He is one of the most prominent personalities of the main team of the Dynamo football team. Fans remember Alexei Mikhailichenko. His game on the field was beautiful and thoughtful. Thanks to the fair-haired midfielder, many goals were scored into the opponent’s goal. What was the life path of this football player?
Little Lesha and his childhood dreams
In a Soviet family of workers by the name of Mikhaylichenko in 1963, on March 30, a boy was born, who was named Aleshenka. The baby was growing, and no one suspected that he would soon become famous throughout the USSR, and the world would know about him a little later. Alex was the most ordinary child. The boy was fond of football since childhood. In the courtyard, walking with his peers, he chased the ball on the grass for hours and tried to repeat the tricks of the famous football players of that time, Alexei Mikhailichenko, seen on TV. Matveyevich - as he called professional footballer Bobal Matvey - for the boy was the standard. Parents, noting their son's craving for sports, encouraged this and contributed in every way to the development of talent. And when Lesha celebrated his first 10th anniversary, they took him to a children's sports school.
The first coaches of a young football player
Once in the Dynamo Sports School, the boy began to train hard. His first coach E. Kotelnikov really liked the teenager. The mentor was demanding and fair, and all his students were the same and equal before him. He did not divide the wards into the main players and secondary. Even t-shirts during training for all the boys were with the numbers of the basic structure.
Trained Alexei Mikhailichenko at Kotelnikov not for long. Evgeny Petrovich was transferred to a new position, and a new mentor A. Byshovets came to replace him. Alexey's external data was not quite suitable for a football player. Despite training, he remained slim and too thin. Although he trained hard, he still did not differ in speed during the game. He was often kicked out of the field for mistakes and forbidden to play. Alex tried to take into account all the requirements and correct. With each training, his game was better and better. The coach noticed how the pupil was trying, and felt the talent of a football player in Alexei, but did not utter praise out loud. Anatoly Fedorovich for 8 years has schooled Mikhaylichenko and turned into an excellent football player.
As part of a team of blue and white Dynamo
To get to not only the main, but also the backup team of Dynamo was not an easy task. Although at the age of 18, Mikhaylichenko played pretty well on the field and established himself as an excellent footballer, he was enlisted in the team of reserve players. And he spent more than 5 years on the bench. The secondary, however, did not break the player. Patiently waited for him to have the chance to prove that he was worthy to play in the first team, Alexey Mikhaylichenko. His biography at that time was not interesting. And fans of their hero did not know yet.
The football player himself, realizing that Lobanovsky’s training was incredibly complicated, worked hard on himself and adjusted his physical shape. Lesha did not know that the superstitious coach had long noticed his pupil, noting his style of play, and was considering including him in the first command staff. Valery Vasilyevich believed that the success of Dynamo is guaranteed if a red-haired football player plays on the field.
Good luck 1988
1988 Alexei Mikhailichenko considers the beginning of his career and the date when he won the hearts of football fans (and not only them) with his professionalism and a beautiful game in the USSR team. Game after game, match after match, the footballer showed excellent work. In the same year, he receives a gold medal in Seoul, participating in the Olympics, a silver medal in the European Championship and, finally, the title of the most professional footballer of the USSR.
Immediately Alexei began to invite various European clubs. But Mikhailichenko, responding to the request of coach Lobanovsky, continued to play in Dynamo for a couple of years.
Having played two seasons, Alexey Mikhaylichenko decided that it was time to show himself in the Italian Serie A.
Midfielder Mikhaylichenko and European football clubs
In 1990, Mikhailichenko was supposed to play at the World Cup. But because of the injury, he never entered the field. As it turned out, he was already waiting in Italy. So, without saying goodbye to Dynamo, he flew to Genoa to join the Italian Sampdoria.
In Italy, he had a hard time. Firstly, he did not know the language, which deprived him of all communication. It was especially difficult in training. Secondly, the new team did not recognize him. More precisely, he did not like the group of leaders of Sampdoria. In one interview, the football player himself admitted that there was no conflict, but the relationship was very strained.
The only season in which Alex took part was very successful. The Italians beat very strong football teams, giving only one point to Juventus, and deservedly got the championship.
The Italian trainers did not like the style in which Alexey Mikhaylichenko played. The football player should, in their opinion, work on the field not rationally, as Lobanovsky taught him, but as a creator, artist, showing beautiful tricks and maneuvers with the ball.
Having not received recognition at Sampa, the midfielder responds to an invitation to play with the Rangers and moves to Scotland. He signs a contract for 4 years and becomes a player on the Scottish team.
About the years spent in Glasgow, Alexey Mikhaylichenko, a football player from Ukraine, recalls with warmth. He was comfortable playing and living in this country. Literally from the first match, he won the hearts of discreet Scots. On the field, he showed a real game, which pleased football fans. His rationalism really liked the coaches of the Rangers. As a result, after the contract expired, the player was offered to extend cooperation for another year.
During the game in the Scottish club, Mikhailichenko Alexey Alexandrovich suffered many injuries and operations. He understood that his physical condition was very bad. And after 5 years of partnership, he declares that he is completing his playing career.
Coaching activity Mykhaylichenko
Long before Alexey Mikhaylichenko conquered fans and European football champions with his game, he admitted in an interview that he always dreamed of becoming a coach.
After the announcement of the completion of his playing career, the football player returned to his native Kiev. Here he meets with Valery Lobanovsky, who invites his student to try to work as an assistant coach in his native Dynamo. Alexei Mikhailichenko, a footballer in the past, was glad of such an offer and immediately agreed.
And his coaching career began with the “white and blue” players. He learned a lot from his mentor Valery Lobanovsky over 5 years of collaboration. The trouble came unexpectedly. The head coach of Dynamo has died. For Mikhaylichenko, as for all Dynamo, this was a strong blow. Shocked by this, the guys could not adequately perform at the national championship and win it, losing the championship to Donetsk Shakhtar. Everyone experienced the bitterness of loss.
Dynamo head coach and the collapse of his coaching career
Surkis, becoming the president of the Ukrainian football team, appointed Mikhaylichenko as head coach. For two seasons he held himself with dignity, and in the third he failed. It was after this that the leadership of the team passed into the hands of Jozsef Szabo. Mykhaylichenko began to train the youth team of Ukraine. His students are currently playing in the main team of the Dynamo football team.
