Longtime Mariupol doctor Hryhorii Makarov recalled his experience with the Ukrainian national team.
- You worked as a doctor at the spirit matches of the Ukrainian national team in the Euro 2008 qualifiers - against Lithuania (0:2) and France (2:2). How did you get into the national team?
- It happened at the suggestion of Semyon Yosypovych Altman, who was Blokhin's assistant. One does not refuse such an opportunity.
I also worked at the preparatory training camp of our juniors for the youth Euro 2009 in Donetsk and Mariupol. I was invited there by Professor Vyacheslav Dmytrovych Popov from the FFU Sports and Medical Committee. We tested our teammates under the sensors, looked at the heart rate, etc. For this, I received a certificate of honor from the FFU, which was presented to me by Hryhoriy Surkis.
At the same time, I supervised the women's team from Mariupol, Illichivka, which won the bronze medal in the Ukrainian championship.
- What do you remember about the matches against Lithuania and France?
- In Lithuania, Shovkovsky was very seriously injured. There was mud on the pitch and during a free kick, Shovkovskyi's foot got stuck in the mud. They piled on him and twisted his leg. There was a problem in the ankle joint, ligament damage. We immediately cooled his leg and gave him painkillers. At night in Kyiv, Malyuta met us and took Shovkovsky for an MRI. There was no need for surgery, but still Sasha recovered for a long time, two or three months.
For me, being in the national team was very informative. We were based in Koncha Zaspa, where there was a very good medical center. We talked a lot with Dynamo's head doctor, Volodymyr Ihorovych Malyuta.
- What impression did the national team players make on you?
- They are monsters, bison, patriarchs of football. They looked very confident, calm and weighty. Most of all, I remember talking to Vashchuk, Voronin, Shevchenko. Rebrov arrived injured, he had an adductor muscle injury. I don't remember the topics of conversation, there was little time, and we were mainly preparing for games.
- Didn't you consult with Shevchenko about his back, as he suffered from pain all the time?
- Massage therapists worked with Shevchenko personally. But his back allowed him to play, but it's hard to say whether he could play at full strength.
- How did you communicate with Blokhin, since he is a rather difficult person?
- Yes, Oleh Volodymyrovych is quite sharp and specific. But we communicated strictly on business and without emotional breakdowns. I told him everything I needed to know about the players' condition. Blokhin was very upset by Shovkovskyi's injury. He didn't believe in the period for which SaSho was out, he said: "Maybe you are wrong". Unfortunately, as time has shown, we were not mistaken.
Andriy Piskun