Alexey Paramonov - a popular Soviet football player, played as defender, midfielder and striker. At the same time, he participated in hockey tournaments at the defender's place. He is a Honored Master of Sports and Honored Trainer of the RSFSR. Throughout almost his entire career, he played in the Moscow Spartak, played for the USSR team.
Athlete Biography
Alexey Paramonov was born in 1925 in the small town of Borovsk in the Kaluga province. In 2008, by the decision of the local city council, he was awarded the title of honorary citizen of Borovsk.
Alexey Paramonov grew up in a large family. At the age of 2, he moved to Moscow with his parents. The sports career of the hero of our article was predetermined by his physical education teacher at school No. 430 in Moscow. She drew attention to him, noting the outstanding sports inclinations.
His debut in the capital's Start team was to take place in 1941, just on June 22, on the day the Great Patriotic War began. Due to the Nazi attack on the Soviet Union, all sporting events, of course, were canceled.
During the war
By the beginning of the war, Alexei Paramonov was 16 years old. The hero of our article worked at a woodworking machine factory, which produced mortars in wartime, and then at factory No. 706, which belonged to the Ministry of the Navy. There he worked until the very end of World War II. By 1945 he had the position of a mechanic and healer of the sixth category.
In fact, the sports career of the football player Alexei Paramonov began even before the end of the war. In 1944, he made his debut in the capital's team called "Builder". However, he spent only a few matches for this club. The teacher of the Malakhovsky College of Physical Education Galina Mezina drew attention to him, who invited him to become a student of their educational institution.
It turned out that Mezina is a relative of the legendary Soviet football and hockey coach Anatoly Tarasov. He also noted the outstanding success that Paramonov demonstrated, and invited him to play in the Air Force team.
At this stage, the team was actually patronized by General V.I. Stalin, so there was increased attention to its results and the game, only the best of the best were selected there. Football player Alexei Paramonov in the Air Force was in 1946.
Debut in the USSR Championship
Alexey Alexandrovich Paramonov made his debut as part of this team in the First League of the USSR Championship. The Air Force team spent an outstanding season, gaining 16 victories in 24 matches. “Pilots” took first place, gaining the right to play in the Major League.
However, the debut in the highest echelon of Soviet football was unsuccessful. In 24 games, only three victories were won. The only rival with which the “pilots” fought for survival was the Minsk “Dynamo”, but Belarusians had three points more at the finish of the season. The most humiliating was the defeat from the Stalingrad “Tractor” - 1: 6, Tbilisi and Moscow “Dynamo” - 1: 5.
Such a result could not please anyone. Attitude to Tarasov deteriorated, he left the team. Paramonov at that time did not play a big role in the club, for two seasons he spent only 9 games and scored 2 goals, but also left the club as a Tarasov man.
Ozerov recommendation
In the future career of Aleksey Aleksandrovich Paramonov, a popular role was played by the popular Soviet sports commentator and tennis player Nikolai Ozerov. He has long watched the athlete, noting his good results. It was on the recommendation of Ozerov that Paramonov was accepted into the Moscow Spartak. Then he did not think that this club would become the main team in his career.
In the team, he was right in the course of the 1947 season. In parallel, he received higher education at the Pedagogical Institute named after Nadezhda Konstantinovna Krupskaya. In May 1960, he graduated as a teacher of physical education, which played an important role in his future career.
In 1947, Spartak did not show high results, finishing only in 8th place. At the same time, the team successfully performed in the USSR Cup, having managed to win the trophy for the fourth time in its history. In the decisive match, “Torpedo” (2-0) was defeated. Paramonov did not play, as he had not yet managed to gain the trust of head coach Albert Volrat.
New coach
The following year, the coach changed in the team. Volrat was replaced by Konstantin Kvashnin, who had already won the All-Union Championship before the war with Spartak. With his appearance, young promising players began to receive a place in the first team, including Alexey Paramonov. In Moscow, he soon became one of the most popular players.
The team under Kvashnin issued an impressive 7-match winning streak, after 20 rounds in first place. In the end, the youth did not have enough experience, as a result, only bronze medals, and the champion was again the CDKA. In the cup, “Spartacists” reached the finals, where they lost to CDKA with a score of 0: 3.
The next year, Kvashnin is replaced by coaching tandem Vladimir Gorokhov - Abram Dangulov. They continue the policy of rejuvenating the squad, Paramonov becomes a full-fledged base player, in the same year the young striker Nikita Simonyan enters the team. In the championship, the team will finish third again, and in the cup will be eliminated at the semifinal stage. The defense and goalkeeper position turned out to be weak.
At the beginning of 1951, after a disastrous start, Dangulov resigned, replaced by Georgy Glazkov. After sixth place in the final standings, he is replaced by Vasily Sokolov. The season was special, because after the failure of the Soviet team at the Olympics, which was based on the CDKA players, the multiple champion of recent years was simply disbanded. Having lost the main competitor, everyone expected to win the championship. “Spartacus” with Paramonov from the very beginning took the lead, having issued the championship several rounds before the finish.
In 1953, Viktor Vasiliev became the new head coach. The leadership of “Spartacus” took advantage of the disbandment of the “army” teams, which after the death of Stalin began throughout the country, inviting a number of strong players. In the championship, the main battle unfolded against Tbilisi Dynamo. Having defeated the Georgian club in an in-person meeting 4: 1, “Spartak” scored a victory in the championship for the second time in a row. The following year, many counted on a third victory in a row, but in the middle of the season Muscovites were defeated in several important matches, in the end they took only second place, losing to Dynamo Moscow. In the camp of the "red-white" it was regarded as a failure. Sokolov resigned, in his place they took Nikolai Gulyaev. In 1955, Nikolai Starostin returned, who became the head of the team. After a disastrous start, Spartak defeated the Dynamo Moscow (4: 1), a principled rival, getting close to the leader. But the defeat in the end of the “Torpedo” (3: 4) did not allow to win gold, again second place.
The season was completely different in 1956. “Spartacus” immediately took the lead, scoring four victories in a row, showing well-coordinated and attacking football, naturally formalizing the sixth championship in its history.
Trip to the Olympics
In 1956, the USSR Cup was not played because of the team’s trip to the Olympic Games. This time, the base team was Moscow “Spartak”. The footballers of the “red-white” Ogonykov, Tishchenko, Maslenkin, Netto, Isaev, Salnikov, Simonyan, Ilyin, Tatushin and, of course, Paramonov went to Australian Melbourne.
Paramonov made his debut in the national team two years earlier in a friendly match against Bulgaria (1: 1). In the second half, he came on as a replacement together with Anatoly Isaev. And in the next game against Poland (3: 1) he spent all 90 minutes.
At the Olympics, the team had to qualify in a confrontation with Israel. After the home victory 5-0, few doubted the final success. And so it happened, visiting Soviet football players won again (2: 1). Paramonov by that time was already a full-fledged player of the basic structure.
The USSR national team went to the Olympic tournament in the status of one of the favorites, this was facilitated by the bright friendly matches that were held the day before. They won over the teams of Germany (2: 1), East Germany (6: 2), Tashkent “Pakhtakor” (11: 1), Australia (16: 2). True, there was a place for alarm, on the eve of the Olympics, the Soviet team suffered several defeats - 1: 2 from France and 0: 1 from Hungary.
The first rival of the USSR national team in the 1/8 finals of the Olympics was the team of the Federal Republic of Germany. Paramonov entered the field in the starting lineup, played all 90 minutes. In the first half, Isaev opened the score, and 5 minutes before the final whistle Streltsov doubled the lead. The goal of Khabig in the very ending gave the Germans hope, but they failed to equalize - 2: 1 in favor of the USSR team.
In the quarter finals, Indonesia was surprisingly stubbornly opposed by the Soviet team. Head coach Gabriel Kachalin left Paramonov in reserve, firing instead of him, Jozsef Betz, who at that time played for CSKA. The game against the exotic Asian team ended in a draw 0-0, a replay was appointed. Kachalin once again updated the composition, even replaced at the gate of Lev Yashin with Boris Razinsky. This brought the result. By the 20th minute, the USSR national team won 2-0, thanks to the goals of Salnikov and Valentin Ivanov. Before the break, Net made the score large, and Salnikov in the second half scored a double - 4: 0.
In the semifinals, Paramonov returned to the starting lineup, who left in his usual position in the game against Bulgaria. In the main time, 21 thousand spectators, watching the game of Soviet football in Australia, did not see goals. This time, an extra time was assigned together with the replay.
Almost immediately, Ivan Kolev opens an account, hitting the gates of Lev Yashin. The team manages to recoup at 112 minutes, by the efforts of Eduard Streltsov, and at 116 minutes Boris Tatushin scores the winning goal. USSR national team in the finals!
True, Kachalin decides not to release Paramonov for the decisive game, the hero of our article remains on the bench. In the game against Yugoslavia, Anatoly Ilyin scored the only goal in the 48th minute. Soviet soccer players win gold medals at the Olympics. They contribute to the victory of the team in the team event. Soviet athletes manage to win 37 gold, 29 silver and 32 bronze medals.
In 1957, Paramonov was less and less called up to the national team. He appears on the field only once in the qualifying match for the right to play at the World Cup away against the national team of Poland. With 93,000 spectators, the Poles beat the Soviet team 2: 1. For the hero of our article, this game is the last in his career for the national team.
Championship failures
After the triumph at the Olympics, “Spartak” is not able to demonstrate the game that everyone expects from them, in the domestic championship. At the start, they are haunted by failures, many attribute this to their constant participation in qualifying matches for the right to play at the World Cup. Football players are experiencing extreme loads, in the end they finish only in third place, losing both Dynamo and Torpedo. Failure awaits in the Cup of the country, in the final, “Spartak” loses to “Locomotive” 0: 1.
In 1958, “Spartak” starts the championship very confidently, without losing at the start in any of the eight matches. Then the tournament follows a break due to the team’s trip to the World Cup in Sweden. Paramonov has no place in the team, but the “Spartak” Simonyan, Net, Salnikov and Ilyin go there.
The national team leaves the group from the second place: 2: 2 with England, 2: 0 with Austria and 0: 2 defeat from Brazil. In the quarter finals, Soviet footballers are inferior to the hosts to the Swedes - 0: 2.
True, they are considered the main contender for the championship. However, in the end, they begin to pursue failure. The defeat of the main rival of the Moscow “Dynamo” becomes fatal, and the undercover fight also plays a certain role. The scandal was as follows. In August, Spartak beat Dynamo Kiev on their field thanks to a goal by Nikita Simonyan, scored 12 seconds before the end of the match. Kievans protested this result, the federation recognized their statement justified, appointing a replay, after the official end of the championship. At this point, “Dynamo” was ahead of only one point. “Spartacus” needed a victory.
In a bitter struggle in that outstanding match, Muscovites triumph with a score of 3: 2. In the cup, “red and white” in the finals are stronger than “Torpedo” (2: 1), making the “golden double” for the third time in their history.
The 1959 season for the team is simply a failure. Losses are replaced by offensive draws, as a result, only sixth place in the standings at the end of the championship. The champion again becomes Dynamo. The team begins a generational change. Salnikov and Simonyan are leaving, and only Anatoly Krutikov comes from experienced players. Many young players who simply lack experience and qualifications constantly enter the field.
After the failed season, Nikolai Gulyaev is dismissed. In his place comes Nikita Simonyan, who by that time had not yet completed his career as a football player. Such a bold decision is made by Nikolai Starostin. In addition, following the results of 1959, Paramonov made the decision to end his professional sports career. So the young head coach has to form a team from scratch, relying on young players.
Paramonov, who gave “Spartak” 11 years of his career, during this time played 264 matches for the club, in which he scored 63 goals. The awards of Alexey Paramonov are impressive. During this time, he becomes the 4-time champion of the USSR, won twice in the Cup of the country, he also has two silver and three bronze medals of the championship.
In 1954 and 1956 he was among the 33 best players in the Soviet championship.
Spartakiad of the peoples of the USSR
There is one more significant achievement in Paramonov’s career. In 1956, he became the winner of the summer Spartakiad of the peoples of the USSR. The hero of our article acted as part of a team in the city of Moscow. In the 1/8 finals the team of the Lithuanian SSR was beaten - 2: 0, and then the Byelorussian - 5: 1.
In the semi-final there was a stubborn match against Leningrad. Paramonov played in the first team. Maslenkin and Streltsov scored in the Muscovites by the 15th minute, however, Gulevsky literally won one goal. In the middle of the second half, the third goal was scored by Salnikov. At 82 minutes, Tsaritsyn once again printed the gates of Yashin, who defended the gates of the Moscow team. As a result, Paramonov's team won 3: 2.
In the final, the team of the Georgian SSR was beaten with a score 2: 1, Salnikov and Ilyin scored among Muscovites.
Surprisingly, at the very beginning of his career Paramonov participated in the USSR hockey championships. He played for the Moscow Spartak, with which he won the bronze medal twice - in 1950 and 1951.
Coaching
After completing his professional career, he began working in the football department, where he was invited by Starostin, headed the Committee of Veterans of the RFU.
Since 1960, he helped to work with the youth team of the USSR. The coaching career of Alexei Paramonov was amazing. In 1965, he went to Tunisia to the club Etoile du Sahel. In 1966 he led the team to victory in the national championship, then he worked in the youth team of the USSR, helped to train the main team. In the mid-70s, he once again went to the same Tunisian club, but not so successfully. Spartak veteran Alexei Paramonov completed his coaching career in 1984. He worked as an assistant to the head coach of the USSR youth team.
Personal life
The wife of Alexei Paramonov Julia has been married to him since 1950. They raised a daughter. In 2016, she passed away. On August 24, 2018, Alexey Paramonov passed away. He was 93 years old. The cause of death of Alexei Paramonov was not specified. He wished to find the last shelter next to his wife.
The grave of Alexei Paramonov is located at the Vagankovsky cemetery. The current and former players of his native club took part in the farewell. One could say with confidence about Alexei Paramonov - “Spartak” forever. He became one of the stars of the club in the 50s.
In parting with Alexei Paramonov, everyone remembered his magnificent game. Even Yevgeny Yevtushenko dedicated poetry to him.
Times have changed. Girls with foam
went to Dynamo to cheer.
But he was more beautiful than all Alyosha Paramonov,
holding hearts in their hands - no less than a third ...
I liked him all - to the golden tooth,
which lit up all the parks on earth.
Played not like Beavers, but how rudely
and more artistic than Pele.
The cause of the death of Alexei Paramonov remained unknown.