Now, apparently, the former head coach of Dnipro-1, Yuriy Maksymov, has spoken about the disappearance of the team, which finished 4th in the Ukrainian championship last season.
Yuriy Maksymov (photo: scdnipro1.com.ua)- As far as I know, on July 15, almost all employees, players and the entire staff of the base were fired. As of July 21, only three employees remained on the club's staff: head coach Yuriy Maksymov, club director Anton Fursov and an accountant. "Now the three of us can play a famous card game - space rummy. This is the card game of my childhood.
As for football, we can also invite Yevhen Selezniov, Mykola Ishchenko, Serhii Revut, Mykola Medin and Andrii Polunin. How many players do you need to start an official match - seven? We will find them.
- Yuriy Vilkovych, you worked at Dnipro-1 for one season. What are the main impressions you have from this time?
- We had crazy players, mostly Ukrainian players. Now we see that all of them are in demand by other teams and I am very happy about that. However, I'm sad and sad that such a team has disappeared from our football.
- Can you recall any interesting stories from the team's life?
- I remember our last game in the 2023/2024 season. We won 2-0 against Chornomorets in Odesa and fulfilled our goal of qualifying for the European Cups. After the match, many of the guys went home, and only a few went to Dnipro by bus.
Hutsulyak, Svatok and Lednev were going to play joker and invited me to be the fourth. They were playing for a little money. I asked the guys who was the funniest at the card table. They said Lednev. In the end, Hutsulyak and Svatok kept their money, and Lednev lost about 6,800 hryvnias. We told him that we would write off his loss from my winnings. In general, joker is a game for real football players, you have to think. For me, it's an indicator that this game develops thinking. Those who know how to play joker will be able to prove themselves on the football field.
- Where are you now, in this offseason?
- At home, in Kyiv, at the dacha. I recently bought a small puppy and am training it. I know German. I also know three other languages - bay, beef and pork. In general, it's a great shame that Dnipro-1 is disappearing. And this is all happening in a city of millions, where there are great football traditions. It is clear that we do not know all the reasons for the disappearance of the football club, but there must be reasons for this. And life, including football, goes on.
- Yuriy, what are your immediate plans?
- Probably, for now I will become a blogger. Then an analyst. Then, perhaps, I will complete the PASS courses to be able to work as a head coach.
