Mykhaylo Fomenko Explained

Mykhaylo Fomenko
Full Name:Mykhaylo Ivanovych Fomenko
Birth Date:1948 9, df=yes
Birth Place:Mala Rybytsia, Sumy Oblast, Ukrainian SSR, USSR
Death Place:Sumy
Height:1.80 m
Position:Defender
Youthyears1:1962–1965
Youthclubs1:Spartak Sumy
Years1:1965–1970
Clubs1:Spartak Sumy
Caps1:48
Goals1:8
Years2:1970–1972
Clubs2:Zorya Luhansk
Caps2:59
Goals2:1
Years3:1972–1979
Clubs3:Dynamo Kyiv
Caps3:173
Goals3:0
Totalcaps:280
Totalgoals:9
Nationalyears1:1972–1976
Nationalteam1:USSR
Nationalcaps1:24
Nationalgoals1:0
Manageryears1:1979
Managerclubs1:Frunzenets Sumy
Manageryears2:1980–1985
Managerclubs2:Dynamo Kyiv (as instructor)
Manageryears3:1985–1986
Managerclubs3:Desna Chernihiv
Manageryears4:1987
Managerclubs4:Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih
Manageryears5:1987–1990
Managerclubs5:Guria Lanchkhuti
Manageryears6:1990–1991
Managerclubs6:Al-Rasheed and Iraq
Manageryears7:1991–1992
Managerclubs7:Avtomobilist Sumy
Manageryears8:1993
Managerclubs8:Dynamo Kyiv
Manageryears9:1994
Managerclubs9:Veres Rivne
Manageryears10:1994
Managerclubs10:Guinea
Manageryears11:1994–1996
Managerclubs11:CSKA-Borysfen Kyiv
Manageryears12:1996–2000
Managerclubs12:Metalist Kharkiv
Manageryears13:2000–2001
Managerclubs13:CSKA Kyiv
Manageryears14:2001–2002
Managerclubs14:Metalist Kharkiv
Manageryears15:2003
Managerclubs15:Metalurh Zaporizhia
Manageryears16:2003–2005
Managerclubs16:Metalist Kharkiv
Manageryears17:2005
Managerclubs17:Spartak Sumy (vice-president)
Manageryears18:2005–2008
Managerclubs18:Tavriya Simferopol
Manageryears19:2010–2011
Managerclubs19:Salyut Belgorod
Manageryears20:2012–2016
Managerclubs20:Ukraine

Mykhaylo Ivanovych Fomenko (Ukrainian: Михайло Іванович Фоменко; 19 September 1948 – 29 April 2024) was a Ukrainian football player and coach.

As a player, he was capped 24 times for the Soviet Union,[1] and, as a head coach, became the second ever manager – after Oleh Blokhin – to take the Ukraine national team to an international finals tournament, reaching UEFA Euro 2016.

Fomenko was famous for his coaching in Dynamo Kyiv, winning its first Ukrainian gold medals for the club, first Ukrainian Cup for the club and most notably, defeating Barcelona in the first leg of the Champions League tournament. Barcelona, under Johan Cruyff and with such star players as Ronald Koeman and Pep Guardiola, ended up to be finalist of that UEFA Champions League season.

Fomenko died in Sumy on 29 April 2024, at the age of 75.[2]

Playing career

Fomenko was an integral part of Dynamo Kyiv's achievements in the 1970s at the club level, which included hoisting the 1975 Winners Cup and Super Cup.[1]

Coaching career

After graduating from the Higher School of Coaches in Moscow in 1979, Fomenko coached numerous Ukrainian clubs, most notably Dynamo Kyiv. With Fomenko the club won its first Ukrainian gold medals, and its first Ukrainian Cup, both in 1993 and most notably, beating Barcelona in the first leg of the Champions League tournament. Barcelona ended up being finalist of that 39th season of the UEFA Champions League. Before that success, in the end of 1989, he promoted the Georgian club Guria Lanchkhuti to the Soviet Top league and in 2001 reached the Ukrainian Cup final with CSKA Kyiv, which was the best result in the club's history.

On 26 December 2012, Fomenko was given a one-year contract – with a possible second-year extension – as head coach of the Ukraine national team[1] after the Football Federation of Ukraine had failed to retain Harry Redknapp and Sven-Göran Eriksson for the role.[1] Fomenko coached Ukraine to six 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification wins, coming against Poland (twice), Moldova, Montenegro, San Marino and France, as well as one draw against England.

After placing second in their qualifying group, Ukraine was matched against France in the second round of UEFA qualifiers. Despite winning the first leg 2–0 at home, Ukraine fell 3–0 away to lose 3–2 on aggregate, thus failing to make the 2014 World Cup finals. Despite this, Fomenko indicated he would like to continue in his role and lead Ukraine in its UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying campaign, and on 6 February 2014, the Football Federation of Ukraine announced it had extended his contract until the end of 2015.[3]

Fomenko ultimately led Ukraine to successful qualification in the Euro 2016 finals in France after finishing in third place in its qualifying group, setting up a playoff matchup against Slovenia. Here, Ukraine won 3–1 on aggregate to ensure the nation's spot in France. Fomenko subsequently extended his contract to coach Ukraine up to Euro 2016 until 30 July 2016, though he was promised another extension should Ukraine perform well at Euro 2016. Ukraine, however, had a disastrous tournament, losing all three group stage matches, including a defeat against the then world champions Germany (2–0) and, most shockingly, a loss to Northern Ireland (2–0), which sent Ukraine to an early exit.

Honours

Player

Dynamo Kyiv

Soviet Union

Individual

Manager

Dynamo Kyiv

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.kyivpost.com/content/sport/ukraines-football-federation-taps-fomenko-to-coach-national-team-318175.html Ukraine's football federation taps Fomenko to coach national team
  2. https://suspilne.media/sumy/734245-pomer-pocesnij-gromadanin-sum-mihajlo-fomenko/ Помер почесний громадянин Сум Михайло Фоменко
  3. http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/sport/183175.html Fomenko to continue working with Ukraine's national football team until end of 2015