The former forward of Kyiv Dynamo, Viktor Leonenko, gave another interview on current issues in Ukrainian football.
Viktor Leonenko
’Rebrov called to congratulate me, but I was a bit busy and couldn’t answer. I apologize for not calling back.'
— Viktor Yevhenovych, happy birthday (Leonenk turned 56 on October 5. — Ed.). Tell us who from the football world congratulated you and how you celebrated?
— The birthday went well. I want to thank Serhiy Rebrov. He called to congratulate me, but I was a bit busy and couldn’t answer. I apologize for not calling back. I also passed on my regards from Serhiy to my wife. Olena’s birthday was on November 10. He knows her well.
I started receiving congratulations from 8 a. m. but didn’t feel particularly joyful on that day. As my friend Volodymyr Bezsonov said, 'I’m one year closer to there' (pointing up to the sky, — Ed.).
Blokhin congratulated me. I thanked Oleh Volodymyrovych and told him to get well soon, as he was a bit sick, but thankfully doesn’t have COVID. In a month, I’ll be congratulating him. But before that, I’ll need to congratulate Khatskevich on the 19th, then Oleh Salenko on the 25th. We have plenty of October birthdays.
— Rebrov called you, but did Shevchenko?
— No, he didn’t call.
— What would you wish Rebrov at the helm of the national team?
— Like all coaches, I wish him quality football and victories.
— Your friends, Pryzetko and Bezsmertnyi, recently played against each other in Odesa. 'Chornomorets' and 'Victoria' ended in a goalless draw with Rakitskyi being sent off. Did you watch the match?
— I want to congratulate 'Chornomorets' on their promotion to the UPL. I think no one will have the chance to overtake the Odesa team. They are unstoppable. Kuchera and Pryzetko need to think about where to find players for the Premier League. Even if we have money, it’s tough to find players. This also applies to Dynamo and Shakhtar. Our league table is interesting, but there is no football.
Well, to Tolik Bezsmertnyi, I wish him health and success at the helm of 'Victoria' and to enjoy the game, although that doesn’t always happen. Coaches' jobs involve shouting, worrying, aging, and going gray, so I call them 'silver'.
’Shakhtar probably missed with Turan too.'
— In the last round of the Ukrainian championship, 'Dynamo' drew with 'Metalist 1925′ (1:1), and 'Shakhtar' was heavily defeated by LNZ (1:4). Are you satisfied with the intrigue in the championship?
— I have a feeling that Shakhtar lacks the ability to guess right with coaches, starting with Fonseca. Although he achieved a double and led the team to the Champions League playoffs, no players improved under him, which for me is the main indicator of a good coach. Fonseca won on the foundation of Lucescu. Shakhtar should erect a monument to Lucescu, a serious and expensive one.
With Arda Turan, Shakhtar probably missed the mark too. At least they beat Aberdeen, although they faced serious problems. As for the match against LNZ — it was a nightmare. Shakhtar could have conceded seven or eight goals. In our championship, it’s scary to concede so much, this also concerns Dynamo.
There is no one I can highlight in any team! They all struggle and lose points absolutely deservedly. You cannot say that LNZ’s victory was accidental; their win was fully deserved by the game.
— Yarmolenko didn’t play after 'Metalist 1925′. Shovkovskyi said that after the match with 'Crystal Palace', Andriy left the team due to family circumstances, calling it 'strange'. It seems there is a conflict between Dynamo’s leader and the head coach. What do you think about this?
— I won’t delve into dirty laundry. If they want, they will tell themselves. When, after the loss to 'Crystal Palace', Yarmolenko imitated Ronaldo and ran into the locker room — it seemed strange. I don’t support that. I want to tell Andriy: if you’re pulling these stunts, you must be a true leader and carry the team in all games, not just one!
It seems to me that the position of sports director has long been waiting for Yarmolenko. It’s his time to go there.
— This season, Dynamo has not shown expressive play in any tournament. Do you think Surkis should fire Shovkovskyi?
— The scariest thing is that there is no game. I think Shovkovskyi himself wouldn’t be able to explain what his team is playing. Watching Kyiv’s matches is genuinely uninteresting. People who have supported the club for 40−50 years are already turning away from Dynamo.
I think the cup game against Shakhtar will be the main match for Shovkovskyi. There is nothing to say about the European competitions, we are just suffering there. All teams are challenging for us now.
— If Shovkovskyi is indeed fired, who do you think can lead Dynamo?
— There is Bezsmertnyi, Yura Moroz, even Zavarov, if he wants. But in general, I don’t want to advise or do another’s work, especially since Ihor Mykhailovych [Surkis] doesn’t listen to anyone, whether in player purchases or in choosing coaches. Do you remember how he said there would no longer be Dynamo hearts at the helm of the team, and suddenly appointed Shovkovskyi. Let him think and choose for himself.
— You mentioned Bezsmertnyi. Would he handle the level of Dynamo?
— We always fear something. Do you remember before when national team coaches were afraid to replace Konoplyanka and Yarmolenko for fear journalists might write about it? Now everyone gets substituted and it’s fine. So there’s no need to be afraid.
Just look at Shakhtar. What’s good about bringing in Arda Turan? They scraped by against Aberdeen, and are sure to face problems with others. LNZ ran these players around as they wanted.
Our coaches are definitely not worse. We are the only country where a foreigner (Melgosa) leads the youth national team, even though we have European champions like Kalitvintsev and Moroz. They have won something, but the team was entrusted to people who haven’t won anything or proven anything.
— Who do you see as the main favorite in the fight for the UPL championship?
— Nobody! Shakhtar and Dynamo are the same in terms of play and coaches. We don’t know Turan, and we know Shovkovskyi from the championship season, but with the same players, Dynamo failed in European competitions. At least you can give Shakhtar a discount; they were buying Brazilians while they were fitting into the team. Meanwhile, Dynamo kept their squad, and such championship failures. If players are bad, play the youth and say that youngsters are playing, so give us discounts. Just don’t say you are a great club in that case. This applies to both Shakhtar and Dynamo.
’Even if Kravets is right in some way, his statement is not accepted because he went to Spain and is telling something from there.'
— Recently, Artem Kravets gave a scandalous interview where he spoke about corruption at the Dynamo Academy. What’s your take on the situation?
— Even if Kravets is right in some way, his statement is not accepted because he went to Spain and is telling something from there. People like that are not listened to or trusted in our country. As I was told, his salary at Dynamo was good, but he would show up for work two-three times a week, unlike my friend Yura Moroz. Finally, Igor Mykhailovich saw through it all.
Going back to Kravets, he acted improperly. If Artem found out something, he should have gone to Igor Mykhailovich and told everything, not poured dirt over his native club in an interview after some time. I’ve argued with Igor Mykhailovich and Hryhoriy Mykhailovich, and everything was okay. Then I would go out and resolve issues on the football field.
Unlike Kravets, Moroz writes all the training for the Dynamo teams up to U-19 and attends all trainings. He’s there from morning till evening.
I want to advise Igor Mykhailovich to give him fuel vouchers or issue him a Tesla.
Driving from almost Obukhiv to Nivky takes a long time. Yura’s whole salary goes on gas. He will also alternate with Ishchenko in trips with the U-16 — U-18 teams. So Moroz works his fingers to the bone.
’Sabo knows football, but can’t explain it — that’s his main problem.'
— Did you read Sabo’s recent interview, where he unexpectedly praised you, even though he usually criticizes? His quote: 'Leonenko was memorable to me as a very talented and strong forward in Dynamo.'
— Did Yoyo, as I affectionately call him, come to his senses at 85?! Thanks, Jozef Yozefovych, for the kind words, at least after 30 years, for saying the truth. He used to say I was overweight and drank all the time, but I won’t justify myself. If I’m a drunkard, then how did I play at full tilt for three years straight? I could have gone longer if not for the injury. Also, with excessive weight, it’s impossible to run 30 meters three and six. I wish Jozef Yozefovych health. Let him continue analyzing matches, I think people read him.
— Do you read Sabo? Are you interested in his expertise?
— Not interested. Firstly, I give interviews and comments myself, and secondly, I worked with Sabo so much that I already know in advance what he’s going to say. Jozef Yozefovych knows football, but he can’t explain it — that’s his main problem. In case anyone forgot, the players with whom Lobanovsky succeeded at the end of the 90s were gathered by Sabo. Just players didn’t understand Sabo because there was a lot of hysteria from his side.
— Are there any Ukrainian football experts you find interesting, maybe Fedorchuk, Golovko, Kvartsyanyi?
— I don’t read anyone. I have my own opinion, and in football, there are no mysteries for me.
’I’m already sitting with glasses, have ruined my vision, reading a lot under poor lighting.'
— Fans call you 'Leon-killer' for your sharp statements. Do you like this nickname or do you take offense?
— As a strong person, I never take offense, and it’s impossible to offend me. I should thank Kramar, who produced the program 'Leon-killer.' The name isn’t very good. In football terms for goalkeepers and defenders, I might be a killer, but not in life. Leon is a normal nickname, and the film with Jean Reno is good too.
— What nickname would you invent for yourself?
— The Teacher. I’m already sitting with glasses, have ruined my vision, reading a lot under poor lighting. I was also born on Teacher’s Day, October 5. At one time, Khatskevich called me 'master,' they called me 'prime minister,' 'artist,' 'Leon-the-forest,' because the coach in Dynamo (Moscow) thought there were only forests and bears in Tyumen. I’ve had many nicknames.
I love inventing nicknames myself, but if a person is offended, I don’t use it again. Yura Moroz’s nickname was 'Achilles' initially when he tore his Achilles, then when he became a coach of coaches, 'TT'. And now, when he told me he could fire anyone and raise or lower salaries [at Dynamo], I told him: 'Now you’re not TT, you’re an official.' (Laughs). Nicknames change very quickly.
— Who and what nickname did they take offense to?
— Salenko didn’t like the nickname 'Seryoga,' so now we just call him 'Salah' or Oleh Anatoliyovych, and I can also call him 'Golden Baton,' since he has a 'Golden Boot'. When he didn’t shave or cut his hair and walked with a beard down to his chest, his nickname was 'priest.'
— What about nicknames for your pals — Aliyev and Milevskyi?
— I haven’t come up with anything for Milevskyi yet; he doesn’t travel with us often. Besides, 'Mil' suits him. Aliyev had a dozen nicknames. At one point, we called him 'chemist' because when we stop at gas stations, he always stocks up on 'Sprite,' 'Coca-Cola,' 'Fanta.'
’Everyone names Lobanovsky first, but I wouldn’t say so.'
— Let’s make some tops for the end, readers like that. Name the top 3 best Ukrainian footballers in history?
— First — Blokhin, and the second is definitely Bezsonov. Many could be put in third place, like Zavarov, Yakovenko, Kolotov, Demyanenko, Troshkin, Shevchenko. Dynamo had a lot of stars, but the top two, Blokhin and Bezsonov, are unrivaled.
— Now let’s do the top 3 Ukrainian goalkeepers.
— 1. Rudakov. 2. Chanov. 3. Shovkovskyi. Sania probably set the record for time spent at Dynamo.
— Top 3 Ukrainian coaches?
— This is more complicated. I’m not interested in those who won but in those who nurtured footballers. Everyone names Lobanovsky first, but I wouldn’t say so. He was brought the best players from all over the country who could beat any teams just based on their class.
First place goes to Maslov. Second, I give to Bazilevich; he is a serious professional and an honest person. Third, let it be Lobanovsky. I would name Lucescu, but he’s Romanian.
— Top 3 Ukrainian footballers right now?
— There are none! Look where we have fallen! We don’t qualify for the Champions League at all.
— I mean not just the UPL. Zabarniy is playing for PSG.
— So what? Is he scoring there?
— He’s already scored one goal, which is not bad for a central defender.
— In PSG, you need to score more, at least five per season, soon even the goalkeepers will start scoring there. Look, Demyanenko played left-back, but look at how many he scored and assisted. The same with Bezsonov. I like that Zabarniy plays calmly on the field, but this is PSG, where defenders do not really need to play, the attack does everything. Zabarniy is good, a solid defender, but doesn’t show anything special, so I can’t call him a star. Stars write themselves into history.
— What would you like to say to our readers as a conclusion?
— Watch good football, don’t watch bad. I even made myself a t-shirt with this saying. I’m not campaigning, but why spend an hour and a half of your life when you could watch snooker, the NHL, or the NBA. I wish everyone has light and water because I understand it’s started. Hugs to all or, as my friend Bezsonov says: 'Kissing you, Vitya'. Goodbye and peace, friends.
Andriy Piskun
