Oleh Protasov
Ukrainian footballer
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Oleh Valeriyovych Protasov (Ukrainian: Олег Валерійович Протасов; born 4 February 1964) is a Ukrainian and Soviet former footballer who played as a striker. He was a key member of the Soviet Union national team throughout the 1980s; his 29[1][2] goals for the Soviet Union are second in the team's history, behind Oleg Blokhin's 42. Protasov also holds the record for the number of goals per season by scoring 35 goals.[4] It should be considered that his first name is often spelled as Oleg on most international rosters, particularly during his playing career (Russification of Ukraine).
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Protasov in 2011 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Oleh Valeriyovych Protasov | |||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 4 February 1964 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Dnipropetrovsk, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union | |||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Forward | |||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1972–1974 | Meteor Dnipropetrovsk (SC Meteor) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1975–1981 | Dnipro-75 (FC Dnipro) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||
| 1981–1987 | Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk | 145 | (95) | |||||||||||||||||
| 1988–1990 | Dynamo Kyiv | 71 | (30) | |||||||||||||||||
| 1990–1994 | Olympiacos | 83 | (48) | |||||||||||||||||
| 1994–1995 | Gamba Osaka | 55 | (24) | |||||||||||||||||
| 1996–1998 | Veria | 62 | (11) | |||||||||||||||||
| 1998–1999 | Proodeftiki | 28 | (5) | |||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2000 | Panelefsiniakos | 2 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||
| Total | 446 | (214) | ||||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1984–1991 | Soviet Union | 68 | (29[1][2]) | |||||||||||||||||
| 1994 | Ukraine | 1 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2000 | Veria | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2002–2004 | Olympiacos | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2005 | AEL Limassol | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2005 | Steaua București | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2008 | Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2008 | Kuban Krasnodar | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2009 | Iraklis | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2011 | Rostov | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2012 | Astana | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2013 | Dinamo Minsk | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2015 | Astra Giurgiu | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2015 | Aris | |||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||||||
Club career
Oleh Protasov started playing football at the age of 8 years old in his hometown of Dnipropetrovsk in Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk, where he played until 1987. His father, who was an engineer at Yuzhmash, brought him to the Meteor Stadium. Later, Protasov enrolled in the Dnipro-75 sports school led by Igor Vetrogonov.[5][6] In 1983, he was on the champion's roster of Dnipro, which gained its first domestic title. While playing for Dnipro during the 1985 season, he became the top goalscorer of the season with 35, which became the record of goals scored in a single season.[4] For this achievement, on 13 November 1986, he was awarded the European Silver Shoe during the annual award ceremony held at Le Lido.[4] The award was handed to him by former French international footballer Roger Piantoni.[4]
In 1987, Protasov moved to play for the Soviet-Ukrainian football giants, Dynamo Kyiv. His transfer to Dynamo, which took place along with Hennadiy Lytovchenko, was arranged as a compulsory military service.[4] In all, in the Soviet Union, he won the Soviet Championship twice and was named Soviet Footballer of the Year in 1987. He scored 125 goals in the Soviet Championship, making him the eighth-best scorer of all time in the Championship.
Following the fall of the Soviet Union, Oleh Protasov got a chance to play abroad. In 1990, he joined Greek side Olympiacos Piraeus that was coached by Oleh Blokhin.[4] Leaving Olympiacos in 1994, he played in Gamba Osaka, Veria FC, and finally Proodeftiki FC, from where he retired in 1999.
International career
Protasov played for the Soviet Union 68 times, including at the 1986 and 1990 FIFA World Cups, as well as Euro 88, where he scored two goals. He also played one game for the Ukraine national team, in 1994.
In 1983, Protasov took part in the Summer Spartakiad of the Peoples of the USSR, representing the Ukrainian SSR.[7]
Managerial career
After retiring as a player, Protasov went into coaching, and led Olympiacos to the Greek title in 2003. In 2005, he coached Romanian team Steaua București.
Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk
In December 2005, Oleh Protasov returned in Ukraine to coach his hometown team, Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk, after an impressive UEFA Cup performance with Steaua București. Protasov left by his own choice and was on very good terms with the entire team and owners of the club.[8]
In his first 2005–06 season as Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk's coach, Oleh Protasov led the team to a 6th-place finish in the Ukrainian Premier League. In the next, 2006–07 season, Protasov improved on this, finishing 4th in the league.
In the 2007–08 season his side unexpectedly led the title race ahead of the winter break, before a poor second half left his side in 4th once again. Dnipro sacked him on 29 August 2008 after an embarrassing defeat from AC Bellinzona in UEFA cup qualification match.[9]
Kuban Krasnodar
After that, Protasov took over FC Kuban Krasnodar in the nearby region of Russia. Kuban had been recently relegated to the Russian First League. Under Protasov's leadership, the club finished 2nd in the league, with an 8-point lead over their nearest competitors. This finish earned them right to be promoted to the Russian Premier League.
However FC Kuban was affected by the 2008 financial crisis, which greatly decreased the club's budget. In a mutual agreement with the club, Protasov left the club on 19 November 2008.[10]
Iraklis
Then, he signed a two-year deal worth 400,000 euro per year with Iraklis, starting from the summer of 2009. On 30 October, it was announced by Iraklis the termination of their contract, after 5 continual defeats in Super League and Greek Cup.
Astra Giurgiu
On 13 October 2014, Oleg became manager of FC Astra Giurgiu.[11] He was sacked on 2 March 2015.[12]
Aris
Protasov agreed on a three years contract with Aris, though Arvanitidis expulsion as head of the football department of the club, led to amateur Aris to terminate the deal after 15 minutes of its announcement.[13]
Personal life
Protasov is married to Natalia (née – Lemeshko), a daughter of Yevhen Lemeshko.[14][4] They met through a post letter exchange. She wrote him a letter after reading his interview in "Nedelya".[4] He is a naturalised citizen of Greece and can speak Greek, alongside English, Russian and his native Ukrainian.[15][16]
Career statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk | 1982 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| 1983 | 21 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 7 | |
| 1984 | 34 | 17 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 42 | 19 | |
| 1985 | 33 | 35 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 41 | 40 | |
| 1986 | 23 | 17 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 26 | 18 | |
| 1987 | 30 | 18 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 21 | |
| Dynamo Kyiv | 1988 | 29 | 11 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 13 |
| 1989 | 26 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 35 | 10 | |
| 1990 | 16 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 13 | |
| Olympiacos | 1990–91 | 29 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 12 |
| 1991–92 | 21 | 15 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 18 | |
| 1992–93 | 24 | 14 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 37 | 18 | |
| 1993–94 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 9 | |
| Gamba Osaka | 1994 | 27 | 11 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 34 | 15 |
| 1995 | 28 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 13 | |
| Veria | 1997 | 30 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 5 |
| 1998 | 32 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 7 | |
| Proodeftiki | 1998 | 28 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 5 |
| Career total | 444 | 213 | 53 | 25 | 25 | 6 | 522 | 244 | |
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soviet Union | 1984 | 5 | 2 |
| 1985 | 12 | 8 | |
| 1986 | 3 | 0 | |
| 1987 | 9 | 2 | |
| 1988 | 18 | 10 | |
| 1989 | 8 | 3 | |
| 1990 | 11 | 3 | |
| 1991 | 2 | 1 | |
| Total | 68 | 29 | |
| Ukraine | 1994 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 1 | 0 | |
- Scores and results list the Soviet Union's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Protasov goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 May 1984 | Kouvolan keskuskenttä, Kouvola, Finland |  Finland | 3–1 | 3–1 | Friendly |
| 2 | 2 June 1984 | Wembley Stadium (1923), London, England |  England | 2–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
| 3 | 28 January 1985 | Maharaja College Stadium, Kochi, India |  Iran | 2–0 | 2–0 | Nehru Cup 1985 |
| 4 | 27 March 1985 | Boris Paichadze Stadium, Tbilisi, Soviet Union |  Austria | 2–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
| 5 | 2 May 1985 | Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, Soviet Union |  Switzerland | 1–0 | 4–0 | 1986 World Cup qualification |
| 6 | 2 May 1985 | Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, Soviet Union | Switzerland | 2–0 | 4–0 | 1986 World Cup qualification |
| 7 | 5 June 1985 | Idrætsparken, Copenhagen, Denmark |  Denmark | 1–2 | 2–4 | 1986 World Cup qualification |
| 8 | 7 August 1985 | Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, Soviet Union |  Romania | 1–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
| 9 | 25 September 1985 | Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, Soviet Union | Denmark | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1986 World Cup qualification |
| 10 | 16 October 1985 | Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, Soviet Union |  Republic of Ireland | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1986 World Cup qualification |
| 11 | 23 September 1987 | Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, Soviet Union |  Greece | 2–0 | 3–0 | Friendly |
| 12 | 28 October 1987 | Lokomotiv Stadium (Tavriya), Simferopol, Soviet Union |  Iceland | 2–0 | 2–0 | Euro 1988 qualifying |
| 13 | 23 March 1988 | Olympic Stadium (Athens), Athens, Greece | Greece | 1–0 | 4–0 | Friendly |
| 14 | 23 March 1988 | Olympic Stadium (Athens), Athens, Greece | Greece | 3–0 | 4–0 | Friendly |
| 15 | 23 March 1988 | Olympic Stadium (Athens), Athens, Greece | Greece | 4–0 | 4–0 | Friendly |
| 16 | 31 March 1988 | Olympic Stadium (Berlin), Berlin, West Germany |  Argentina | 3–1 | 4–2 | Four Nations Tournament |
| 17 | 31 March 1988 | Olympic Stadium (Berlin), Berlin, West Germany | Argentina | 4–2 | 4–2 | Four Nations Tournament |
| 18 | 27 April 1988 | Štadión Antona Malatinského, Trnava, Czechoslovakia |  Czechoslovakia | 1–1 | 1–1 | Friendly |
| 19 | 1 June 1988 | Lokomotiv Stadium (Moscow), Moscow, Soviet Union |  Poland | 2–1 | 2–1 | Friendly |
| 20 | 15 June 1988 | AWD-Arena, Hanover, West Germany | Republic of Ireland | 1–1 | 1–1 | Euro 1988 Group Stage |
| 21 | 22 June 1988 | Neckarstadion, Stuttgart, West Germany |  Italy | 2–0 | 2–0 | Euro 1988 Semi-finals |
| 22 | 27 November 1988 | Al-Sadaqua Walsalam Stadium, Kuwait City, Kuwait |  Kuwait | 1–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
| 23 | 26 April 1989 | Olimpiysky National Sports Complex, Kyiv, Soviet Union |  East Germany | 3–0 | 3–0 | 1990 World Cup qualification |
| 24 | 15 November 1989 | Lokomotiv Stadium (Tavriya), Simferopol, Soviet Union |  Turkey | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1990 World Cup qualification |
| 25 | 15 November 1989 | Lokomotiv Stadium (Tavriya), Simferopol, Soviet Union | Turkey | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1990 World Cup qualification |
| 26 | 24 February 1990 | Stanford Stadium, Palo Alto, United States of America |  United States | 3–1 | 3–1 | Friendly |
| 27 | 28 March 1990 | Olimpiysky National Sports Complex, Kyiv, Soviet Union |  Netherlands | 1–0 | 2–1 | Friendly |
| 28 | 18 June 1990 | Stadio San Nicola, Bari, Italy |  Cameroon | 1–0 | 4–0 | World Cup 1990 Group Stage |
| 29 | 13 November 1991 | GSZ Stadium, Larnaca, Cyprus |  Cyprus | 1–0 | 3–0 | Euro 1992 qualifying |
Honours
Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk
Dynamo Kyiv
- Soviet Top League: 1990
- Soviet Cup: 1989–90
Olympiacos
Soviet Union
- UEFA European Championship runner-up: 1988
Individual
- ADN Eastern European Footballer of the Season: 1985[19]
- Soviet Footballer of the Year: 1987
- Soviet Top League top scorer: 1985, 1987, 1990
- UEFA Silver Boot: 1986[4] (behind Marco van Basten, holder of the European Golden Shoe)
- Oleh Blokhin club: 275 goals
- Gazeta Sporturilor Romania Coach of the Year: 2005
