Ingulets midfielder Oleksandr Kozak told us how, having been born in Kyiv, he was unable to get a foothold at Dynamo's school.
Alexander Kozak- I started at Dynamo Kyiv school, from the age of 6 to 13. We had Sanya Andrievsky on our team. We started going to football together. Lesha Khoblenko and Dima Khlobas are among those who are now in the public eye. These guys were born in 1994, and whenever we see them on the pitch, we always have a good time.
I was a little boy. I don't know how it is now in a children's school, but back then coaches were expected to deliver results. I was good with the ball, but I was physically inferior to the guys who came later. They started recruiting accelerators who already had beards and moustaches, and I was just a little kid running around. Sanya Andrievsky and I were kicked out at about the same time. There were tests every six months: jumping, 30 metres... Those who failed were fired. Although, when there were tests with a ball, I was one of the best. Those who could finish from goal to goal were selected for the children's and youth teams. Such guys produced results, and the academy managers liked it.
My first coach was Vasyl Ratz. He is a very good, one might even say great player from the past. I played against Zmina for the same children's team, Vasyl Ratz noticed me and invited me to join Obolon's double team at the age of 17. And there I started training and playing, and a year later we took third place," the player was quoted as saying byUV.
