Former football player of Donetsk "Shakhtar" Oleksandr Sopko spoke about the consequences of the merger of "Rukh" and "Karpaty".
Oleksandr Sopko (photo: V. Perehniak)— My first reaction to this news was tinged with sadness and anxiety. In essence, “Rukh” is the only club that has made a lot of right steps in its development over the last ten years. Infrastructure, the ambition of the management, its unique playing style—this has become an example of how to build a club, not just fight for results. Moreover, there have been many examples in the same Lviv, where clubs simply sank during their existence. Therefore, my first reaction was great regret.
But then, when I began to analyze it, I understood that such a situation is inherent in our entire football. Indeed, as a rule, everything in our football has always been based on the enthusiasm and, so to speak, altruism of the club owners. Except for "Shakhtar", which knew how to sell players for good money, made profits, and even increased its breakeven point, the rest maximally depended on the level of sponsorship investments. Without them, without serious support from local authorities, it is very difficult to stay afloat. Especially when the country is at war. Therefore, I wouldn’t be surprised if a similar fate befell several other clubs, especially in the First League.
I think that discussions about such a merger have been ongoing for a long time, especially from the moment when the owner of "Rukh", or rather one of the owners, came under pressure from tax authorities and various inspections. And primarily not so much within the country as abroad. This once again speaks to how difficult it is to have a business outside the country and manage it, given all the high competition, where everyone lobbies for their interests. Especially against the backdrop of conversations about us moving to Europe and being welcomed there. All this, in my opinion, has significantly impacted the financial state of “Rukh.” But at the same time, we can talk about the fact that a team with a great past, with a great history, and with fans is being reborn in Lviv. The most important thing is more stable financing and some confidence in the future. Although the latter factor is quite relative in our time.
—At the same time, other information has recently emerged that it is not about the merger of clubs but about mutual cooperation. Is this an attempt by the owner of “Rukh” not to lose his influence through football or are there other reasons behind this announcement?
— I think that the primary task here is to preserve the club in some form, not to lose it altogether. Time will show how and what will happen next, but in any case, the path of resurrecting a club from amateurs is much longer and more arduous than from the same First League.
Moreover, as of today, I believe “Rukh” has the most progressive academy. I even have a few examples when I spoke to my friends, and they said they were planning to send their children not to “Shakhtar” or “Dynamo,” but specifically to the “Rukh” academy. Given that they themselves live in the eastern part of the country.
I generally believe that in children's football, Kozlovsky feels as smooth as a fish in water. The only mistake of the club owners in this area is that, in my opinion, they somewhat overestimated their capabilities regarding the sales of players. Yes, there are examples like “Ajax” and “Lyon,” which deliberately raise players for sale, having built a sort of self-sustaining conveyor belt that sometimes allows them to earn. Perhaps the calculations were made for something similar, but for this, you need to go through a certain stage, have certain connections, and scouts through which you can push your candidates. In any case, the idea remains alive; the management will now try to direct everything more towards the domestic market.
—Nevertheless, the current situation is starting to influence the motivation of the players, who are increasingly looking in different directions, as being in a suspended state is not the most pleasant thing that can happen. There was already information that the team returned from vacation without several key players. It’s hard to believe this is just a coincidence?
— Definitely. Everyone is concerned about their future, whether they will be in demand elsewhere in this situation. Moreover, every footballer understands that a year of inactivity makes it extremely challenging to catch up later. Perhaps, judging by the news in the media, there is already some agreement between clubs regarding player transfers—someone will take someone, someone will let go. On the other hand, in the current situation, the market is not boundless, and there is no guarantee that everyone will remain in their jobs. Today, when prospects not only in football but in general are, to put it mildly, foggy, clubs are more focused on how to optimize the budget for survival. And for this purpose, it is not necessarily required to buy new players; they have enough of those who are already there. Moreover, the objectives of most clubs are quite modest—to remain somewhere in the middle of the table, avoiding falling into the relegation zone. And thank God. Setting a goal to reach Europe and feature your players there is something that very few strive for now. Especially against the background of how “Shakhtar” and “Dynamo” are struggling there.
—Another point in the sphere of possible unification is the motivation of the coaching staff and, in particular, the head coach Vitaliy Ponomaryov, who has worked his entire career within the “Rukh” system. How easy is it for him at 50 years old to adapt to another team?
— Ups and downs are an inseparable part of any coaching career. It is undoubtedly sad to part with the team when everything is going well for you. However, through his work, and most importantly—his results, Ponomaryov has made a name for himself. And life at “Rukh” doesn’t end; he is probably already on the radar of many club presidents. And he will definitely be able to make a name for himself. After all, it often happens that due to such changes, a window of serious opportunities opens that allows you to take a step even further.
