Mykola Pavlov: «Prokopenko was initially very kind, soft, and democratic. You cannot be like that with footballers»

Well-known Ukrainian coach Mykola Pavlov, who played for «Chornomorets» in 1982-1983, recalled what kind of coach the then mentor of the Odesa team Viktor Prokopenko was, who would have turned 80 today.

Mykola Pavlov and Viktor Prokopenko

— How do you remember Viktor Prokopenko?

— I was lucky to become one of the first footballers Viktor Yevhenovych worked with in the role of head coach. This was in «Chornomorets» in 1982. I remember him as an intelligent, educated, cheerful person with a sense of humor. Only the most pleasant memories.

It so happened that I only played for «Chornomorets» for a year and left the team amidst a small scandal. However, I still remained friends with Prokopenko. Whenever we met, we hugged, and everything felt so warm.

Another memorable meeting was in 2006 in Kyiv at the 60th anniversary of Volodymyr Fedorovych Muntyan. I came with my wife, and Prokopenko recognized her because at one time he asked her to influence me not to leave «Chornomorets». He hugged her, and I felt so pleased that he maintained good relations not only with me but also with my loved ones.

— What kind of coach was Prokopenko at the beginning of his career?

— At the beginning of his career, he was very kind, soft, and democratic. You cannot be like that with footballers (laughs). In «Chornomorets» there were many players with whom Prokopenko had himself played. So a camaraderie was felt in the team. The training process was fun, with jokes. But we still performed the task of staying in the top league.

Then in the summer, the club management decided to send the entire team on a week-long cruise on the Black Sea. We went with our wives and children. We drank, communicated. I thought, «Wow, how did I end up in this team! How are we going to play?!»

After the cruise, everyone relaxed because we thought we would only be resting, but Prokopenko and Semen Yosypovych Altman locked us on the base and pushed us hard! (Laughs.) It felt like we were training for airborne troops. That’s when Prokopenko showed himself. He realized that a different approach was needed. Discipline and order emerged. We finished the championship so strongly that the issue of relegation was no longer a concern after five or six rounds.

— Did Prokopenko often have issues with the team regarding the regime?

— Initially, there were violations. At that time my wife, for the first and last time in her life, complained to the coach. She said, «Viktor Yevhenovych, how could this happen? Mykola didn’t previously party like this and didn’t drink, but since he joined your team, it started.» My wife was pregnant and worried. And he replied: «Valya, if he plays so well, let him break the rules. I don’t know what he’s doing, but I’m fine with everything.» (Laughs.)

— Do you know why Prokopenko decided to switch to a functions job?

— Prokopenko had a very strong and warm relationship with Rinat Leonidovych Akhmetov. I know for sure that after Prokopenko left the position of head coach at «Shakhtar», they always kept in touch.

I think that during his time at Moscow’s «Dynamo», Prokopenko experienced some disappointment. He didn’t succeed there, although no one succeeded there. And then Akhmetov persuaded him to return to «Shakhtar» and become the sports director.

— Is it true that Prokopenko played a significant role in the arrival of Mircea Lucescu at «Shakhtar»?

— True. Prokopenko flew with a translator to Lucescu and held negotiations. Akhmetov had pursued him for about three years. Lucescu was winning championships in Turkey at that time. Prokopenko and I discussed this, and he told me that there was such a coach.

— How did you learn about Prokopenko’s death?

— The first to inform me was Viktor Havylyovych Dohadaylo, who worked in Prokopenko’s staff at «Shakhtar». I traveled with Dohadaylo, Vyacheslav Viktorovych Hroznij, and, it seems, Anatoliy Ivanovych Buznyk by car to the funeral in Odesa.

— What do you recall when you talk about Prokopenko? Maybe there’s some interesting personal story?

— He always spoke about Odesa. That a person is given one life, and at least a part of it should be lived in Odesa—by the sea.

There was an interesting dialogue between us before my move to «Chornomorets». I was simultaneously negotiating with «Dnipro» and was about to move there. However, Prokopenko explained to me why it was more beneficial for me to go to «Chornomorets» with the following words: «Mykola, you will be able to change your apartment in Odesa for an entire entrance in Dnipro.» (Laughs.)

Dmytro Venkov