The sports community of Odessa region is concerned about the fate of a man who gave more than one year of his professional career to soccer in his native Odessa and Ovidiopol
We are talking about the former player and coach of Odessa "Chernomorets" and Ovidiopol "Dnestr" Andriy Telesnenko. Recently, there was a serious threat to his life, which until some time ago he did not recognize.
The specifics of the profession of a footballer is associated not only with the joyful moments of victories and trophies, but also with huge loads - both physical and psychological. It is no secret that in big soccer has its own undercurrents and intrigues, unwittingly being in the maelstrom of which a decent person can not do without stress. This is exactly what happened to Telesnenko-player, who during the period of active performances in soccer took part in the championships of six countries - the USSR, Ukraine, Finland, Israel, Russia and Moldova.
Ukrainian fans remember him well for his performances in Nikolaev "Sudostroitel", already mentioned "Chornomorets" and "Dnestr". Andriy Telesnenko's confident game is still remembered by soccer fans of the Finnish city of Oulu, Israeli Beer Sheva, Russian Izhevsk and Moldavian Chisinau. In the home collection of the soccer master many medals of different dignity and prizes. He won them at the cost of his own strength and energy, playing with full dedication in every match. Telesnenko has always been a model of courage, characterized by fighting qualities and leadership abilities. Not without reason in many teams coaches and teammates chose him as their captain. And he justified their trust.
Professional and human qualities were not ignored by the coaching staff of the Ukrainian national team. In the first half of the 90s, the then helmsman of the main team of the country Oleg Bazilevich invited Telesnenko to its ranks, and then he played under Anatoliy Konkov.
To finish his career Telesnenko was called to the second-team Dnestr, where he played two and a half seasons. Despite his age (and he was 38 at the time), he planned to play further, but doctors advised him not to do so because of heart problems.
Having hung up his boots, Andriy Telesnenko stayed in Ovidiopol club, but in a new role - coach. However, two years later he was promoted to Chernomorets, where he was invited by head coach Semyon Altman. In his native club, where he started his way into big soccer as a young man, he worked as a coach for almost thirteen years. Modest and decent in life, the man eventually left "Chernomorets". However, he did not break with the game of millions. For six years he worked fruitfully in children's and youth and amateur soccer. And again - stresses, worries, nerves, spent strength and energy. Day and night putting his soul into his favorite business and working with full dedication - as before in the role of a player, Andrey Vasilyevich often suffered from injustice, human dishonesty and indifference. However, despite the test of fate, he continued to work diligently in the field of soccer. His working day began in the morning and lasted until late evening. During this time, the coach had time to pay maximum attention to children with disabilities, holding classes with them on the soccer field in the park, and then switched to work in the amateur soccer club "Titan", in which he worked until recently as head of the team.
Giving himself to the whole service of soccer and facing the various collisions of life under war conditions, the coach increasingly began to experience health problems. Ultrasound of the heart worried the doctors: it was all scarred. As it turned out, Andrei Telesnenko had long ago suffered a heart attack "on his feet" and its consequences had a serious impact on the body. It required an urgent heart surgery, which was done a few days ago in the capital's clinic. And then another one was needed.
Now the patient's condition is stable, but cardiologic equipment shows that the worn-out heart works only 10 percent. Consequently, there is a serious threat to life. According to the doctors' conclusions, the count is weeks. There are two options to save a person's life: an artificial heart or transplantation of this organ. In both cases, such a highly complex operation requires a lot of money. For example, replacing a diseased heart with an artificial one costs 160,000 U.S. dollars. - an unaffordable sum for Telesnenko's family.
So there is nothing else but to ask for help to the soccer and sports fraternity and all concerned people of Odessa, Ukraine and abroad for a man who wants to live. A favorite of fans and respected by more than one generation of his charges, the 58-year-old mentor dreams of two things: with the support of people to overcome the most difficult challenge of life and together with everyone to wait for the victory of Ukraine in the war with the cursed enemy.
Now Andriy Telesnenko continues to stay in the clinic in the capital, hoping for his salvation. Now everything depends on the sincerity of kind and not indifferent people - friends, fans, colleagues and representatives of soccer clubs in Ukraine and abroad. Everyone can join the fundraising for a man who needs it more than ever.
Head of the Veteran Football Committee of Odessa Regional Football Association Oleksandr Nikiforov opened an account for charitable money transfers.
Funds can be transferred to the following details: recipient Nikiforov Alexander Valerievich, GRFL (TIN) 2476213052, settlement account UA863510050000026200810775539 in JSC "UkrSibbank".
Purpose of payment - with the obligatory indication "For assistance for the treatment of Andriy Vasilievich Telesnenko".
Vyacheslav Kulchitsky