Oleksiy Mykhaylychenko Explained

Oleksiy Mykhaylychenko
Fullname:Oleksiy Oleksandrovych Mykhaylychenko
Birth Date:30 March 1963
Birth Place:Kyiv, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Currentclub:Dynamo Kyiv (sportive director)
Position:Attacking midfielder
Youthyears1:1973–1981
Youthclubs1:Dynamo Kyiv
Years1:1981–1990
Clubs1:Dynamo Kyiv
Caps1:137
Goals1:39
Years2:1990–1991
Clubs2:Sampdoria
Caps2:24
Goals2:3
Years3:1991–1996
Clubs3:Rangers
Caps3:110
Goals3:20
Totalcaps:271
Totalgoals:62
Nationalyears1:1986–1988
Nationalteam1:USSR (Olympic)
Nationalcaps1:14
Nationalgoals1:7
Nationalyears2:1987–1991[1]
Nationalteam2:USSR
Nationalcaps2:36
Nationalgoals2:9
Nationalyears3:1992
Nationalteam3:CIS
Nationalcaps3:5
Nationalgoals3:0
Nationalyears4:1992–1994
Nationalteam4:Ukraine
Nationalcaps4:2
Nationalgoals4:0
Manageryears1:2002–2004
Managerclubs1:Dynamo Kyiv
Manageryears2:2004–2008
Managerclubs2:Ukraine U21
Manageryears3:2008–2009
Managerclubs3:Ukraine
Manageryears4:2011–2013
Managerclubs4:Dynamo Kyiv (sporting director)
Manageryears5:2012–2013
Managerclubs5:Dynamo Kyiv (assistant)
Manageryears6:2013–2019
Managerclubs6:Dynamo Kyiv (sporting director)
Manageryears7:2019–2020
Managerclubs7:Dynamo Kyiv
Manageryears8:2020–2021
Managerclubs8:Dynamo Kyiv (sporting director)
Medaltemplates: (as manager)

Oleksiy Oleksandrovych Mykhaylychenko (Ukrainian: Олексій Олександрович Михайличенко; born 30 March 1963) is a Ukrainian football coach and former professional player. He is a Distinguished Master of Sports of the USSR and a Distinguished Coach of Ukraine. During his playing days he was a versatile midfielder known for his stamina and passing capability. Also noted for his technique, Mykhaylychenko usually played as attacking midfielder.

Mykhaylychenko currently holds an administrative position at his home club, Dynamo Kyiv, as director of sport. His name is commonly romanised as Alexei Mikhailichenko from the Russian spelling of his name (Алексей Александрович Михайличенко).

Mykhaylychenko played for Dynamo Kyiv, Sampdoria and Rangers. He then became a coach, starting with assistant coach to Dynamo Kyiv's legendary Valeriy Lobanovsky. Following the death of Lobanovsky, Mykhaylychenko replaced him as head coach. In 2004, he took charge of the Ukraine's national under-21 team. He was head coach of the Ukraine national football team senior side for two years after that.[2]

Club career

Mykhaylychenko began his football career in the youth system of Dynamo Kyiv, under the guidance of Anatoliy Byshovets. He made his debut in the Soviet Top League in 1981, and went on to have a great career with Dynamo, winning four championships and three runner-up medals. He also won the Soviet Cup three times. His biggest success with Dynamo came when they won the 1985–86 European Cup Winners' Cup. He was awarded the Soviet Footballer of the Year award in 1988, as well as two Ukrainian Footballer of the Year awards in 1987 and 1988. In 1990, he was signed by the Italian club Sampdoria, who won their first Serie A title that season.

The following season he moved to play with the Scottish Premier Division team Rangers, uniting with fellow Ukrainian and Dynamo Kyiv teammate Oleh Kuznetsov,[3] although the defender had a long-term injury problem and they only played together 20 times in Scotland.[4] His first season at Ibrox was undoubtedly his most successful, as they completed the double of the Premier Division title and Scottish Cup and Mykhaylychenko was a regular in the side with 10 goals from 27 league games. He featured in 29 league games as Rangers won a domestic treble a year later, but managed just five goals. He was an even more frequent selection in the first team during 1993–94, playing 34 games, but again scored only five times.

Despite being very successful as a creative and technical central midfielder earlier in his career, at Rangers he was often deployed on the left wing with less impact[3] as manager Walter Smith preferred a 4–4–2 formation with more combative players in the central roles. Then came the arrival of wide man Brian Laudrup, whose presence in the team restricted Mykhaylychenko to a mere nine league appearances and two goals in 1994–95. He made 11 goalless league appearances in the 1995–96 (during which Wolverhampton Wanderers made an unsuccessful approach for him) and remained in Glasgow until retiring from playing in May 1996 at the age of 33.[5]

With Rangers, Mykhaylychenko managed to win another five league winner's medals. All-in-all he won championship medals in three different nations, and for seven consecutive seasons – USSR in 1990, Italy in 1991 and Scotland from 1992 to 1996.[6]

International career

At national level, in 1983 Mykhaylychenko took part in the 'Summer Spartakiad of the Peoples of the USSR' in the team of Ukrainian Republic team.[7]

Mykhaylychenko was capped 36 times (scoring nine goals) for the USSR. His first game for the Soviet team was on 29 April 1987 at home against East Germany. He won the gold medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics, and was part of the silver medal-winning Soviet squad at Euro 1988, but injury deprived him of a place in the FIFA World Cup 1990 squad and he was sorely missed as the Soviets crashed out in the first round.

Mykhaylychenko also played at the Euro 1992 championship with the CIS (appearing for the interim team five times in total) and afterwards played twice for Ukraine, making his debut on 28 October 1992 against Belarus, aged 29.

Coaching

After retiring from playing in 1996, Mykhaylychenko went back to Ukraine to begin coaching under the legendary Kyiv manager Valeri Lobanovsky, remaining his assistant for five years. When Lobanovsky died in 2002, Mykhaylychenko took over as caretaker manager before assuming full control of the team in the 2002–03 season. Mikhailichenko led the team to two league titles and the 2003 Ukrainian Cup, but was replaced in August 2004.[3] In 2004, he became the head coach of the Ukraine under-21 team. In that capacity he led the team to the final of the 2006 European Championship, which they lost to Netherlands.

On 16 June 2006, it was reported that Mikhailichenko would take over as head coach of Scottish Premier League club, Heart of Midlothian. Hearts did not follow up their reported interest and instead appointed caretaker Valdas Ivanauskas on a full-time basis. Mikhailichenko was announced as head coach of the Ukraine national team on 11 January 2008.[8] After Mikhailichenko's contract expired on in December 2009 the Football Federation of Ukraine did not renew the contract after the national team failed to qualify for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.[2]

Mykhaylychenko took over again as head coach of Dynamo Kyiv in August 2019. He was released from his duties on 20 July 2020, after winning the Ukrainian Cup and reaching second place in the championship. The club's official website cited playing level and the lack of progress as main reasons for his departure.[9]

In May 2021, became Vice-President of the Ukrainian Association of Football, promoted by the commander of Andriy Pavelka, who will be pratsyuvati in the UAF.[10] [11] [12]

Career statistics

International

Soviet Union national team
YearAppsGoals
198761
1988123
198951
199042
199192
Total369
Ukraine national team
YearAppsGoals
199210
199410
Total20

International goals

Score and results list Soviet Union's goal tally first

Goal Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 9 September 1987 1–1 1–1 UEFA Euro 1988 qualifying
2. 18 June 1988 2–1 3–1 UEFA Euro 1988
3. 19 October 1988 1–0 2–0 1990 FIFA World Cup qualification
4. 23 November 1988 0–1 0–1 Friendly
5. 10 May 1989 0–1 0–1 1990 FIFA World Cup qualification
6. 16 May 1990 2–2 3–2 Friendly
7. 29 August 1990 1–2 1–2 Friendly
8. 17 April 1991 0–1 0–1 UEFA Euro 1992 qualifying
9. 29 May 1991 2–0 4–0 UEFA Euro 1992 qualifying

Honours

Club

Dynamo Kyiv

Sampdoria

Rangers

International

Soviet Union

Individual

1988[13]

Manager

Dynamo Kyiv

Ukraine under-21s

State

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Olexiy Oleksandrovich Mykhailychenko - International Appearances. Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Arnhold, Matthias. 16 February 2021.
  2. Web site: Ukraine decides not to renew coach's contract. Kyiv Post. 23 December 2009. 16 February 2021.
  3. News: Alexei takes the Mikhailichenko The reluctant Rangers runner predicts his former club will have to work hard for success. The Herald. 21 August 2004. Herald & Times Group. 16 February 2021.
  4. Web site: (Rangers player) Kuznetsov, Oleg: Managers & Teammates. FitbaStats. Bobby Sinnet & Thomas Jamieson. 16 February 2021.
  5. Web site: Alexei Mikhailichenko. Sporting Heroes. 16 February 2021.
  6. Web site: (Rangers player) Mikhailichenko, Alexei. FitbaStats. Bobby Sinnet & Thomas Jamieson. 16 February 2021.
  7. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20150321145618/http://football.lg.ua/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6645:1983spartakiadanarodovsssrraster&catid=208:sovietua83&Itemid=775 . Football tournament of the VIII Summer Spartakiad of the Peoples of the USSR - Compositions of teams. ru. Футбольный турнир VIII Летней Спартакиады народов СССР Составы команд. 21 March 2015. Top. 16 February 2021.
  8. Web site: Mikhailichenko takes Ukraine reins. FIFA.com . 16 January 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080113101537/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/news/newsid=670596.html. 13 January 2008 . dead. AFP.
  9. Web site: Официально. К новому сезону "Динамо" будет готовить новый тренерский штаб. 20 July 2020. Officially, Dynamo will prepare a new coaching staff for the new season. 16 February 2021. Dynamo Kyiv. uk.
  10. Web site: Михайличенко офіційно став першим віце-президентом УАФ – екс-тренер Динамо отримав почесну місію . www.football24.ua . 25 May 2021.
  11. Web site: Екс-тренер Динамо Михайличенко влаштувався на престижну роботуДетальніше читайте на УНІАН. www.unian.ua . 25 May 2021.
  12. Web site: "Сподіваюся на його знання": президент УАФ Павелко поставив "олімпійське" завдання перед Михайличенко. www.footballua.tv . 25 May 2021.
  13. Web site: Eastern European Footballer of the season. WebArchive . 5 July 2024 .
  14. Web site: УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №210/2016. Про відзначення державними нагородами України ветеранів команди товариства "Футбольний клуб "Динамо" Київ" . president.gov.ua.
  15. Web site: 2012-03-06 . УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ № 697/2006 - Офiцiйне представництво Президента України . 2023-07-14 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120306062250/http://www.president.gov.ua/documents/4871.html . 6 March 2012 .
  16. Web site: 2013-10-14 . УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ № 795/2004 - Офiцiйне представництво Президента України . 2023-07-14 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131014112225/http://www.president.gov.ua/documents/1846.html . 14 October 2013 .