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Where there is no law, but every man does what is right in his own eyes, there is the least of real liberty
Henry M. Robert

Hryhory SURKIS: "We aim to win the Cup of Champions"

29 December, 1998 - 00:00

The players of Kyiv Dynamo have gone on vacation. The main off-season
news always concerns player transfers. The Honorable President of Kyiv
Dynamo Soccer Club Hryhory Surkis told The Day about this and much
else.

"What called forth the unfair decision to invite only one Ukrainian
team to the next League of Champions?"

"Fortunately, soccer has picked up so much speed that the press fails
to always keep up with its development. Without references to any competent
sources, in particular UEFA or Club Tournaments Committee, Sport-Express,
and then other publications, published tables, according to which only
one team will represent Ukraine in the League of Champions in 1999. However,
they were misinformed, because the formula will be adopted only in mid
January in Switzerland. Our national federation has thirteenth place and
therefore our country will be represented by two clubs in the 1999 Super
League."

"What are the training stages for the new season?"

"The players are presently on vacation except for Oleh Luzhny and Oleksandr
Holovko. The former is now in Lisbon, Portugal, undergoing examination
for Benfica, while the latter is in Liverpool, undergoing testing. The
preliminary training cycle begins December 29. First, the team will fly
to Reuth, Germany, for a training camp. Then we will participate in the
Commonwealth Cup in Moscow. On February 10 we will have a friendly game
against Milan. Then another training camp in Israel, after which the team
will fly to Madrid."

"What are Dynamo's goals?"

"We made it to the quarter finals. We aim to win the League of Champions
Cup. I believe they respect us in Europe, because we proved we have every
reason for claiming to be a grand master of European soccer."

"What can you say about Oleh Luzhny's future?"

"Kyiv Dynamo signed a contract with Benfica, which has a number of requirements
it must satisfy if it wants the transfer completed. Speaking of Luzhny,
I would like to say that this 30 years old veteran of our team did a lot
for the team's success in this season. In my opinion, he deserves to play
his last few years in one of the Western clubs. Oleh is now in Lisbon,
undergoing medical tests for Benfica. I am sure this team needs no introduction,
but unfortunately the club now has financial difficulties and is looking
for a way to secure banking guarantees. If we receive them in the next
few days, Oleh will be transferred to Benfica. However, chances are high
that he will come back to Kyiv and then fly to Sheffield for preliminary
examination. Sheffield Wednesday also wants him on their roster."

"What about Holovko?"

"He is now a starting player for Kyiv Dynamo. We need him. Liverpool
was ready to buy him already during the group tournament. But we did not
sell. Now he has gone to Liverpool, then he will fly on vocation to Maldives
through the United Arab Emirates. If his contract falls through he will
return to Kyiv on December 28."

"Are other players remaining with Dynamo?"

"Everything that was written about Shevchenko is pure fantasy. As you
see, Shevchenko is still playing for Kyiv Dynamo, just like a year and
a half ago, when they first began writing about his being traded to Milan.
He will remain with Dynamo for at least another six months. We do not need
to sell him; the club's financial situation enables it to keep such starters
as Shevchenko. However, Western clubs express interest in practically every
Dynamo player."

"But Yuri Kalytvyntsev is playing for Trabzonspor..."

"Actually, this is the only trade completed. It totaled $2 million.
Among Dynamo recruits there are 22 year old offensive player Sergei Serebriannikov
from Shynnyk of Yaroslavl, Russia; defensive player Volodymyr Ezersky from
Lviv Karapty; goalie Illia Blyzniuk from Dnipro, and five others."

 

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