Valeriy Kataliuchuk, the first coach of Kyiv’s “Dynamo” captain Vitaliy Buyalsky, shared memories of the player’s early steps in football.
Vitaliy Buyalsky. Photo — O. Popov— Can you recall how you first met Buyalsky?
— I was gathering a group born in 1993, and that’s when I met him. I noticed him immediately because Vitalik was small and the fastest of all. I saw that he loved to play with the ball — he would dribble the whole team and score a goal. His mother, Nelya, brought him to football.
— And what are his parents’ professions?
— I know that both his mother and father have higher education. Kazymir works as a master in the foundry department at the Kalynivka machine-building plant. Nelya is an engineer there.
— What was Buyalsky’s character like in childhood?
— Oh, you know, if only everyone were like that. Vitalik could listen well. I give him a task, and he picks it up right away and repeats it. There were no remarks towards him during training at all. I could go to other boys and not pay attention to Vitalik, because I knew he would do everything faithfully.
— In what position did you use Vitaliy?
— He played as a forward and midfielder for me. His strengths are dribbling and field vision. When I had him play with his peers, he would dribble past everyone. It was really hard to take the ball from him without a foul. And when I moved Vitalik to a team with boys who were two years older, he revealed himself differently. They were not so easy to get past, so Buyalsky began to make excellent passes! He also began to open up more and move for passes. In tournaments, Vitalik always received awards as the best player.
— I heard a story that you turned to Buyalsky’s parents with the question “What to do with Vitalik?” when he constantly asked to stay after training to play with the older boys.
— Yes, there was such a thing. I was afraid of overloading his heart, after all he was small, and the older boys were there. I allowed him to stay every other time. I didn’t want to overload him too much at that age.
— Do you have any interesting stories about Buyalsky from his childhood that you recall from time to time?
— You know, I can’t recall anything particularly interesting or funny. There was a case when I had the boys juggling, and they needed to touch the ball 70 times. I saw Vitalik come up and say to me: “Valeriy Yakovych, I can’t do it.” I replied: “Vitalik, there is no such word as ‘can’t’. You push yourself, show your will to win.” He turned around and ran off to try again. I looked, and Vitalik was already doing it 70 times. He ran up and said to me: “Valeriy Yakovych, I touched the ball 120 times.” You see, he showed his character, and everything worked out for him.
— Is Buyalsky more about talent or work ethic?
— I would say that he combines both talent and work ethic. Vitalik was very hardworking in training. And his talent is evident, sometimes he gives such passes or scores. Vitalik’s mother told me that when he played for the youth national team of Ukraine, the coaches would say: “Don’t know what to do with the ball? Pass it to Buyalsky.”
“At RVUFK, Buyalsky was bullied, he wanted to give up studying. Fortunately, we managed to convince him to stay”
— Vitaliy moved from Kalynivka to the capital, where he started training at RVUFK. Did he have any other options?
— No, he didn’t.
— How did his move to Kyiv happen?
— Honestly, I don’t know the details. In general, I try not to keep boys with me for long. Well, what is Kalynivka? We sent the best players to Lviv or Kyiv. From the “Lviv” ones — Yaroslav Martyniuk, who played for “Karpaty” and “Rukh”, was the captain of the youth national team of Ukraine. Another “Lviv” player is Vadym Strashkevych, who also played for “Karpaty” and the youth national team.
During all this time, I have prepared 14 players who played in the professional teams — UPL, First and Second leagues. We even wrote a book about Kalynivka football, over 500 pages. I had access to archives when I was the head of the Kalynivka Football Federation.
— At RVUFK, there was a moment when Buyalsky wanted to give up studying because he was bullied by the older boys. It’s said that you convinced him not to do that.
— There was such a story. Someone bullied him there, and he cried. One time he called me, and I said to him: “Vitalik, what is Kalynivka? You will return and play at the regional level. You are a man, strong-willed, prove that you are worth something.” I talked to him many times, persuading him to stay at RVUFK. It was also fortunate that his sister lived in Kyiv, so his grandmother, who came to visit her, often visited Vitalik and calmed him down. Luckily, we managed to convince Buyalsky to continue his studies at RVUFK.
“He keeps all secrets to himself”
— After RVUFK, did he have any options other than moving to “Dynamo”?
— In general, yes. He set himself the goal of getting into “Dynamo” since childhood. That was his dream; he didn’t even consider other options. Before he finished studying at RVUFK, there was one episode... I was in Kyiv for the XI FFU congress and met Buyalsky after training; I said to him: “So, what are your dreams? Which club are you going to?” He replied: “I was offered to join ‘Dynamo’. I said: ‘Then go, try.’ Well, the rest is history.
— Buyalsky joined “Dynamo” during a time when the UPL was at a completely different level than now. A lot of quality foreigners, extremely high competition. In 2013, Vitaliy even had to go on loan to “Hoverla.” Hasn’t he shared with you how it was to work in Uzhhorod with Vyacheslav Hrozny?
— Vitalik hasn’t shared any details with me. He keeps all secrets to himself. He said he had very good impressions of Hrozny. He said that he was a knowledgeable coach who gave him a lot.
“Volunteers awarded Vitalik a medal”
— I understand that there haven’t been even hints of a star complex with Vitaliy?
— No, he has remained the same as he was. He has never looked down on anyone. There was a story when a teacher’s house burned down in Kalynivka. I knew her well; she taught my children. I called Vitalik and said to him: “Can you help a little with money? The roof burned down; we need to help.” He immediately asked me: “How much?” I told him: “As much as you can.” And he instantly transferred 20 thousand hryvnias. But this is not a one-time case.
— Was there another similar story?
— Yes. My neighbor needed surgery, and Buyalsky transferred 100 thousand hryvnias for that. Kalynivka volunteers even awarded him a medal. Vitalik never looked down on anyone; on the contrary — he helped. We often communicate over the phone. When I can’t reach him, he always calls back.
“Acquaintances said that Buyalsky was going to the USA. Perhaps later Surkis will let him leave ‘Dynamo’”
— Recently, Buyalsky extended his contract with “Dynamo,” although prior to that, there were reports about the club president Ihor Surkis being willing to let Vitaliy go if he had such a desire. Do you think your protégé will spend his entire career at “Dynamo”?
— Oh, I don’t know. Before signing this contract, acquaintances told me that Vitalik was going to move to the USA. There were such rumors. It seems to me that Surkis might let him leave for abroad, to earn a little money. (Smiles). But for now, Buyalsky is devoted to “Dynamo.” Perhaps later.
— Many are talking about how, despite Vitaliy’s importance to “Dynamo,” he is struggling to solidify his position in the Ukrainian national team. What has prevented your protégé from gaining more playing time in the national team?
— Very often it has happened that Vitalik gets called up to the national team — and immediately gets injured. I called him, asked, and he said to me: “Injured. Injured. Injured.” Some kind of trouble, maybe he should go to church and light a candle. (Smiles).
Now the Ukrainian national team is led by Serhiy Rebrov. And when Rebrov coached “Dynamo,” he placed Buyalsky lower in midfield to win the ball back. But Vitalik is not that kind of player; he needs to play up front. When “Dynamo” was led by Oleksandr Khatskevych, he used Buyalsky closer to the attack, and everything changed immediately.
— However, the competition in the national team in the center is very solid, and Buyalsky seems to constantly be in the shadows. Has he shared any concerns with you about that?
— I can’t read his mind. Vitalik never talks about such things; he stays silent. I ask him something like that, and he says: “I’m fine, don’t worry.” Maybe inside he worries about this situation somehow, but he hasn’t discussed it with me.
— Now “Dynamo” achieved a milestone victory in the Ukrainian championship. Vitalik, did he promise to come to Kalynivka as the captain of “Dynamo” with the trophy?
— No, we haven’t talked about that. Recently, he hasn’t come at all. I don’t know why. Probably the war, a tough schedule. It would be great if he came to Kalynivka with trophies. I wish Vitalik to earn them and hope that everything goes well for him.
Vladyslav Liustanskiy
