Alexander Zavarov was another confirmation of the football “features” of the Luhansk region. It somehow happened that she constantly gives football talents. The first time this manifested itself in 1972, when Zarya (Lugansk) unexpectedly became the champion of the USSR. True, at that time the city was called Voroshilovgrad.
It is especially surprising that the best team in Ukraine in Soviet times has always been the Ukrainian Dynamo, which was practically the national team of this union republic.
Start
For many current football fans, the names of the Dawn stars of that season are unlikely to be said, but then Sergey Andreev, Alexander Zavarov, Victor Onopko, Sergey Juran were born in Lugansk ... Sergey Semak is the last on this list. He was not born in the main city of the region. The pupil of "Dawn" (Lugansk) is also not. But he was born in the area.
The biography of Alexander Zavarov suggests that he was actually created for football. The talent was so bright that at the age of sixteen it attracted the attention of the Dawn coaches (the main one was Jozsef Szabo).
The most amazing thing is that the young man did not get lost among adult football players, hitting the latter in training with the phenomenal ball possession technique, dribbling, endurance, as well as dedication and “infection” of football.
And yet, the football player Alexander Zavarov was then a fragile youth, and “Dawn” already played in the second echelon of Soviet football - the first league. In fact, the lower the level of football, the greater the importance of physical power.
Alexander was frankly cherished, and it was difficult for him, a short and feeble-minded man, to control the penalty box with powerful defenders of opposing teams. Therefore, he played for “Dawn” not so many matches, and scored less than a dozen goals.
Meeting with Maradona
Nevertheless, the talented young man was noticed by the coaches of the junior team of the USSR (head coach - Sergey Korshunov).
So, the 18-year-old football player Alexander Zavarov was at the world junior championship in Japan in the company by no means peers: most of the players on the Soviet team were two years older.
Nevertheless, in three games played, he scored one goal, and the team, despite one defeat (from Uruguayans) in the group stage, reached the finals, where they lost to the Argentines (1: 3), led by Diego Maradona, who was rising to the heights of fame. Zavarov, for the junior "silver" of the world, got the title of master of sports of the USSR.
"Morning Twilight" Rostov
It's time to serve in the army. For football players of a good level in the USSR, there were actually two ways in order not to lose two years of life and their qualifications - the Dynamo system (through the Ministry of Internal Affairs) and army sports clubs (SKA).
At that time, Kiev Dynamo, for which Alexander had dreamed of playing since childhood, did not show much interest as a football player in Alexander Zavarov. The young forward went to Rostov-on-Don.
For two years in Rostov SKA, Alexander Zavarov considers dark days for himself. Although there were enough bright moments. For example, winning the first big trophy - the USSR Cup. In the 1981 final, Zavarov scored an assist for Sergei Andreev, who scored a decisive goal.
It was in SKA that Alexander found his place on the field. It was physically difficult to play ahead, inveterate defenders pressed, not allowing to show a technical advantage. And the competition among the attackers for a place at the base of the Rostov team was high.
SKA head coach German Zonin (by the way, one of the authors of the Zarinsky champion miracle of 1972) suggested Zavarov to play “under attackers”. All the best qualities of Alexander were manifested in the position of playmaker: mobility, vision of the field, ability to give an accurate pass, high technique of handling the ball. Since then, the 10th number has often appeared on his back.
What is the “top ten” in football of the 70-90s it is not necessary to explain, just name: Pele, Platini, Maradona ... True, he played in Dynamo Kyiv and the USSR national team, nevertheless, under the “nine” .
Army in order became darkness in Rostov. By nature, who did not like any kind of coercion, Zavarov in SKA often went on strike out of principle. In addition, at the end of the service, they began to force him to submit a report on the assignment of the rank of ensign.
He categorically did not want to be an army man, especially since this greatly limited his career opportunities: the 80s, to put it mildly, were not the best years at the flagship of army football CSKA.
The apogee of the situation was a ten-day guard, during which, through threats, Zavarov was forced to agree that he should remain in the army. On the ninth day, Alexander surrendered, but as soon as the service expired, he immediately filed a report on dismissal. In response, the army club responded with a lifetime (!) Disqualification of midfielder Alexander Zavarov for allegedly breaking the rules.
For six months, the “deserter” worked in Lugansk as a student of a blacksmith. Until then, it was not possible to cancel the ridiculous disqualification. Zavarov returned to the "Dawn".
"Noon" in Kiev
He did not stay in the Zara playmaker Zavarov for long. Quite quickly, the messengers from Kiev, despite the glory of the rebel acquired in Rostov, took him to the capital. For the reason mentioned above, whether to play for Dynamo or not, Alexander did not think for a split second.
Like almost all the newcomers of Dynamo Kiev, he, in the beginning, was hard. Fierce competition for a place in the squad, hard training - you had to get used to it. Having heard about the problems of the young football player, Moscow Spartak made a proposal for the transition.
However, patience and work, discipline, compliance with the concept of Dynamo head coach Valery Lobanovsky made Alexander Zavarov a backbone player of Kiev. Now you can imagine the Dynamo of the 80s without Igor Belanov, Pavel Yakovenko, and even Vasily Rat, but without Zavarov - nothing.
As part of the Kiev team, Alexander Zavarov becomes the champion and winner of the USSR Cup. He was one of the best Soviet football players of the 80s.
The peak was 1986, when Zavarov was named the country's best footballer, despite the fact that the addressee of his programs Igor Belanov was named the best player in Europe. In the same year, Kievans became champions of the USSR, won the Cup of Cups, almost all of Dynamo's main squad went to the World Cup in Mexico as part of the USSR team.
The world championship ended with a miserable failure, and then the generation of players reached its peak in 1988, reaching the final of the European Championship. Among the finalists, of course, was Zavarov.
Quiet hour in Turin
Of course, he was noticed in Europe. Perestroika and glasnost in the USSR, a change in political guidelines allowed Alexander Zavarov to play abroad. He was the first to pay off a substantial sum of $ 5 million, the first to go to a top-level club.
According to rumors, Michel Platini , who completed his playing career, poked a finger at Zavarov, advising his leadership of Juventus as a replacement for himself.
The very beginning in Italy was wonderful (for example, two goals in the second match for Juventus), and then it got worse and worse. For the second season in Turin, Zavarov might not have stayed at all if he had been found a replacement. So what is the cause of failure?
There are several opinions on this subject. For example, authoritative footballer and coach Valentin Kozmich Ivanov expressed the idea that the Soviet footballer was used to working under the strict supervision of a coach. There was no “magic kick” of Lobanovsky in Italy, here Alexander Zavarov is a football player and disappeared ...
The "missing" himself identified the following reasons.
Firstly, Juventus coach Dino Zoff moved Zavarov from his usual position as a playmaker to the midfield. He had to go around the edge and hang-shoot the opponent into the penalty area forwards of his team. And this is not the same thing that Alexander did since Rostov SKA.
Secondly, Juventus was experiencing a generational change. He ended his career not only Platini, but also several important players. Therefore, inconsistencies were inevitable, but you always want someone to blame them.
Thirdly, in Zavarov for some reason they saw a complete replacement of Platini. But he could not become one. It’s not even a matter of skill. These are different footballers in the manner of the game. Zavarov never beat so cool penalties. Platini never played on the edge of the field.
For some reason, many were annoyed that Zavarov did not score as much as Michelle. But he wasn’t peculiar to him anyway. Alexander played, concentrating on the functions of the midfielder under the attackers.
Fourth, relations with the Italian press did not work out. For some reason, she did not immediately like him. It was very nervous and difficult to break through the negative public opinion that she formed.
French "evenings"
The player ended his career Alexander Zavarov in France. Again, on the recommendation of Michel Platini, he was invited to the first and native club of the French football star Nancy-Lorraine.
The team hoped to stay in the elite league of France. But it didn’t work out: Zavarov finished the game in the second division. He played for “Nancy” almost as many matches as for “Dynamo”, scored about the same number of goals.
He finished his career in a semi-amateur club of the fifth division of Saint-Dizier.
Trainer Alexander Anatolyevich
In France, Zavarov and began a coaching career. At first he was actually a playing coach at Saint-Dizier and Trambay, he graduated from the school of trainers and received a license. Under the leadership of Zavarov, “Saint-Dizier” for a year rose above the division.
The continuation of the career was the Swiss “Ville”, the owners of which were the notorious Ukrainian football players Igor Belanov and Gennady Perepadenko. I had to lead as a sports director, since the French coaching license was not recognized in Switzerland. Zavarovsky “Ville” entered the major league of Switzerland and won the Cup of the country.
Then there was the Kazakhstani "Zhenis". Zavarov arrived in Astana on the recommendation of Emé Jacquet, a French coach and consultant to the Kazakhstan Football Federation. However, the need to participate in “strange” matches did not allow to stay in the championship of Kazakhstan.
In 2005, Alexander Anatolyevich returned to work at home. The Kharkov "Metalist" called him. Unfortunately, the club was in a state of another financial collapse, because the cooperation turned out to be short and not very productive. But the team retained a place in the elite division.
Short term Zavarov worked at the football club "Moscow". He trained the backup staff, but, feeling his lack of demand as a specialist and some kind of indifference to the double, decided not to waste time. And he turned out to be right: FC Moskva is no more.
The next club and, so far, the longest in terms of work, was Kiev “Arsenal”. This team, suffering from chronic lack of money, did not achieve great success under Zavarov, but brought several of its players to the Ukrainian national team.
By the end of the 2000s, the light at the end of the tunnel loomed in front of Arsenal in the form of money from the new owner of the club, which was businessman Vadim Rabinovich. But, unfortunately, the barely baked owner was initially opposed to cooperating with Zavarov. After a series of quarrels, trials and other things, Alexander Anatolyevich left Arsenal.
In the role of unemployed Zavarov did not stay long. He was involved in the coaching staff of the national team of Ukraine. For some time he even served as head coach. Unfortunately, he was removed from work during the introduction of the stellar Andrei Shevchenko.
In 2010, he was an adviser to the Prime Minister of Ukraine Boris Kolesnikov on preparations for the European Championship 2012.
Currently, Alexander Zavarov works in the Football Federation of Ukraine.
Attitude to the war in the Luhansk region
I can only say one thing: I will never fight where my family and my children live, where my parents are buried. So write. The war in Ukraine? I just want peace to come.
A. A. Zavarov
Dossier
Alexander Anatolyevich Zavarov (USSR / Ukraine). Soccer player
Date of birth: April 24, 1961 in Lugansk.
Ampoule: midfielder, striker, coach.
Years, clubs, games, balls:
- 1977-79, 1982 - “Dawn” (Voroshilovgrad) - 23 games, 7 goals;
- 1980-81 - SKA (Rostov-on-Don) - 64 games, 13 goals;
- 1983-88 - Dynamo (Kiev) - 136 games, 36 goals;
- 1988-90 - Juventus (Turin, Italy) - 60 games, 7 goals;
- 1990-95 - “Nancy-Lorraine” (Nancy, France) - 133 games, 33 goals.
- 1995-98 - Saint-Dizier (France) - 17 goals.
Coaching career of Alexander Zavarov
- 1995-2003 - Saint-Dizier and Tambey (France);
- 2003-04 - "Ville" (Switzerland);
- 2004 - "Zhenis" (Astana, Kazakhstan);
- 2005 - Metalist (Kharkov);
- 2006-10 - Arsenal (Kiev);
- 2012, 2012-13 - assistant to the head coach of the national team of Ukraine;
- 2012 - and. about. head coach of the national team of Ukraine.
Alexander Zavarov. Achievements
- Honored Master of Sports of the USSR (1988).
- Master of sports of the international class of the USSR (1986).
- Silver medalist at the 1979 World Junior Championships.
- Silver medalist at the 1988 European Championships.
- Champion of the USSR 1985, 1986.
- Winner of the USSR Cup 1981, 1985, 1987.
- Winner of the USSR Cup season 1986, 1987.
- Winner of the Italian Cup in 1990.
- 1986 Cup Winner.
- Winner of the 1990 UEFA Cup.
- Winner of the Swiss Cup 2004 (as a coach).
- The best footballer of the USSR in 1986.
- The best football player of the Ukrainian SSR in 1986.
- Winner of the Knight of Attack prize (established by the Soviet Warrior magazine) for the highest number of hat-tricks in the 1987 USSR Championship.
- Club member Oleg Blokhin (Ukrainian scorers scored more than a hundred goals in the championships of the USSR, Ukraine and international matches) and Grigory Fedotova (Soviet and Russian scorers scored more than a hundred goals in the championships of the USSR, Russia and international matches).
- In the 33 best - 4 times (all - the first in his role, 1985-88).
- Member of the world championships in 1986 and 1990.
- For the USSR national team (1985-1990) spent 41 games, scored 6 goals.
- He played for the world team (1987, 1988) - 2 matches.
- The first former Soviet football player, winner of two European cups. The only Soviet football player is the owner of the UEFA Cup. The only Soviet football player is the winner of the European Cup tournament as part of a foreign club.
- Order of Merit, III degree (Ukraine) (2004).
- Order of Merit, II degree (Ukraine) (2016).
Anthropometry: 170 cm, 69 kg.
Description as a player: One of the brightest football players of the USSR of the 1980s. He perfectly controlled the stroke and dribbling, skillfully combined an individual game with collective actions, he was always in search of the most favorable position to start a new attacking combination. It was distinguished by a high starting speed, a fine understanding of the game, and original gaming solutions. Despite the modest physical data, he boldly acted in martial arts, played well with his head.
Family A. A. Zavarov
Alexander's parents are workers who have worked all their lives in the foundry of one of the Lugansk factories.
Alexander married early. At the age of 20, he became engaged to 18-year-old Olga. Spouses are still inseparable. According to trainers, colleagues, friends and relatives, such an early wedding disciplined Zavarov, somewhat tamed the violent nature, made her take life more seriously. The family of Alexander Zavarov has two sons - Alexander and Valery (named after Valery Lobanovsky). Both tried to play football professionally.
However, Alexander the Younger as a young man, speaking for the second team of the French “Metz”, was injured incompatible with the continuation of his playing career. Now he completed his studies at the university, married, gave birth to two sons.
The youngest son of Zavarov, Valery, spent several matches in Kiev “Arsenal” in the Ukrainian Premier League under the tutelage of his father, who was then the head coach of the team.