Oleksandr Pryzetko: "The issue of preserving football in Kharkiv"

2026 is an anniversary year for "Metalist 1925". In August, the club will celebrate its 10th anniversary. It's time to remember the epic pages of our club's history. Ukrainian journalists Arthur Valerko and Andriy Kudyrko are preparing a book about the club's history for this date. We offer you to get acquainted with some materials in advance - interviews with people who created this history. Let's start with the first head coach of "Metalist 1925" - Oleksandr Pryzetka:

– Oleksandr Serhiyovych, you took over the team at a time when "Metalist" de facto ceased to exist. Was the "Metalist 1925" project the only chance to keep your players together as one team?

– The question then was about preserving football in Kharkiv because "Metalist" ceased to exist. And our fans, a group of people from different professions, decided to revive football and start from amateurs. The goal was to support Kharkiv football and not let it die. That's why this team was created. And Serhiy Mykhailovych Storozhenko invited me to be the head coach.

– The guys could have gone their separate ways. How did you manage to keep them together? Did everyone respond to your proposal to start everything from scratch with amateurs and believe in this team?

– At first, it was difficult because many guys were already in other teams, so it wasn't possible to gather everyone immediately. But a certain core was formed, roughly speaking, from my students with whom I worked in "Metalist" U-19 and U-21. At first, there weren't so many of them, but gradually, over time, I talked to each one, convinced them in some way. Sometimes people played in higher leagues, but I had a good connection with the guys, and we brought them back. The guys believed, they had a goal. Moreover, almost all of them were from Kharkiv. So, of course, I had to talk to everyone, meet them, convince them in some cases, but there were no major problems.

– The legendary Horiainov was included in the squad just in case not everyone could be gathered. Did he still have plans to play at that time?

– He didn't have plans to play, but Sasha was included just in case because the team was being formed, and initially, there were problems in all positions while we were doing the selection work. We understood that the person was in good shape, in training mode, and I think if he needed to help, he would. Plus, it's his name, dear to football fans - it was important to show that he was with us.

– Speaking of more experienced guys, there were also Pivovarov and Davidov at that time, and Maslov joined after the start of the championship. Did they fulfill their role as mentors for the young team?

– They became my assistants on the field. We had a young team (19-21 years old), and it was important to have veterans who behaved correctly off the field, could support the young players. These players organically integrated into the team and became an example.

– There were few out-of-town players, literally a few people. Goalkeeper Telnov, utility player Kuksenko, and Romanov - your find. How did you find him, a guy with a difficult fate who reloaded himself here after disqualification and even now remains the best assistant in the history of "Metalist 1925"?

– As far as I remember, we saw Romanov at a trial. We announced the trial at the very beginning of the selection. As far as I remember, many people from all over Kharkiv and the Kharkiv region came, and even out-of-towners, there were many calls from football players who just wanted to come to the trial. And Romanov was among those who came to the trial. It was clear that he stood out in some way, played somewhere, had a good school. We used him in the midfield: as a "number ten," as a "number eight," later he played on the flank - and everything was at a good level.

– There were also guys who didn't play much. For example, Kuksenko was in the squad - he passed through "Metalist," had a good school at "Shakhtar," himself from the Kherson region. The same Nesterenko, who was involved in "Dynamo." Were these transient footballers for certain periods or did they quickly leave not for football reasons?

– It's not even that they left for non-football reasons. This is football, and anything can happen. Sometimes you hope for a football player, the person comes, you see - he seems to have passed certain clubs, and there is a school, and there are ambitions. But there is also the football field, and all this needs to be transferred to it. If an out-of-town player doesn't meet the level, it's easier for us to rely on our own. Let them be younger but with potential, graduates from Kharkiv. We didn't want to close the door to anyone. If someone didn't work out, didn't fit in this team - we let them go without problems so that they could show themselves in another team. It was all mutual: for someone, it wasn't their team, for someone, there were other reasons. There were questions not only of a sports nature but also of everyday, life issues. So we parted ways with everyone normally. We shook hands normally, we never had any problems at all.

– In those early years, it was unclear what would happen to "Metalist's" property, base, and so on. How was the team's daily life organized in the first seasons? Was everything okay with transportation to distant away games?

– In the first season, as far as I remember, we ordered buses and traveled like all teams - both in the Second League and the KFK - to our away games. But there were no problems, the conditions were good. Later, our club bus with beautiful branding appeared.

– Then there were other, let's say, new clubs in cities that were used to the UPL. Some immediately faced harsh rejection from fans, while "Metalist 1925" enjoyed support from the first away game in Volodymyrivka. Was this unexpected for you?

– I also judge from that trip to Kirovohrad region, which everyone was waiting for. The excitement was great, and at every away game, we heard our fans. I'll tell you more: even before that, during the training process, fans came to our training sessions, worried, communicated. And we practically had warm relations with them from the first day. I still have no problems with them - we meet, talk.

– These are amateurs, and such a thing is unlikely to happen again: 5-6 thousand, 9 thousand at a match! What did the young guys feel, yesterday's reserves, who came out to the Osk Metalist stadium with such a number of fans and a European Cup atmosphere?

– It's clear that the first games were unique because not many of us played with such a number of spectators. The guys were overly excited. Not everyone can come out from the first game and not feel the responsibility, the trembling. But with each game, they added in this component, and, on the contrary, the stands began to add confidence. And it became a system because it wasn't just one game: it's not like 5000 fans came, and the next one - 200. With each game, they, on the contrary, increased the number of spectators.

– Moreover, the beginning of the season was quite challenging. Now we understand what clubs they were: "Inhulets" has been in the Premier League, "Polissya" is currently in the Premier League,

"Viktoria" - in the First League in noticeable roles. And then these were clubs that no one knew.

– Despite this, we did not have arrogance. On the contrary, we explained to the guys that they still needed to prove themselves. Horiainov, Edmar, Davidov saw something in football. And the guys who were 19-22 years old still had to show themselves.

– You had a difficult start with an away game in Petrovsky district, against "Inhulets-3", the reserves of a club that no one knew in Ukraine, and then - with MFC "Zhytomyr" and "Viktoria". Did the amateur championship surprise you?

– We were still studying ourselves, our capabilities, because the team was practically without training camps, functionally the team was not ready: some were more, some were less, there was a certain imbalance. We just gathered and literally entered the new season from scratch. I remember that first trip to Petrove - playing on synthetic turf, suffocating in the heat, a tough match. Our guys were exhausted ten minutes before the end, falling without strength, cramps. But we won! Those goals by Kraiev and Davidov set the pace for the whole season. We understood that it would be difficult and if we didn't show character, I think we wouldn't have achieved anything. But with character, we passed this stage. It had to be passed, especially the first games - through tough matches, but we needed to get in shape.

– You played against "Polissya" at home, against "Polissya" away, with "Viktoria" - 0:0, and then there was that game when you "broke through" - 9:1 against Peremohaisk.

– Again, some knew each other, some had played together before, some had not. Adaptation was needed. Maybe if we played against these strong opponents in the middle of the championship - the score would have been different. Then, as the championship progressed, we started gaining momentum through games, and I think the results spoke for themselves. The match with MFC "Peremohaisk" was not about a crushing score, but about what "clicked" there, which maybe wouldn't have clicked in previous matches. We felt relief because the guys took the "burden" off their shoulders.

– In that season, there were other clubs from Kharkiv region in the AAFU - "Solli+" and "Kvadro". They had good, trained, experienced players in their squad. Did you prepare specially for those matches or did you not make a separate emphasis?

– There was no need to explain to the guys to "run faster". They played for the club, for their name. Real footballers have sports pride, which always kicks in against fellow countrymen, neighbors without reminders. I remember when we arrived in Zlatopil (then Peremohaisk), there was no room to swing a cat! People were standing around the field - it was a celebration! It was clear that the preparation and the players' level were different there because you understand: there is excitement, advertising, the guys have already shown something, results appeared, people started going specifically to "Metalist 1925". There we won. But "Solli+" beat us in the first round - 2:0. But the most important thing - I had nothing to blame the guys for: no one slacked off, no one "didn't run". There was an opponent - an experienced, skillful team that had already played at this level and showed good results. So for us, the main thing was to be united throughout the season.

– Before that away match with "Solli+" towards the end of the year, there was a very powerful streak - 7 wins in a row, 10 rounds without defeats. Can we say that in the fall, in combat conditions, in matches, this team had already fully formed?

– Yes. If in the first game we barely managed, with great difficulty, five people couldn't finish the match because of cramps, then the training and competitive process helped the team to come together and functionally unite. And it was clear that the result came.

– In the offseason, the team lost several players. The same Napolov went to Poland. I know he was, as they say now, a project player: talented, fast, versatile. Did you have to, let's say, fight to keep talents?

– I talked to Serhii Napolov practically until the last day. He didn't hide anything from me. But the person wanted to play at a higher level. So, no matter what you say, he makes a decision - it's his life. As for other guys: they were players with a good school. When they played together in the reserves, they showed good football. And at the adult level, they felt the game. And, of course, when other clubs started pulling them, especially since we were an amateur club and there were no professional contracts... But, you know, I had close relationships with them, we constantly communicated. If someone was invited somewhere, they first came to me, consulted. I will never make a player worse. If a Premier League club invites him, on the contrary, I will say: go. Because it's a chance. I won't hinder a person in their professional development. The situation is different when they invite just to invite, and a person can get lost, like in the same First or even Second League team. So I found the words that it's better to step up to a professional level here, in the Second League, with your team, where you will show your best qualities and grow as a player.

– You won the first spring match against "Solli+", and the goal was scored by the newcomer Skotarenko - a unique player who had been trying for a long time. And an example of selection in your region.

– He hadn't played in Ukraine for a long time, but we saw that he played for "Kvadro", scoring goals. He had already shown himself in this championship. We didn't take a pig in a poke - we saw that he was a good striker. A "bull", but at the same time technical. Good age. So we decided to invite him. We didn't have such a striker: there was a different type in Davidov, there were young guys, but Denis - exactly the forward-bull who could both receive the ball and create a moment, dribble, score.

– Playing at 19:25, almost like in the Champions League - evening lighting. For amateur football, this is super cool. It's incredibly beautiful. How did the team perceive such a start of the match?

– Footballers enjoy such an atmosphere. I mean normal footballers. The atmosphere itself - playing in the light, at a stadium with 9 thousand fans. It was a great decision to schedule the match with "Solli+" at 19:25. Everyone understood that it was symbolic. "Metalist 1925" - and the match at 19:25, fans in the stands. The guys had already somewhat gotten used to the fans in the first round, were on the same wavelength with them, and wanted even more, even louder. They saw how they were treated, how they approached. And at the KFC, they came up to them to take photos, get autographs.This is pleasant for any athlete, for anyone who is doing their job. And here are young guys - they delight the fans, they are loved, they feel it. But the main thing is that they went out on the field and gave themselves for these fans.

- Then you had long trips: 600 kilometers to Zhytomyr, 500 to Vradiivka, Pervomaisk. How was it to play these matches?

- The trips were difficult. I remember in Mykolaiv region, in Pervomaisk - there were almost as many kilometers as in the Eurocups. But, again, to make it easier in this regard, I always told the guys: you need to play in the Premier League. There the organization, conditions are different. And this is an amateur championship. I believe that at that time it was held at a decent level. Maybe I had nothing to compare it with, but my first impression was this: I expected worse.

- In spring, you had very difficult trips to Kherson and Zaporizhia - "Tavria" (2:2) and "Tavria-Skif" (0:4). Was it already affecting the end of the season or insufficient tuning?

- As they say, everything together. The guys are young, the team is young. Somewhere they overestimated themselves a bit. Sometimes there are such moments - it may not even be their fault. Maybe I missed something somewhere. At that time, there was a general love for "Metalist 1925": everyone loved, everyone cherished. Fans were thrilled with the team. And when the main group of footballers is 20-22 years old, there are, you know, such "gaps". Maybe I didn't fully feel their condition - not functional, but emotional. Because for us, essentially, besides victory, there were no other results. A draw was perceived as a defeat. In Rozdol, we conceded in the second minute. But after that, we had moments. But we didn't score - they scored against us. And the team "slipped" a bit - couldn't handle the blow. Although we never lost with a big score. We just couldn't handle it - purely emotionally. Moreover, in that season in amateurs, there was a feature that many cities that lost the UPL gave their youth to amateurs. What to say, Eduard Sarapiy played for "Tavria-Skif"! After that game, I remember, there was a meeting with the fans. There were complaints - and, in principle, fair ones. The guys slightly overestimated their attitude.

- Did you keep an eye on the western group? After all, there were "Agrobusiness", "Niva" (Ternopil), FC "Lviv", and FC "Lutsk" starting the season with a bunch of veterans and talents...

- We watched, analyzed, because we aimed to take the first place in our group and play in the final. I agree with you that practically every amateur team had its "stars" at that time. Oh, "Lutsk"? Beskorovainyi - a future world champion among youth. FC "Lviv"? Dakhnovskyi and Kopina. "Chaika"? Bukhal. "ODEK"? Hruska. "Niva"? Mekhaniv. I already mentioned Sarapiy. In short, it was a good tournament.

- The final was held at the NSC "Olympic" - also for the first time in history. Moreover, "Agrobusiness" usually brought their fans to decisive matches. What happened there that the match couldn't be finished?

- I can't judge who was right - who was to blame. I also know our Kharkiv fans - they are not the ones who create chaos just like that. And I'll be honest: I almost didn't hear the opponent's fans - only ours. Yes, they also supported, but not as coordinated as the Kharkiv fans. Because you can support in different ways: just shout chants or organize support, as our fan sectors with flags did.

- What happened in that final? Was Agrobusiness objectively stronger?

- Probably, on that day - yes. Their team was more experienced, already hardened in such manly games. There were, of course, certain circumstances, but I don't see the point in talking about them. I believe that we lost in the game - there is no point in looking for the guilty here. I can't say that we didn't want to win - we always played only for victory, but the task for the season was to participate in such a tournament, perform as well as possible, and move to the Second League. Which was accomplished.

Artur Valerko.