I continue to introduce you to famous Dynamo football players of different generations. This time I offer a story about Oleg Makarov.
In the game Oleg MakarovThe gates of Kyiv’s “Dynamo” have been defended by famous players throughout its glorious and colorful history — Anton Idzkowski, Oleg Makarov, Evgeny Lemeshko, Viktor Bannikov, Evgeny Rudakov, Viktor Chanov, Yuri Romensky, Mikhail Mikhailov, Alexander Shovkovsky and others.
For many years, the club’s goalkeepers have been mentored and entrusted with rich experience and skills by the Honored Sports Master Mikhail Mikhailov.
A journalist with great experience, a former goalkeeper who became the champion of the USSR in 1960 as part of the “Dynamo” (Kyiv) youth team, I saw and remember well the play (except for Anton Leonardovich Idzkowski) of all the named goalkeepers. I have frequently told stories about them and interviewed them.
Many years have passed, and Oleg Makarov's bright play is still vivid in my mind. About him, the “mister goalkeeper” (as fans called him), I will tell to those who have not seen this famous player in the unchanged green sweater in goal.
A business card of the famous master. Born on July 26, 1929. Honored Master of Sports, Honored Coach of Ukraine. Soviet Champion (1961), silver medalist (1952, 1960). Owner of the USSR Cup (1954). He played 205 matches in the championship over 15 seasons with Kyiv’s “Dynamo”.
He made his debut in the elite club in 1948 and ended his career in 1963. After hanging up his boots, he worked as a senior coach at the Dynamo school, headed “Dynamo-2”, Vinnitsa “Lokomotiv”, and served as head of the football department of the Central Society of DSO “Avangard”. Author of the biographical book “Goalkeeper”.
Entered “Dynamo” by chance
Oleg Alexandrovich was born in Altai. His father was a military man, and the future goalkeeper's family had to travel between cities and villages. In Odesa, Oleg became seriously interested in football. As a result, the promising 17-year-old was invited to the popular team “Pishchevik”.
Once, Makarov was watching a friendly match of the main and reserve teams of Kyiv’s “Dynamo” during their pre-season training in Odesa. It just so happened that the goalkeeper of the reserve team fell ill. And the Kyiv team asked Oleg, who happened to have his playing gear with him, to help out. He played reliably, and the next day, Kyiv's coach Konstantin Shchegotsky appeared at Makarov's house and offered his parents to let their son join the capital team.
After quite complicated negotiations with the young talent's mother, Konstantin Vasilievich managed to get a positive response. In Kyiv, his mentors became experienced goalkeepers Anton Idzkowski and Anatoly Zubritsky. The student turned out to be very talented.
Makarov's play was marked by reliability, astonishing reaction, and the ability to choose the right position. He often outplayed penalty takers. They said about him: “Oleg’s goalkeeper gloves are smeared with glue.” He rarely dropped the ball he caught, depriving opponents of the chance to play for a rebound.
Historical trophies of the Kyivans
In 1954, Oleg Makarov, along with his partners: Andrey Zazroyev, Vitaly Golubev, Mikhail Mikhalin, Viktor Terentyev, Mikhail Koman, Viktor Fomin, Georgy Gramatikopulo, Vladimir Bogdanovich, Tiberiy Popovich, Ernst Yust, Pal Vinkovatov, Alexander Koltsov, Arkady Larionov, coaches Oleg Oshenkov and Anton Idzkowski became the holders of the USSR Cup.
This was the first significant trophy for the Kyivans, who defeated “Spartak” (Vilnius), Moscow teams “Spartak” and CSKA, Leningrad’s “Zenit” on their way to triumph. In the final in Moscow (in difficult weather conditions — fog, snow with rain), the Dynamo team won against Yerevan’s “Spartak” — 2:1.
The Kyivans’ goalkeeper Oleg Makarov played at the highest level throughout the tournament.
Seven years later, “Dynamo” (Kyiv), now under the new coach Vyacheslav Solovyov, won the championship gold for the first time. The Kyivans finished four points ahead of Moscow’s “Torpedo”.
Oleg Makarov played 29 matches in the “golden” championship. Alongside him, the bright success was celebrated by: Yuri Voynov, Viktor Kanievsky, Valery Lobanovsky, Oleg Bazilievich, Andrey Biba, Yozhef Sabo, Vasily Turianchik, Viktor Serebryanikov, Anatoly Suchkov, Vladimir Shchegolkiv, Valentin Troianovsky, Nikolai Koltsov, Vladimir Anufrienko, Vitaly Shcherbakov, Igor Zaitsev, Leonid Klyuev, Vladimir Yerokhin, Nikolai Kashtanov.
The match in Tbilisi with the local Dynamo players, who rarely lost on their field that year, was of great importance in the first championship season of 1961 for the Kyivans.
The day before the match, Makarov got injured during training in Kyiv. The doctors insisted that he should not fly to the Georgian capital. But one must know Makarov's character. Naturally, he could not sit at home watching the match on television. Twenty minutes before the team’s departure, he rushed to the airport.
That evening, our goalkeeper performed miracles, making save after save. Five minutes before the final whistle, he hit his shoulder against the post and could not raise his arm. But the brave goalkeeper held on, and his “Dynamo” won 1:0. And they continued their ascent to the championship peak!
After leaving his goalkeeping post in 1963, Oleg Alexandrovich passed the baton into the reliable hands of Viktor Bannikov and Evgeny Rudakov. These goalkeepers multiplied the fame of Kyiv’s “Dynamo” with their brilliant play.
In 1996, the first tournament of the “Oleg Makarov Memorial” took place in Kyiv. The competitions became traditional. Ukrainian and foreign clubs participate in them. The beautiful Cup is awarded to the best goalkeeper. And the tournament itself is a tribute to the magnificent master, a kind and soulful person.
Oleg Alexandrovich Makarov passed away on November 8, 1995. He was buried at the capital Baikove cemetery, next to other famous Dynamo players.
Alexander LIPENKO for Dynamo.kiev.ua
