I don't think there is anyone among us who hasn't seen old Soviet-era grocery stores privatized by "labor collectives" and now dilapidated, turned into bottling plants and dismantled by not-so-successful tenants. Back in the early nineties, salespeople, merchandisers, loaders, accountants, storekeepers, cleaners, watchmen, and other employees of these gastronomic stores were given the opportunity to manage the store themselves, to trade and make a profit. But almost none of them succeeded.
Mykola NeseniukThe reason for this is simple: before, they all received a guaranteed salary from the state and each had their own small income. They felt that this was not enough, that they had to earn more. When they became owners, it turned out that organizing a profitable trade was much more difficult than just standing behind the counter, and not all of them were capable of it. Instead of profits, there were continuous losses. People no longer stormed the meat and dairy departments, but went to the market, where everything was fresher and cheaper.
Years passed. The old grocery stores were filled with characteristic odors, and the gloomy sellers were bored in the half-cold rooms because they had not paid their long-term heating debts...
In short, devastation came.
At the same time, a new generation of traders grew up, and powerful supermarket chains appeared. The "labor collectives" of the old grocery stores had a choice: either to become part of one of the supermarket chains, turning from bankrupt "owners" into ordinary employees and receiving a stable salary in return, or to hold on to "property" that does not bring money, and when it does, it is only for one or two employees who managed to deceive others and divide among themselves the pennies that rent and bottling of smoked vodka to drunks bring.
Our "professional" football looks like a bankrupt gastronomy today. Nearby, very close, football leagues are successfully operating, bringing spectators a spectacle and clubs money from the sale of television broadcasts and other marketing. The money is different - from the crazy millions of the leading European leagues to the more modest but decent profits of smaller leagues.
And only Ukrainian "professionals" do not do this, holding on to rotten counters like old Soviet grocery store clerks, where no customers have been coming for a long time. Buyers, i.e. football fans, have long since switched their TV sets to the championships of England, Spain, Germany, Italy... The audience of viewers of our championship has shrunk to obscene numbers, which are now known to everyone thanks to the Internet, and are steadily approaching the number of team owners, their friends and relatives, along with friends and relatives of players, coaches, referees and other "football" people.
That is why our football authorities are in no hurry to return spectators to the stands. Because there may be as many spectators as customers in those grocery stores that are still owned by "labor collectives."
The way out of this situation is simple and obvious - to transfer the management of our football championship from the completely bankrupt "labor collective" of the Ukrainian Football Association with its weak "leagues" to the hands of football professionals, preferably European ones.
But this will not happen in the near future. Because professionals are unlikely to hire the current leaders of our football, and if they do, it will not be for managerial positions. That is why the UAF leaders will hold on to the old counters of the bankrupt grocery store that our football is turning into. Which now has just enough money to keep the UAF leaders. And they don't need more...
Mykola NESENYUK
