The Legend Tour guided by Valeriy Kriventsov, the captain of FC Shakhtar back in the 90s, started with the question “Is Kriventsov definitely coming?” Even before the legend showed up, the young man to have asked that question had been the first to come for the tour, looking clearly worried about something. The man explained his concern straightforwardly:

“I attend MSU (Moscow State University), though I am from Donetsk, having been rooting for Shakhtar ever since I was a little boy. My studies didn’t allow me to leave to attend at least one match played by my favourite team at the new stadium, but now I’m on vacation, hence I have made my mind to visit the Donbass Arena no matter what. And, lucky me… since you have the Legend Tour here. I watched him play on the pitch only from a distance, and here you can stand just next to him. And you can also ask him questions, can’t you?! Excellent!”

In the meantime, quite a large tour group represented by the people of all ages gathered by the entrance. The former attacking midfielder and the captain of FC Shakhtar was warming to the unusual role of tour guide in the manner similar to the way footballers enter the game: going slowly in the beginning and steadily gathering pace further into the match.

At the improvised press conference Valeriy Kriventsov was as unpredictable as he had used to be on the pitch years ago. When answering the question posed by Nikita Artiomov (that’s the name of the student from Moscow) about Valeriy’s attitude to the opinion that the Ukrainian football’s level was increasing, Valeriy’s answer was very uncommon.

“If you mean Shakhtar and Dynamo – then yes. As regards other teams – there’s no growth at all. Back in my time, there were no less powerful individual footballers, as well as the football powerhouses. And that’s true of not only Ukrainian footballers, but of football in general. Please do not approach it as a non-performing player’s grousing. That’s the opinion shared by numerous experts, even though they are very reluctant to state it.”

Valeriy Sergeyevich managed to ‘dribble’ as the tour progressed, and to ‘take the lead’ also. “Well, you’ve asked why there are so many foreign players and so few own alumni. But please answer this first: who can replace those foreigners in the first team?” Such intercommunication was the keynote of the entire tour.

Kriventsov’s narrative about one episode from the team’s training session in Turkey added some dissonant notes to the freezing weather… “The warm-up match, 55 degrees Celsius in the sun. We didn’t feel like seating, not to mention running. The halftime is nearly over, suddenly one of the Miners causes an affray. The representatives of both teams get involved in the fighting. Finally the opponent team’s coach brings his players out and rejects to continue the match. There we go! Owing to the quick wits of the Miner, the guys didn’t need to suffer the heat during the second half any more.” However, Kriventsov refused to name that savior from Shakhtar, he just added: “He was a friend of mine.”

Certainly there followed the traditional photo shoot with the legend in the Conference Room, the players’ tunnel, against the Donbass Arena’s bowl; autographing. Also there was a feeling that Valeriy Kriventsov played in so much that he could easily work out the second half in one breath, I mean – to conduct another tour. But the tour, unfortunately, came to an end…
 

Donbass Arena Media Centre

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