Oleg Romantsev: "Valery Lobanovsky helped me out a lot"

Former Spartak Moscow head coach Oleg Romantsev recalled how in one of the situations he was supported by legendary Dynamo Kyiv coach Valeriy Lobanovsky.

- There was a case. A journalist asked to go to Tarasovka (Spartak's base - editor's note) - I didn't mind. Not a sportsman, by the way. He worked in a central publication. He said he wanted to talk to some of the guys. I approved, but warned him that from two to four we have a rest before the evening training - it's a sacred thing.

I went downstairs and the journalist was gone. I went to a certain player. I went to the room - they were drinking tea and chatting. I said to the journalist: "You promised me". - "Well, what am I going to wait for?" Anyway, I kicked him out and told him not to let him back to the base. But he even travelled with us on the bus.

That sneaky journalist remembered everything. And after every game, even a draw, he sat in the front row and started: "Do you want to resign?". Although we are champions, we are in first place. Once we beat Torpedo 2-0, the fourth victory in a row. I came out of the stadium, I saw 20-30 people standing there. Suddenly they started: "Romantsev, when will there be a big score?", "If you don't know how to work, get out!".

Because of such cases, I had a heightened sense of injustice. Disgust for this feeling. And this despicable journalist kept going to press conferences. And Valeriy Vasilich Lobanovsky helped me a lot. At the Commonwealth Cup, for the first time in a long time we lost to Dynamo Kyiv in Olimpiyskiy. This one, of course, sits in front and as always asks about resignation. I was about to snap, but then Lobanovsky enters: "I will answer. You can love Romantsev, you can dislike him, but we will not allow you to disrespect him," - quotes Romantsev Sports.ru.