The coach of «Lisne» Vadym Melnyk explained how the likely final days of the team as a professional club have passed and what will happen with him, the players, and the club project from the Kyiv region.
— Vadym, was there any chance to save the team, or did you already understand that the game with «Vilkhivtsi» would be disrupted and the punishment in the form of a technical defeat and exclusion from the championship was inevitable?
— We waited until the last moment, looking for funds. We found a certain amount, collected some money on the day of the game, but the team wasn’t assembled — one player was at work, another was sick — we simply lacked players. It was already agony…
It’s a shame, a great shame to lose such a team, but we have what we have. The regulations were not aned, the team will most likely be withdrawn from the championship…
— Were the Professional Football League and «Vilkhivtsi» informed about the absence for the game in advance?
— I can’t say anything about that. This is a question for the club management, they were supposed to write the appropriate letter. But whether they informed and when, I don’t know.
— I mention this because, while there are regulations, understanding the situation of «Lisne», considering there’s a war outside and clubs in Ukraine mostly disappear rather than appear, perhaps «Vilkhivtsi» could have met halfway and it could have been possible to agree on rescheduling the match and avoid a technical defeat, and thus — the fatal consequences for the club?
— I know the owners of «Vilkhivtsi.» They are very good, decent people. I had a brief conversation with them, spoke a bit with the president, got acquainted. I think he wouldn’t mind rescheduling the match to another date, but… You see, there wasn’t even such a proposal from us, from the «Lisne» management.
— What’s happening with the team now? For instance, Serhii Rybalka recently announced he has already finished with professional football.
— For now, no. We haven’t dispersed. We are waiting for the official decision from the Professional Football League… Some people live in Kyiv for now, training on their own, some are working. If the team is indeed disbanded, I am sure most players will not disappear, they will find other clubs in the first or second league.
In our last game against «Skala 1911» (4:1) we looked very good, the guys showed their level, did some advertising for themselves. The young guys will definitely be picked up.
— What about you? Understanding that «Lisne» is crumbling, haven’t you been looking for a backup plan in advance, that is, a new job, a new club?
— Currently, I don’t have any specific offers. I also haven’t looked for anything in advance. Time will tell how it goes… You know, we generally have enough licensed young unemployed coaches now, every year several receive diplomas and not everyone finds work, unfortunately.
— Are the debts still the same, the «Lisne» management hasn’t paid anyone a cent this season, right?
— The situation is unchanged. As I understand it, no one intends to repay all these debts… But we didn’t issue any ultimatums to the management, we thought, maybe there would be some funds for organizing at least away matches…
— What will happen to the club? Will «Lisne» be demoted to the amateur level again and wait for better times to renew the professional license?
— Having lost the status of a professional club, most likely, «Lisne» will not play even among amateurs. Moreover, with such debts, as I understand it, they won’t even be allowed to…
Viktor Glukhenkyi