Famous coach Oleg Dulub told how he left the position of head coach of LNZ before the start of this season.
Oleg Dulub— I first read the information that LNZ was looking for a new coach after the match with Kolos. I immediately spoke with Yevhen Volodymyrovych Tarasenko: "Let me know if the club is negotiating with a new coach. If so, we calmly finish the contract, shake hands, and part ways. Otherwise, LNZ should issue a denial." Tarasenko replied that the club was choosing the silence mode.
— Can you tell us about the details of your contract with LNZ?
— My agreement was signed on a 1+1 basis. From my side at the time of signing in August 2023, there were no financial requirements at all. I agreed to all the financial terms that were proposed. My contract was set to expire on July 1, 2024. LNZ was supposed to inform me of its decision by June 1.
On May 24, we played the final match of the season against Vorskla (1:0), and the entire coaching staff was invited to the club office. There, we were informed about the non-renewal of the contract.
— Who informed you?
— Sports director Tarasenko Yevhen Volodymyrovych.
— How did the players react to your departure, did you say goodbye to the team?
— I couldn't gather the team and say goodbye. This is the second such case in my career. The first was at FC Lviv. On June 10, I was in Warsaw when LNZ announced on its website the termination of cooperation with my coaching staff. And literally a few minutes later, I and Oleksandr Anatoliyovych Hranovskyi were removed from the club chat in the messenger. Later the players wrote to me and thanked me for our joint work.
— Did they mention the reason for the non-renewal, given that you fulfilled the task?
— We were simply told that such a decision was made by the management. I reviewed the official document regarding the termination of cooperation, signed it, and that was it. No one from the club contacted me until I left Cherkasy.
I stayed in Cherkasy for three more days, as I needed to return the apartment and pack my things. It was Viktor Dmytrovych [Kravchenko]'s birthday, I called him to congratulate, but no one answered. Maybe he changed his number; club executives often do that. After that, I went to Warsaw.
Then around June 7-8, Yevhen Volodymyrovych Tarasenko called me and said that LNZ was ready to consider my candidacy again. I replied: "The main message is that we are ready to work. We are interested in solving the task set for the new season (at the fourth meeting with the entire coaching staff present, the management announced the goal that in the new season LNZ should fight for a top-three finish). Make us a financial proposal, which we will consider." We talked more about opportunities rather than amounts. A contract option based on a bonus system was discussed.
— What did Tarasenko say to your proposal?
— He said: "Okay." Three days later, Yevhen Volodymyrovych called me again: "Thank you for your work, but we will still not be renewing your contract."
Andriy Piskun
