Friends, I strive to constantly tell the stories of the leading players of FC Dynamo (Kyiv), who wrote bright pages in the history of the glorious club. However, somehow the coaches who taught them the basics of football have remained in the shadows. As they say, they led them by the hand into the magical world of the beautiful game.
Alexander ShpakovMany famous players, after ending their careers in big football, began their coaching activities at the Kyiv Dynamo Youth Sports School—a real forge of talent.
Over the years, it has been led by: Mikhail Koman, Vadim Sosnikhin, Vitaly Golubev, Vitaly Khmelnytsky, Vladimir Muntyan, Vladimir Onishchenko, Vladimir Lozinsky, Sergey Zhuravlyov, Anatoly Shepel. And also—Nikolai Fominikh, Nikolai Melnychenko, Ivan Terletsky, Yevgeny Snitko, Yevgeny Kotelnikov, Anatoly Molotay, Anatoly Kroshchenko, Alexander Leonidov… Naturally, I named far from all the mentors.
The first enrollment in the football section “Young Dynamo Player” of 12-year-olds from Kyiv took place in the summer of 1951. Today, the FC Dynamo (Kyiv) academy is among the best in Europe, attended by 1,500 boys.
The path to recognition within the walls of Dynamo began for—Oleg Blokhin, Vladimir Onishchenko, Vyacheslav Semyonov, Anatoly Shepel, Alexey Mikhailichenko, Alexander Damin, Viktor Kondratenko, Valery Zuev, Vladimir Lozinsky, Sergey Mizin, Andrey Shevchenko, Alexander Shovkovskiy, Vladislav Vashchuk, Igor Kostiuk, Sergey Fedorov…
Mentor of the Ballon d'Or holder
Alexander Shpakov was invited to work at the Dynamo Youth Sports School in 1978. A native of Kyiv, a master of sports began his football path at the famous capital school Gorono No. 1. He found himself in the “golden hands” of the legendary children’s coach Mikhail Borisovich Korsunsky.
Then, the talented young man was noticed in the Dynamo Youth Sports School. It is symbolic that his mentor was Alexander Vasilyevich Leonidov, who later became the first coach of the outstanding forward Oleg Blokhin, the Ballon d'Or holder. And later, Shpakov himself became the first coach of a true star—Andrey Shevchenko, who won the same prize.
In 1964, Leonidov promoted Shpakov to the reserve squad of the Kyiv side. With this team, the talented defender became a three-time national champion among reserves. He also played for the main team of Dynamo. After completing his playing career, he began working with children.
Honored coach of Ukraine, honored worker of physical culture and sports of Ukraine. Shpakov, as already mentioned, is the first coach of Andrey Shevchenko. Among his students are about 20 players who played for Dynamo and other elite division clubs: Viktor Moroz, Igor Zhabchenko, Alexander Moroz, Igor Kostiuk, Alexander Golokolossov, Vyacheslav Kernosenko, Vladimir Anikeev, Igor Prodan, Alexander Yatsenko…
Currently, Alexander Alexandrovich Shpakov, who is 79 years old, is the senior member of the coaching team at the Dynamo school.
“Be strong as lions, fast as deer, fierce as tigers…”
— At what age did football begin for Alexander Shpakov?
— At seven, in one of the yards on Brest-Litovsk Avenue in Kyiv.
— You successfully played defense for the reserves of Dynamo. Your team drew full crowds at Dynamo stadium matches…
— My partners were Vladimir Muntyan, Anatoly Bogovik, Viktor Kashchei, Alexey Khristyan, Anatoly Puzach, Yevgeny Rudakov, Vitaly Khmelnytsky… We were coached by Mikhail Mikhailovich Koman. He was moderately strict, moderately kind. He didn’t give anyone an inch.
Dynamo’s first-team coach Viktor Alexandrovich Maslov occasionally attended our matches. He would say to us: “You are footballers, spectators came to see you. You must look like movie stars—well-groomed, well-groomed, with a good posture… Don’t forget this when you step onto the field…”.
To the delight of fans, we often won…
Maslov sometimes set his players up for matches in an original way. During the match against Scottish “Celtic” in the European Champions Cup, he named the starting lineup, made the setup, and detailed each player’s functions on the field. Before leaving the changing room, he would pound his fist on the table and loudly proclaim: “Today you must be strong as lions, quick as deer, fierce as tigers. Execute everything I said!!!”.
We went out on the field, sportily fierce, charged with Maslov’s “bacteria”. The midfielders Yozeph Sabo, Vasily Turianik, Viktor Serebryanik, Fedor Medvid could “roll over” anyone. And we passed “Celtic”—2:1 (in Glasgow) and (1:1 in Kyiv).
Shpakov’s credo—“Children must be loved with all your heart”
— For some time you worked in the United Arab Emirates…
— I coached a group of 12-year-old boys using my own method. It was hard; I didn’t know the language, nor the potential abilities of my mentees. Fortunately, they turned out to be capable and loved football. We won several tournaments, including the children’s UAE League. But all the time I felt drawn to Kyiv, to my Dynamo school in Nivki.
— What is your coaching credo? What advice would Shpakov give to coaches who sincerely care about children’s football?
— Times have changed, and children from “yard football” are now attending Youth Sports Schools. From the age of seven, we give them a ball, and they play in our presence. Some really enjoy dribbling past opponents and scoring. It is possible that this is a future striker. Others try to lift their heads and make long passes—a midfielder. Some prefer to stay closer to their own goal and take the ball from the opponent, a potential defender. One must love children wholeheartedly. If you work without your soul, then nothing will come of it. It is necessary to constantly accumulate knowledge. And then everything will be fine. That is what I wish my colleagues.
Alexander LIPENKO for Dynamo.kiev.ua
