Today, friends, we will talk about the famous and popular Ukrainian football player, honored master of sports Anatoly Demyanenko.
He was born in Dnepropetrovsk (now Dnipro) on February 19, 1959. A graduate of the football school "Dnipro-75", where he started training at the age of 12. His playing role was left defender. He was physically strong, enduring, and tenacious. He stood out with quality ball control, a huge volume of work on his flank, and leadership qualities.
Playing Career
“Dnipro” (1977−1978), “Dynamo” (1979−1990, 1992), “Magdeburg” Germany (1991), “Widzew” Poland (1991−1992). Five-time champion of the USSR, four-time holder of the national cup, holder of the Cup Winners' Cup-1986, champion of Ukraine-1992/1993. He played 80 matches for the USSR national team (1981−1990), scoring 6 goals. He was the captain of the team. Vice-champion of Europe-1988, participant in three final tournaments of the World Championships. Best football player of the country in 1985, included in the list of "33 best" 9 times, 7 times as number one.
Long-time captain of “Dynamo”, for which he played 347 matches in the USSR championship, 50 games in the national cup, and 43 in European cups. Overall, he played 520 matches for the Kyiv club in all competitions, scoring 43 goals. Thus was the wonderful football career of Anatoly Demyanenko.
Some Numbers and Facts
May 18, 1978. Debuted in the top Soviet league as part of “Dnipro” in a match against “Kairat” from Alma-Ata.
October 22, 1978. Scored his first and only goal for “Dnipro” in a home match against “Zenit” (2:1). However, having finished last in the season, the Dniprians left the elite division. Demyanenko moved to “Dynamo”.
March 1, 1979. In a cup match, he first appeared on the field as part of “Dynamo”, replacing Viktor Kolotov and participating in the victory over “Zenit” (4:0).
September 12, 1979. In his first European cup match, he opened the scoring with a goal in the 55th minute, scoring the winning goal against the Bulgarian club “CSKA Septemvriysko Zname” (2:1).
November 17, 1980. After defeating (2:0) their Moscow counterparts, the Kyiv team became champions a round before the championship ended. That gold medal was the first in Demyanenko's Dynamo career, followed by four more triumphs.
May 9, 1982. After defeating Moscow's “Torpedo” (1:0) in the final, the Kyiv team became holders of the USSR Cup, the first of four won by Demyanenko.
June 23, 1985. USSR Cup final, “Dynamo” — “Shakhtar”. In the 56th minute, with a powerful shot from about 25 meters, Demyanenko opened the scoring. The Kyiv team not only won the crystal trophy, defeating 2:1, but also received a ticket to the Cup Winners' Cup-1985/1986, which became triumphant for the “white-blues”.
May 2, 1986. With a score of 3:0, “Dynamo” defeated Madrid’s “Atletico” in Lyon and won the Cup Winners' Cup for the second time in history. As captain of “Dynamo”, Demyanenko received the silver trophy from UEFA president Jacques Georges.
September 28, 1990. A home match against “Pamir” (3:1) was the last for Demyan, as Kyiv fans affectionately called him, in the championship of the former USSR.
Coaching Career
After finishing his playing career, Anatoly Demyanenko embarked on a coaching path. His first club in his new status was CSK VSU (May-June 1993), followed by “Borysfen” (since July 1993), after which he returned to “Dynamo” — first as an assistant (December 1993 — 2005), and then as head coach (since August 2005).
In the 2005/2006 season, he and his team won the Cup and became the silver medalists of the championship. In the 2006/2007 season, he led the Dynamo team to a “golden double”, becoming the champion and the holder of the Cup of Ukraine, and also adding the Supercup of the country to these titles. However, the result in the Champions League was clearly unsatisfactory — in the group stage, the “white-blues” suffered four losses and had two draws with a goal difference of 5:16 and stopped their performances in the European cups.
After leaving “Dynamo”, Demyanenko spent a year coaching “Neftchi” (Azerbaijan, Baku), “Nasaf” (Karshi, Uzbekistan), and Lviv’s “Volyn”.
Four Questions — Four Answers
— In the final match of the USSR Cup-1986 against Donetsk “Shakhtar”, your participation was in serious doubt. But you stepped onto the field and opened the scoring with a free kick.
— This happened a day before the final. At three o'clock in the afternoon, I had a seizure at the training base, an ambulance was called, and I was taken to the hospital. They gave me injections and put me on a drip. Of course, they did not let me out of the hospital. I told myself: “I will go to Koncha Zaspa anyway!” And at half-past nine in the evening, I was back at the base. Thankfully, I didn't have any more seizures. Apparently, the joyful emotions from winning the Cup cured me.
— Valery Vasilyevich Lobanovsky in your life?
— Lobanovsky had great authority. He won the Cup Winners' Cup twice, the UEFA Super Cup, earned "silver" at the European Championship and "bronze" at the Olympics in Montreal. And how many achievements in the USSR championships, cup competitions. Valery Vasilyevich did a lot for football, which became the meaning of his life. He wanted us to live not only for football but also to develop our intellect and instill in us human qualities. No one can be like Lobanovsky. I am happy and proud that I spent many years by his side. First, as a player, then as a coach.
— Is a coach's job?
— A coach's job is not an ascending path of a funicular from Podil to St. Michael's Cathedral. It's more like a swing, where loud successes alternate with bitter defeats and failures. I felt this myself.
— Are you not offended that, as a player who achieved brilliant success with his partners, you earned significantly less than the current generation of footballers?
— I am not inclined to speculate that high salaries corrupt players who, in large part, have not achieved anything in football yet. They are considered professionals. But everyone interprets professionalism in their own way. Many of today's footballers would probably turn their finger to their temple while listening to stories about what Valery Vasilyevich Lobanovsky urged us to do. Namely: “Play, and the material goods will not go anywhere.” Young people strive to earn more and faster, sometimes having to face clearly inflated self-esteem.
In recent years, Anatoly Vasilyevich worked at the UAF, overseeing the Ukrainian veterans' national team.
Alexander LIPENKO for Dynamo.kiev.ua
