While working as a sports journalist on television, radio and in newspapers, I conducted many interviews with Leonid Buriak, Honoured Master of Sports, Honoured Coach of Ukraine, five-time champion and seven-time winner of the former USSR Cup, winner of the 1975 UEFA Cup and Super Cup, and bronze medallist of the 1976 Montreal Olympics.
I still have many of the interviews - audio, video, and newspaper clippings. I have always asked a lot of questions to my interlocutor, who celebrates his 70th birthday on 10 July. And I have always received frank answers to them. Here I have selected 9 of the most interesting ones and bring them to your attention.
Leonid Buriak. Photo by Oksana Vasylieva- Leonid Yosypovych, in gratitude and in memory of your football talent and achievements, on 13 September 2015, your name was immortalised on the Football Glory Alley near the Chernomorets Stadium in Odesa - the Leonid Buriak star appeared.
- I was born in footballing Odesa, where I learnt my first football lessons. At the age of 15, I was invited to Chornomorets, and then at the age of 20 - to Dynamo Kyiv. After finishing my career as a player, I became a coach. My wards, the Chornomorets players, won silver medals in the Ukrainian championship for two seasons in a row (1993/94 and 1994/95), for the first time in the history of the Sailors.
In different years, great footballers played in Odesa. I cannot name them all, but among them are Oleg Makarov, Anatoliy Zubrytskyi, Volodymyr Shchegolkov, Viktor Prokopenko, Valeriy Porkuyan, Andriy Voronin, Ilya Tsymbalar, Yuriy Romenskyi and many others.
The names of many of them are immortalised on the Alley of Football Glory of FC Chornomorets. I would like to see similar Alleys in Kyiv, Lviv, Kharkiv and other cities of football Ukraine.
- Statisticians have calculated that Buryak played 612 official matches during his long football career. I understand that my question is complicated, but still... Which of the matches you played was the most memorable? If I can't single out one, then at least three.
- 90 minutes on the pitch, no matter how the match ends - victory or failure - is a part of your football life. I remember many matches.
My first match for Dynamo was on 28 August 1973. We hosted Ararat, one of the championship leaders. We lost 0-1. Our coach Oleksandr Sevidov was visibly nervous. He decided to put me on the pitch in the second half. And it was I who managed to score Alyosha Abrahamyan's goal, levelling the score. Having played at full Dynamo speed, we defeated the future national champion 3-1.
I remember the final cup match in Moscow with the same Ararat. We were leading 1-0. Shortly before the end of the second half, Sevidov decided that the job was done, so Buriak and Blokhin could rest. As a result, the Armenians levelled the score, and in extra time snatched the victory - 2-1. It was a shame... This setback has been lodged in my memory.
I remember three victories in the stellar year of 1975 for Dynamo: On 14 May over Ferencvaros (3-0) in Basel in the Cup Final, on 9 September in Munich (1-0) and on 6 October in Kyiv (2-0) in the UEFA Super Cup match against Bayern Munich.
I can go on for a long time, but these matches are the most memorable.
- For many years you played under Valery Lobanovsky, and later you were his assistant in the Ukrainian national team. Then you followed in Meter's footsteps, becoming the coach of Dynamo, albeit for a short time, and the mentor of the national team. What is the significance of Valery Vasilyevich in your life?
- Lobanovsky was not just a coach who taught the science of winning. He was also a great teacher. I am sure that each of us, his students, will retain a piece of the human charm of this outstanding personality for the rest of our lives. I proudly consider myself a pupil of the great Coach. If not for Valeriy Vasilyevich, there would be no us, no famous Dynamo teams and no resounding victories of the club from the banks of the Dnipro.
- I see you have a book on your desk called "In the World of Wise Thoughts"...
- Sometimes I leaf through it. It has a rich stock of sayings, a lot of useful tips for life.
- What are your favourite ones?
- There are many of them. I will highlight three that I often follow.
1) Do great things without promising great things;
2) Happiness comes to those who work hard;
3) The happiest person is the one who gives happiness to the greatest number of people.
- Leonid Buriak has many friends, not only from the world of football. Are you trusting and frank with them?
- As Vakhtang Kikabidze sang: "My friends are my wealth". Indeed, I have a lot of friends. Unfortunately, some of them have recently left this world. I remember them all and will always remember them. A true friend is recognised in misfortune. I always try to be honest with my friends. I never leave my friends in difficult times. At the same time, I make friends with few people, but I value them.
- What do you value most in people and what do you dislike most?
- I really appreciate honesty and decency. I hate betrayal and lies. I always try to be restrained and tolerant. Although sometimes I want to say everything I think about the person I'm talking to to their face. But I restrain myself.
- What would be your first request if you caught a goldfish?
- Good health to all my loved ones and peace to our country.
- Is it true that Leonid Buryak tasted champagne for the first time when he was 21?
- Yes, it's true, although it's hard to believe now, especially for young people. Now I prefer to drink a glass of wine, red or white.
- In 1985, you published your first book, Hotspots of the Field, and in 2007, another one, I Lived in a Happy Football Time...
- As for the title of the second book, I did live in a happy football time. The game brought me joy, football became the business and meaning of my life. However, not everything I dreamed of and wanted to achieve came true due to various circumstances. But I shouldn't be offended by life. My football years are my wealth.
- For many years now, you have been walking through this difficult life together with your charming wife, former two-time world champion in rhythmic gymnastics Zhannulia...
- I am sure that Zhannulia was given to me by God. We live in peace and harmony. When I first saw her - slim, smiling, with green-grey eyes - I immediately thought that she was the girl of my dreams. After all, they say that there is love at first sight. We spent some time getting used to each other - and we did.
Zhannulia is a real keeper of the family hearth. Our family is strong, friendly and large. Our motto since 1976 is "to love means to live the life of the one you love".
We have grown-up children. Andrii works at the Ukrainian embassy in a foreign country, Oksana is a choreographer and has been living in Germany for many years. Our son and daughter gave us five grandchildren - three boys and two girls.
We often see our grandchildren. The oldest is Anton, 17 years old, who dreams of becoming a virologist. And I'm sure he will. And 7-year-old Oleksandr, in addition to being a good student and playing the guitar, is also a scoring midfielder for one of the children's teams of Bayern Munich. He has already received awards for his successful performances in various tournaments. It was in such competitions that his grandfather began his journey to big football.
Oleksandr Lypenko
