25 Nov. Alexandria. KSK Nika. Oleksandriya – Dynamo – 2:1. Volodymyr SHARAN. Photo: fcdynamo.kiev.ua
To replace the steel, construction and energy sponsors in the Ukrainian football actively come sponsors agrarian.
The “SE” tried to understand the issue not only in successfully serving Premier League “Alexandria”, but the experience while playing lower rank clubs.
The long-suffering Ukrainian economy has seen different times. A skeptic would say: when it was bad, and when something very bad – that makes all the difference. Come on! To see everything in a black light we have learned. But so sober analysis prevailed over emotions, we have always been somehow not very much, frankly.
I am not going to evaluate the growth or decline of economic indicators in Ukraine in different historical periods, leave it to the specialized media. Focus on the fact that in recent years a dominant role in the structure of the economy agriculture has acquired, surpassing the once mighty steel industry. This year was harvested the largest grain shaft in the entire history of Ukraine’s independence (do not forget that this result was achieved excluding the occupied Crimea and parts of Donbass, also regularly make a contribution to the Ukrainian grain Bank).
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What does this have to football? The most direct: to replace the steel, construction, energy boosters in the game of millions actively joined the sponsors agrarian. Large agricultural holdings, agricultural firms and even modest middle agricultural business, turned his eyes to football.
This factor has largely changed the geography of our football.
Look at the standings of the Premier League. Almost at the top is “Alexandria”, sponsored by advocates of “ukragrocom” is one of the leaders of Ukrainian agricultural market. “Don’t stop!” – reads the slogan of the company. Isn’t that the team of Vladimir Sharan it should?
The Alexandrians already debuted in the European cups. Obviously, the next stage of evolution – part in the group stage of the Europa League. And it is real!
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Represented agribusiness in the first League. Kolos from Kovalivka Kiev region and “Ingulets” from Petrovo, in Kirovograd, hatching ambitious plans going into the Premier League, develop the infrastructure, the envy of many clubs from the regional centers.
Agrofirma “Svitanok” headed by Tatyana Drought achieved significant success in crop production, husbandry and processing. Kovalivka and towns near many call it “little Switzerland”, so well-groomed and European they look.
Important social role for workers of Agrofirm plays football. Kolos is happy with his progress draws under the banners of skilled experienced players and persistently knocking on the door of the highest football division of Ukraine.
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“Ingulets” exists five years. However, during this short time span thanks to the efforts of “Agrofirma Pyatikhatsky” and a sincere love for the popular game by its head Alexander Povoroznyk club went from being a medalist in Kirovohrad region to one of the leaders of the first League.
Now “Ingulets” takes guests on a stadium with a capacity of 1720 viewers, but the following year his house will be a modern arena with a capacity of about 7,000 people. Presidents-farmers not only declare their willingness to invest in football infrastructure, but also practice it.
“Would continue high world prices for wheat, corn, soybeans and canola – and our football clubs will progress further,” they say.
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Deserves respect and the path of FC “Balkans” from the village of Zarya in Odessa region. The club was founded in 2007 under the auspices of the homonymous farm. Its head Radoslaw Zlatov admits: “I rest not much know how. That’s just the football is the main relaxation and hobby”.
First was the championship of the Saratsky district, then – the championship of Odessa region, then the championship of Ukraine among Amateurs. Noted the progress of the rural team and UEFA. In 2016, the Balkans became owners of bronze awards in the nomination “the Best Amateur club in Europe” for the activity in the grassroots or, to use the exact wording, thanks to “significant progress, based in one of the most remote corners of Ukraine.”
Now recent fans worthy of playing in the second power division of Ukrainian football. A cozy stadium on 1854 place is the envy of (and would like to serve as an example for others to follow) for a considerable number of clubs, representing the district and regional centers of Ukraine.
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In a series of “agrarian” clubs, of course, not to mention the “Agribusiness” of Volochysk, Khmelnytskyi region. The brainchild of Oleg Sabotage also plays in the first League. Stars in the sky football “Agribusiness” is not enough, but also at the mercy of the victors seems rare.
In almost every game fight to the end. Special sign home matches of the club – the abundance of delicious baked goods produced by the sponsoring company, often distributed free of charge to the public at the stadium “Youth” in Volochisk able to make 2700 spectators.
Many football divisions agribusiness structures and in the second League and in the championship of Ukraine among Amateurs, not to mention provincial Championships. Amateur teams sponsored by companies often declare their desire to obtain the status of commands of masters, that is, to reach the professional level – let someone this goal is clearly expressed, and someone hidden. I am convinced that herein lies the reserve of the development of our football in the near future.
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“To come in second League? No, I’m more for mass football,” I recognized the Chairman of a farm “Agrofirma “BASIS” (this is in the Uman district of Cherkasy region) Vladimir Osadchiy. Our conversation takes place on a brand-new, spick-and-span village stadium bleachers with a neat and modern irrigation system, and I give myself to ask the same question to the head after a couple of years.
“We develop gradually, last season were second in the championship of the Dnipropetrovsk region, has now gone into the winter break fourth in the group of the championship of Ukraine among Amateurs” – told me the owner of a farm in Tomakovka in Dnipropetrovsk Tamara Skoruk. By the way, her team is called “Skoruk”.
But vertically integrated agricultural holding “VIP group” has two teams going today in the first two places in the group of the championship of Ukraine among amator – “LNZ-Swan” from the Cherkasy region and Victoria from Nikolaevka, in the Sumy region. The slogan of the football direction of the holding – Italian-English: “Forza LNZ! We must stand together!” (“Go VIP! We have to stick together!”).
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“LNZ-Swan” holds home games at the cozy stadium with a capacity of 376 of spectators, erected by the agricultural holding in the village of Lebedin Shpola district, Cherkassy region. A distinctive feature of the arena is fully computerized watering with 24 injectors.
On the prospects of transition to the professionals in the company have not yet spoken. But last year, “LNZ-Swan” won the Cup and the championship of Cherkasy region, this year won the Cup of Ukraine among Amateurs. The club, who is only 12 years old, is developing rapidly – and, I believe, the application for participation in the championship of Ukraine among the teams of the masters in the second League for him only a matter of time.
The owners of the agricultural enterprises have different approach to the future of their football product in football. Someone more ambitious, someone less, the other keeps secret its own ambitions (like, “don’t tease tax”). Anyway, our football is in an era of “Niamh”.
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Good or bad? This question will give the answer only. In any case, nice to know that in Ukraine, the players of different levels feel supported from the “locomotive of the Ukrainian economy” (as is often and rightly called the agricultural sector). So, the future of domestic football is…
Arshad, Sport-Express in Ukraine