Former national team of Ukraine player Ivan Hetsko shared his memories of the famous Ukrainian footballer Andriy Polunin, who recently passed away.
Ivan Hetsko— Andriy was a good friend, comrade, and partner in the football path. A man whom I highly respected, even though he was younger than me. Everyone respected him. He was a player in the truest sense of the word. There is so much to say about him. The sad thing is that we have to speak about him in the past tense. A young guy — he could have lived much longer. What is 54 years?
They say sport is health, sport is great. But no one talks about the other side of the coin. The fact that we gave up our health for sport had its consequences later. We see how many young footballers have passed away early. It’s sad and painful.
I would like people to understand: football is a very tough job. In my opinion, it is as demanding as a miner’s work. The loads a footballer endures throughout his life (even if the career is not that prolonged) require maximum effort to stay in good shape. Everything possible is extracted from one’s body. We, as footballers, play for the people, not for ourselves. The reward is fame, being recognized on the streets. Now, it’s much less often than it used to be. Everyone has their age and generation. But there was a time when our country, fans, and the national team of Ukraine were proud of us.
Andriy and I experienced Soviet times. He started in Dnipro, and I was born there. We crossed paths in sports grounds and later played for «Karpaty» and maintained our friendship. He was a wonderful person and a reliable friend. Eternal memory to him... Such people should never be forgotten. Polunin did a lot for Ukrainian football.
— Do you remember your last meeting or conversation with him?
— Just so you understand: every day we wrote to each other «Good morning», «Good night», «It’s very nice», and so on. Especially during birthdays or significant holidays, we congratulated each other. We were constantly in close contact. I considered him my friend, and I still do, even though Andriy is no longer with us. It’s a huge loss for me.
He worked at many clubs. He was respected and honored. And that means a lot in football. There are many who played at a good level and then disappeared. Nobody knows them, nobody hears or sees them. But Polunin was quite a popular person who was always visible. He had many friends, both older and younger. Everyone knew his story, his attitude to football.
... Last night, I practically didn’t sleep. I sat thinking and analyzing everything. I came to a certain conclusion. My God, we play football — some think it’s health! Indeed, nature endowed us with such abilities. But in reality — it’s hard work. You feel the consequences when you’re almost 60. In the morning, to take a step, you have to warm up for 15−20 minutes. Because your legs feel like they are not your own. Only those who have played a lot of football themselves can understand.
Oleh Babii
