Anton Kotlyar, a midfielder and graduate of Dynamo Kyiv, recalled the period of his career associated with the capital's club.
Антон Котляр- I would like to talk about your career. You started playing football at the Kropyvnytskyi Children's and Youth Sports School No. 2. How did it happen?
- My father brought me to football. He took me to every training session, so I never missed a single lesson. I trained with the boys of 1991, although I was two years younger than them. I always played two matches - first for 1991 and then for 1993.
- How did you get to Dynamo Kyiv?
- When I was in the fifth grade, my father called Valerii Shabelnykov and Yevhen Rudakov. These are my late first Dynamo coaches. I am extremely grateful to them. They gave me a football life, albeit a small one.
I came to watch the game (in 2006 - ed.). When they saw that I ran the 30-metre race faster than anyone else, they decided to keep me.
- They say you scored a lot of goals at the children's level.
- Yes, I scored a lot of goals at the children's level. It was the seventh or eighth grade. Maybe the ninth grade. I felt the moments and realised them.
- Why did you leave the Kyiv club two years later and decide to move to Monolith (Chornomorsk)?
- Before the final part of the Ukrainian championship, I felt uncomfortable. I had a pelvic displacement. I was unable to continue playing in the final part. It seems that my father influenced me to move to another team.
I had a great season at Monolith with Oleksandr Yermachenko. He later became my godfather. We had a crazy link-up that turned chances into goals.
- At Monolith, you crossed paths with Oleksandr Zinchenko. What memories do you have of him?
- Zinchenko was in the junior group. He stood out from the rest of the guys. No wonder he immediately joined Shakhtar after Monolith. He is a talented and creative player. Before training, he would come to work, stay for 15-20 minutes after hard training sessions and refine his skills. This is very valuable and pays off.
- Why did Dynamo decide to bring you back after just one year?
- I scored a lot of goals for Monolith. At that time, the team was among the top eight teams in Ukraine.
We beat Shakhtar 6-2 in the group stage. I scored two goals. Then we just took Shakhtar out and didn't feel them. Although last year they became champions. Artur Zagorulko played for the Pitmen then. A lot of time has passed, I don't remember who else was there.
We did not leave the group. We ended up, I think, in seventh place out of eight teams. However, that victory over Shakhtar did not go unnoticed by the Dynamo coaches and I was brought back.
- Which of the players you know today did you play with for Dynamo's double?
- Back then, I trained with Oleksandr Tkachenko, Vitalii Buyalskyi, Vladyslav Kalyvintsev, Denys Balan, Badri Akubardiya, and Anton Bratkov.
- Who was the leader of that team?
- Buyalsky. He is a very creative player who can prepare the attack and make the last pass. He is an assistant for any team.
- Why do you think he didn't go to Europe?
- A person has to find the moment when he needs to leave. This is influenced by many factors, and not everything always depends on the player. There are certain nuances that no one will ever know about.
- Who was the biggest talent among that generation that didn't develop?
- At the academy, we had Yevhen Myroslyn. He was a very technical player, with a head. He played as a centre-back. I think he didn't develop. He was very dedicated to football. He went to extra classes, practised before and after training and invited me to come along. Now he lives in Bila Tserkva and we keep in touch.
- Were you involved in training with the first team?
- I had only two or three sessions with the first team. Sometimes, the players from the double, who were not included in the application, were sent to take part in two-sided matches of the first team.
- Which of the stars do you remember the most?
- It was a great honour for me to be on the same pitch as such a legend as Andriy Shevchenko. I opposed him on the wing. As I remember now, there was a moment when he said to me: "Kid, why are you running under my feet?". I remember this phrase for the rest of my life. I tried not to even approach him at all (Laughs).
- How did the leaders of the time treat young players?
- I can say that in those days adults greeted only adults. If you played badly, you got a boot to the head. The next time you play well. There was a different mentality then. Now people are more delicate. Everything is easier now. It used to be tougher.
- Have you met Milevsky?
- Milevsky is a very good man. On 17 January, he did not ignore my son's birthday. He recorded a short 30-second video greeting. I am very grateful to him for that. It was very important for my son, and it was nice for me.
The first time my son met him was on a train when he was probably three years old. They took a picture. He is now seven years old. I think this will be a great memory for my son in the future.
- Why didn't you manage to break into Dynamo's first team?
- We did not see any further prospects. I went to Oleksandriya (in 2011 - ed.) and signed a contract there.
Dmytro Venkov
