Oleh Kuznetsov

Oleh Volodymyrovych Kuznetsov (born as Oleg Wladimirowitsch Kuznetsow in Germany) (Ukrainian: Олег Володимирович Кузнєцов) (born 22 March 1963) is a Ukrainian football coach and former professional player. He won domestic honours in the Soviet Union with Dynamo Kyiv (as well as the UEFA Cup Winners Cup in 1986), in Scotland with Rangers, in Israel with Maccabi Haifa and in Ukraine with CSKA-Borysfen Kyiv. Kuznetsov won 58 caps for the USSR national team between 1986 and 1991, playing in the final of UEFA Euro 1988 then was also selected for its successors, the CIS (five caps) and Ukraine (three caps).

"Oleg Kuznetsov" redirects here. For the Soviet-Russian serial killer and rapist, see Oleg Kuznetsov (serial killer).

Oleh Kuznetsov
Personal information
Full name Oleg Wladimirowitsch Kuznetsow -
Oleh Volodymyrovych Kuznetsov
Date of birth (1963-03-22) 22 March 1963
Place of birth Magdeburg, East Germany
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Central defender
Team information
Current team
 Ukraine U19 (manager)
Youth career
1971–1980 SDYuShOR Desna
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1981–1982 Desna Chernihiv 86 (0)
1983–1990 Dynamo Kyiv 181 (5)
1990–1994 Rangers 35 (1)
1994–1995 Maccabi Haifa 6 (0)
1995–1997 CSKA-Borysfen Kyiv 11 (1)
Total 247 (7)
International career
1983 East Germany U20 0 (0)
1986–1991 USSR 58 (1)
1992 CIS 5 (0)
1992–1994 Ukraine 3 (0)
Managerial career
1998–2001 CSKA Kyiv (assistant)
2001–2002 Arsenal Kyiv
2002–2004 Dynamo Kyiv (assistant)
2002–2007 Ukraine (assistant)
2008 Moscow (assistant)
2010 Ukraine U17
2011 Ukraine U18
2012 Ukraine U19
2013 Ukraine U16
2014 Ukraine U17
2015 Ukraine U18
2016 Ukraine U19
2017 Ukraine U16
2018 Ukraine U17
2019 Ukraine U18
2020 Ukraine U19
2021–2023 Ukraine U16
2023– Ukraine U19
Medal record
Representing  Soviet Union
UEFA European Championship
Runner-up1988 West Germany
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Desna Chernihiv

Kuznetsov was born in Magdeburg, East Germany into a military family stationed in East Germany. His family returned to their native Ukraine and the town of Chernihiv when his father retired from the army and got a job as an engineer at a local radio plant. His mother worked as an engineer in a construction and design institute, from where she retired. Kuznetsov started playing when he was eight years old with local football schools before signing for the city's professional club Desna Chernihiv in 1980, continuing to improve his technique and tactics under the guidance of coach Yukhym Shkolnykov. He made 86 appearances for Desna and helped the team to finish twelfth in the Soviet Second League (Zone 5) in the 1981 season,[1] improving to second place in the 1982 season (Zone 6).[2][3][4][5]

Dynamo Kyiv

After a successful 1982 season, Kuznetsov moved to Dynamo Kyiv[2] where he remained until September 1990. He won the Soviet Top League in 1985, 1986 and 1990, the Soviet Cup in 1985, 1987 and 1990, and the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1985–86. He became regarded as one of the best defenders in Europe in the second half of the 1980s, known for his strong ball-winning skills and long-range shooting power.

Rangers
during a coaching session at FC Moscow in 2008

Kuznetsov transferred to Scottish club Rangers in 1990. He injured his cruciate ligament in his second game (against St Johnstone)[6] and did not play again for a full year. New defensive players were brought in during his layoff such as Dave McPherson, and he was never a first choice again.[7] A year after his arrival another Ukrainian, his former Dynamo Kyiv teammate Oleksiy Mykhaylychenko, joined the club, but they only played in 20 matches together across three seasons.[8] He moved on in 1994 after a four-year stint badly hampered by injuries, with Basile Boli coming to Glasgow to take his place in the squad.

Maccabi Haifa

After being released by Rangers, Kuznetsov played for one season in Israel with Maccabi Haifa, winning the 1994–95 Israel State Cup and finishing runners-up in the 1994–95 Liga Leumit.[9]

CSKA-Borysfen Kyiv

Kuznetsov returned to Ukraine to finish his career with CSKA-Borysfen Kyiv. In 1995–96 he won the Ukrainian Second League to achieve promotion to the Ukrainian First League.[10][11]

International career

Kuznetsov played for the East Germany U20 national team in the 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification in 1983.

He appeared in 58 games for the USSR national team (one goal), five times for the interim CIS after the fall of the Soviet Union and three times for the independent Ukraine side. He claimed a silver medal with the USSR at Euro 1988,and also appeared for them at the 1986 and 1990 FIFA World Cups;[12] On 9 September 1990, he scored his only goal for the USSR in a 2–0 win against Norway in UEFA Euro 1992 qualifying at the Central Lenin Stadium in Moscow;[13] subsequently he played for the CIS at Euro 1992 Finals.

Coaching career

Kuznetsov began coaching in 1998 at the last club he played for professionally, CSKA Kyiv. Starting out as an assistant coach, he became head coach for the 2001–2002 season (with CSKA Kyiv becoming Arsenal Kyiv in the meantime).

He moved to the coaching staff at Dynamo Kyiv and later had several roles with the Ukraine national team, including as a member of the staff with the senior squad that reached the quarter-finals of the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, and taking charge of various youth age group teams over the next decade.

Career statistics

Club
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[14]
Club Season League Cup Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Desna Chernihiv 1981 Soviet First League 420000000420
1982 Soviet First League 440000000440
Dynamo Kyiv 1983 Soviet Top League 110000000110
1984 Soviet Top League 152300000182
1985 Soviet Top League 291500000341
1986 Soviet Top League 272200000292
1987 Soviet Top League 243516000354
1988 Soviet Top League 261410000302
1989 Soviet Top League 294506000404
1990 Soviet Top League 202510000253
Rangers 1990–91 Scottish Football League 2000000020
1991–92 Scottish Football League 180001000190
1992–93 Scottish Football League 9000000090
1993–94 Scottish Football League 6100000061
Maccabi Haifa 1994–95 Liga Leumit 6000200080
CSKA-Borysfen Kyiv 1995–96 Ukrainian Second League 183000000183
1996–97 Ukrainian First League 111001000121
Career total 337202931700037423

    Honours

    Player
    FC Desna Chernihiv
    Dynamo Kyiv
    Rangers
    CSKA Kyiv
    Soviet Union

    Individual

    Ballon d'Or

    References
    1. "Чемпионат СССР 1981". www.footballfacts.ru/. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
    2. "From Desna to Dynamo. Players who have become legends". www.fcdynamo.kiev.ua. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
    3. "1983-1991". www.desna.football/. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
    4. "Oleg Kuznetsov, central defender of Dynamo Kiev". www.www.cnopm.ru/. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
    5. "Чемпионат СССР 1982". www.footballfacts.ru/. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
    6. Alexei takes the Mikhailichenko | The reluctant Rangers runner predicts his former club will have to work hard for success, The Herald, 21 August 2004
    7. (Rangers player) Oleg Kuznetsov, FitbaStats
    8. (Rangers player) Kuznetsov, Oleg: Managers & Teammates, FitbaStats
    9. "Israel State Cup 1994-95". RSSSF. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
    10. "Чемпионат Украины 1995/96". www.ukranianfootball.narod.ru. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
    11. "Сезон 1995-1996". www.uafootball.net.ua. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
    12. "Oleh Kuznetsov". FIFA.com. Archived from the original on 28 February 2008. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
    13. "Oleg kuznetsov - International Appearances". RSSSF. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
    14. "Кузнецов Олег Владимирович". www.footballfacts.ru. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
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