April 15, 2016

Ukrainian pro sports update: soccer

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Yarmolenko hoping for English Premier League promotion

Andriy Yarmolenko has played the waiting game for many years now. Arguably one of the most talented soccer players of his generation, he joined Dynamo Kyiv in 2007 when the club’s grip on champion trophies began to slip. Perennially the top team playing in the Champions League every season, Dynamo was overtaken by upstart Shakhtar Donetsk, going five years without winning its domestic title before finally triumphing once more last spring.

Yarmolenko, Ukraine’s star at Euro 2012 and consistently brilliant for Dynamo since, saw his national teammate Yevhen Konoplyanka join Sevilla, while he remained in Ukraine, serving the club he joined as a 13-year-old. His rewards came with the league title last season, followed by progress from the group stage of the Champions League to the last-16 games against Manchester City this past February-March.

The games were huge for Dynamo and Yarmolenko, happy to be competing against an English team. The 26-year-old has played well against English Premier League (EPL) clubs in the past (12 previous matches, four with the national team) and hoped to make another positive impression. Two good performances against Manchester City may open the door for a move to the Premier League in the summer of 2016.

Yarmolenko inked a new contract with Dynamo Kyiv toward the end of last year, but is ready for the next chapter of his career if another club pays a transfer fee that Dynamo Kyiv President Igor Surkis is willing to accept. The Ukrainian desires to prove himself at the highest level of the sport, which translates to playing in either the EPL or Spain’s La Liga, the two elite European leagues.

Yarmolenko got a taste of European football when Dynamo played England’s Stoke City in two UEFA Europa League games in 2011. He enjoyed the physicality of play at the expense of the tactical aspect. He recognized the entertainment aspect of the sport – stadiums always sold out and multibillion-dollar television deals. This was an experience of an atmosphere far different from professional soccer in Ukraine.

The Ukrainian also has fond memories of the two matches versus Everton in March 2015, when Dynamo Kyiv went through to the quarterfinals of the Europa League, 6-4, on aggregate. Prior to the games, British reporters questioned Yarmolenko’s potential in the EPL should he join a club there, and he responded by setting up the lone goal in the first-leg match, then scoring in the 5-2 second-leg match win at home. He certainly let his performance on the pitch speak for itself.

Yarmolenko has enjoyed much quality mentoring throughout his still-young career, from his first coach, Valery Gazzaev, to his current one, Serhiy Rebrov. There was also Andriy Shevchenko, his striker partner at Dynamo for a few early seasons. Shevchenko taught him how to finish off moves, to take note of the goaltender’s position and when to shoot high or aim low.

He tallied 18 goals and 19 assists in 2014-2015, earning Ukrainian Premier League player of the year honors. Thus far this season he has scored 13 goals in 23 games. He struggled with a knee injury during the winter break, but was back in fine form against Manchester City.

For a while it seemed Yarmolenko would not be on the Dynamo roster for the Man City games after an unnamed Chinese club made an offer for him that reportedly exceeded the 50 million pounds that Jiangsu Suning had paid Shakhtar Donetsk for Alex Teixeira. Dynamo President Igor Surkis turned down the offer, claiming Yarmolenko was not interested in a move to China. Surkis had previously rebuffed English club Stoke’s inquiry regarding Yarmolenko’s services, stating his Ukrainian striker should wait to join a better club.

Yarmolenko does not feel he missed out by staying with Dynamo Kyiv for the last nine years. He’s made solid progress every season and now considers himself a finished product.

He awaits his chance with a club that will offer him the opportunity to prove himself at the next level. He is grateful Dynamo shaped him into the player he is today and realizes he cannot depart the Ukrainian club without fair compensation in the form of a hefty transfer fee.

Regarding potential future destinations, Yarmolenko has expressed respect and admiration for coach Pep Guardiola who is set to take over at Manchester City in July. A proven winner guiding Barcelona and Bayern Munich in his brief coaching career, Guardiola has his sights on taking City to the top of the EPL. Could the UEFA Champions League last-16 match-up have been an audition for Yarmolenko?

Shevchenko joins Ukraine’s coaching staff

One of Ukraine’s biggest soccer stars has accepted an assistant coaching position with the country’s national team ahead of Euro 2016. Andriy Shevchenko replaced Olexandr Zavanov in the staffing change announced in mid-February. The former striker-supreme made 111 national appearances and is his country’s top goal scorer with 48 goals.

The now 39-year-old completed a two-year program to obtain a UEFA pro license in March 2015 and will now be in the dugout when Ukraine takes on Germany, Northern Ireland and Poland in France this summer.

Shevchenko, who retired from playing in 2012, enjoyed almost four years away from soccer. Returning to the sport as a coach he will bring to the position his experiences with coaches Valery Lobanovskyi, Carlo Ancelotti and Jose Mourinho. Combining this with coaching courses should shape his ideas and provide Shevchenko a personal vision of football.

A former winner of the Balon d’Or (European Footballer of the Year award), Shevchenko flourished in a distinguished playing career, thriving at AC Milan after establishing himself with Dynamo Kyiv.

He will assist in coaching the current crop of Ukrainian forwards, including Anatoliy Tymoschuk, Yarmolenko and Yevhen Konoplyanka. His first involvement with the squad was in friendlies against Cyprus and Wales in March 2016.

Shevchenko was previously approached to take charge of the national team in 2012, but refused, not having the requisite qualifications at the time.

Konoplyanka a jewel of continental football

It was the summer of the will-he-or-won’t-he transfer saga for one very in-demand Konoplyanka. Many European teams pursued the Ukrainian soccer star’s signature, especially with him available on a free transfer. The Spanish club Sevilla successfully secured the midfielder’s services, resurrecting a deal that had seemingly collapsed. After a shaky start, the 26-year-old found his legs and Sevilla’s head coach, Unai Emery, has seen the benefits of Konoplyanka’s fine form.

When Konoplyanka arrived in Spain, his newest employers referred to him as “one of the jewels of continental football.” It was a rather bold statement, but one that holds great truth.

Prior to 2014-2015 most soccer enthusiasts were not familiar with Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk. Last season the club experienced a meteoric rise, all the way to the Europa League final, only to be beaten by, coincidentally, Sevilla. Dnipro’s brightest star was one Yevhen Konoplyanka.

He scored only a single goal on the way to the final, but his influence on the Dnipro side was tremendous. No player completed more successful dribbles in the UEFA Europa League last season (35) and no player was fouled on more occasions than the Ukrainian forward (49).

Konoplyanka’s showing last season was simply a continuation of his stellar form in Europe. In the 2013-2014 UEFA Europa League he scored four goals and two assists, leading the tournament in dribbles (64). Although not known for high point totals in the Ukrainian Premier League – having never hit double digit goals or assists – his supreme abilities were no secret with many European powerhouses in the hunt for his talents.

Fitting in on the flank

On his arrival in Andalucía, it was expected Konoplyanka would slot into the flank opposite Vitolo. Instead, coach Emery stayed loyal to last season’s starters with the Ukrainian import playing as a substitute.

Six matches in, Konoplyanka made an impression in a 2-1 loss to Manchester City, scoring and consistently threatening on offense. There was more of the same against Getafe, completing six dribbles, three key passes and drawing an 81st minute penalty.

A bit of a rough start by both player and club were quickly resolved. With Spain’s La Liga looking to be very competitive in 2015-2016 and the perennial UEFA Champions League group of death to negotiate, Sevilla is in for a most challenging season. In Konoplyanka the club has one of the “jewels of continental football,” a true difference-maker.

Konoplyanka has been described as a magician with the ball at his feet, as he showed in a mid-November 2015 match against Real Madrid. Using his awesome blend of razor-sharp ball control, changes of pace, lightning sharp agility to rapidly change direction and speed of thought, the Ukrainian proved a far too explosive and unpredictable opponent for Madrid’s right-back, Danilo.

His impact in Sevilla’s 3-2 triumph was a statistical splendor: two assists, four key passes, six successfully completed dribbles, three shots and four interceptions.

Sevilla’s patience with its star signing has proven to be the correct strategy. The club gave Konoplyanka every chance to settle into his new life in Spain and to get fully integrated into coach Emery’s squad, instead of thrusting him into the spotlight from the outset.

The club went to some extraordinary lengths to help the young Ukrainian footballer adapt to his new home. Sevilla hired Dmitri Cheryshev in a coaching role, brought in Juan Candan as fitness coach (fluent in Russian after two years at CSKA Moscow) and signed Ukrainian forward Maryan Shved from Karpaty Lviv. Cheryshev and Candan helped Konoplyan-ka through the language barrier in training, while Shved became his confidant and social partner.

The purposefully patient approach began to pay dividends. Konoplyanka may turn out to be Sevilla’s key man, such is his talent. His impressive three goals and four assists in only nine league starts and 14 sub appearances hint Konoplyanka may be one of the season’s best signings.

Chelsea rumors

Only a few months after Konoplyanka made the move from Dnipro to Sevilla, rumors of a move to the EPL had emerged with Chelsea being the latest suitor. The Ukrainian had been previously linked with a move to England in 2014 with Liverpool, among others, reportedly interested. It came as no surprise when he made the switch to Spain.

It was widely suggested that under-fire Chelsea coach Mourinho was keeping close tabs on Konoplyanka. His club struggling in their domestic campaign with talk of player unrest and dressing room turmoil, a revamping of the squad may be in the works. Konoplyanka and Shakhtar Donetsk players Alex Teixeira and Yarmolenko were supposedly on the embattled coach’s wish-list.

Konoplyanka’s combination of dynamism and strength would be welcome in Chelsea. Although he’s establishing himself with Sevilla, the Spanish club would not necessarily hang on to a player if there were profit to be made. After acquiring the Ukrainian on a free transfer in July 2015, club officials slapped a 40 million pound release clause in his contract. Chelsea would need to pay this amount to secure Konoplyanka’s services.

Ihor Stelmach may be reached at [email protected].

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