? Or subordinates, who must be sure that their boss is not an investigator, but the wisest, most progressive and most honest, effective manager, educator and patriot...»
The media even counted - if you exclude clarifying questions and tricks with repetition of the same content in a circle, Pavelko touched on about 20 topics in two and a half hours of speech. But only a small part of them touched the essence of the real problems.
"There were no fewer questions due to the style of Pavelka's answers, Oleksandr Sazhko remarks on this matter, having analyzed in detail on Ua.tribuna.com (25.01.23) transcript of the meeting. — First of all, the UAF president's terrible, sometimes almost "Azeri" Ukrainian language in itself greatly slowed down communication and distracted from the essence.
Secondly, Pavelko rarely answered specifically on the essence of the question. These were either some general phrases that everything is in order and the UAF works, or a repetition of information already known to everyone, or generally jumping to a topic close to the question, for which Pavelko had prepared and was ready to answer.
This is called pouring water and talking about real questions, even when they keep trying to turn you in a specific direction of the conversation. This means that it really doesn't matter who is or isn't present at that meeting. Pavelka's style of communication has long been known to everyone...»
In addition, in the hysterical tone that reigned during the meeting, it was simply impossible to make a quick analysis and react to some theses of the main speaker. There were attempts, but even to specific, direct questions, Pavelko simply did not give clear answers.
Obviously, his personal resume from the conversation should have looked like this: the head of the UAF is not guilty of anything, everything that has happened negatively in Ukrainian football is the fault of others.
But Pavelka's words do not convince media workers! Sites Fanday.net (25.01.23) and Ukrfootball.ua (25.01.23) also made selections from comments from fans watching the broadcast from the House of Football. Almost all of them with the appeal that "Pavelko should go, and it is better to sit down", and the diagnosis: "Pavelko with his post is a malignant tumor for Ukrainian football, it is impossible to cure it, only to cut it out".
All the PR efforts of the president of UAF in no way affected the judges of the Pechersk Court of Kyiv, who did not satisfy his appeal in a high-profile criminal case regarding the disappearance of a million euros from equipment used in the construction of a factory of artificial coverings for football fields.
At one time, the Pechersk court ordered A. Pavelka, as well as Yuriy Zapisotskyi, general secretary of the UAF, a preventive measure - arrest or bail in the amount of 9 million 880 thousand hryvnias (for each), which were paid... "with the help of yet another fraudulent scheme".
As the portal reminded FootballHub (26.01.23), "UAF Marketing LLC contributed 9 million 880 thousand for Andrii Pavelek and the same amount for Yuriy Zapisotskyi. The founder of this company is the Public Union "Ukrainian Football Association", headed by Pavelko himself. Thus, football officials took almost 20 million hryvnias from the common pocket of the entire football public and used them as collateral for themselves."
Pavelko and his lawyers lost the appeal. The court upheld the bail decision. Now, every two months (while the investigation continues), the head of the UAF will continue to be subject to preventive measures.
Moreover, the prosecutor of the General Prosecutor's Office, Ivan Kovalev, announced during the appeal session that the fact of the same bail was now being investigated as part of a new criminal case.
"The details are simply shocking! Kostyantyn Andriyuk details this information. — It turns out that Alan Pliev, the first vice-president of UAF, personally came to UAF Marketing Executive Director Roman Volynets and ordered Volynets to pay the bail of Pavelko and Zapisotskyi.
Pliev sent Volynets the protocol of the UAF presidium from Pavelek, Zapisotskyi and Sagaydak via messenger, but Volynets never received the original. At the same time, the financial director of the UAF Yevgenia Sagaidak said that this protocol is optional.
Quoting the prosecutor: "They (Pavelko, Zapisotskyi and Sagaydak - ed. note) actually make Volynets a person who decided to pay the bail himself. Although the UAF can create enterprises and other legal entities only in order to realize its statutory goals... And the only statutory goal of the UAF is the development of football in Ukraine", - publishes Andriyuk's story Footballhub.com.ua (26.01.23).
At Wembley without a coach?
What is the most directly useful information for our football that journalists extracted from the suspected president of UAF?
The entire 2.5-hour long press conference could not answer a simple question. Who will lead the national team in less than two months?” he wonders Sportanalytic.com (28.01.23).
It is interesting that the UAF website also put the exact same, direct question to its leader on the grounds of his meeting with journalists: "Who will lead the Ukrainian national team to the Euro 2024 qualifier against England on March 26 at Wembley? (Uaf.ua, 24.01.23).
However, even on the official resource, the answer sounded about anything, but not about ways to solve a specific problem:
"This is a very important opening game. We have a strategic vision for the coaching staff to work tectonically with several generations of players. We could build the strategic model that would allow our national team to play not only on March 26 at Wembley, but also at the 2030 World Cup, when we are all waiting for the home World Cup.
We calculate all options. But the most important thing is that our national team will be prepared by those specialists who could work for several selection cycles. We have young and talented guys, now the generation of U-20 world champions is growing, the next generation is the "youth" who made it to Euro 2023 and has a good chance to get to the Olympic Games. Therefore, the coaching staff must develop a visionary strategy". (Uaf.ua, 24.01.23).
That is, the match at Wembley is less than two months away, and the national team has no captain!
There are not even possible temporary "firemen" or acting. And if there is no mentor, then no one is involved in reviewing candidates for the national team from Dynamo, Shakhtar, Dnipro-1 and other teams (which are currently in pre-season training sessions), no one follows the sparring matches of these clubs , no one communicates with the performers and their club coaches...
And what can be the most important thing in football for our country? — this question, of course, is always asked by all fans of this sport.
The answer is obvious - the national team of Ukraine! Especially in the current times of formidable challenges.
But do they understand this in the UAF, whose main task is, first of all, to ensure the proper functioning of teams that have received national status from the state?!
Orest LELEKA
