FC «Arsenal» (Belaya Tserkov) will change. Part one

We present a detailed interview with the Deputy Chairman of the Kiev Regional Football Federation Alexander Tabak about the situation around Belaya Tserkovskiy Arsenal.

— Mr. Alexander, a few weeks ago professional football nearly lost Arsenal Belaya Tserkov. Now, when the passions have subsided a little, I would like to know from you some details of the salvation of the club and, in fact, ask about its subsequent fate.

— I would like to start by saying that six years ago I was at the origins of the creation of Arsenal, so I am not indifferent to the fate of this club. As a former chairman of the Kiev Regional Football Federation, I have experience in rescuing teams. At one time, our efforts saved «Borisfen» (Boryspil), «Nafkom» (Brovary). The situation with Arsenal was simpler compared to the aforementioned teams. Now the regional football federation is headed by the governor of the Kiev region Anatoly Prisyazhnyuk, so such issues are much easier to solve..

— How did the problems begin at Arsenal??

— When Igor Artymovich resigned, it was not news to me. I had no complaints about this specialist, but he lacked work experience. When a difficult situation arose, Igor Klimentievich did not find arguments to psychologically unite the team and interrupt the series of defeats. As a decent person, he saw no other way out, and resigned. Therefore, we talked with the president of the club, Yuri Voroby, and then the question of withdrawing from the competition was not at all raised. Oleg Toporik was assigned to lead the team. However, after the defeat by Odesa, the president’s nerves broke down. He refused to fund the club and wanted to withdraw Arsenal from the competition.

— Principal solution.

— Yes. After this statement, almost daily conversations began with Mr. Prisyazhnyuk to save the club. As an argument, I gave an example that before we had six professional clubs in the Kiev region, represented in all leagues, while now there is only one. Several options were considered. We consulted with Yuri Voroby, but the negotiations were unsuccessful. He decided that he would be engaged exclusively in youth football. Of course, despite this decision, I would like to note his huge contribution to the development of professional football in the region. The team went the right way, developed and grew gradually, and with it the material and technical basis was created. Now the club has a good training base in the village of Shkarovka. A project for the construction of a new modern stadium in Bila Tserkva is already being developed.