Saving sketches

19-01-15 20:02:21

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Artem Frankov and Ruslan Marmazov again (again and again) communicated directly, ie through the interoceanic cable.

- What are your impressions of the marvelous city of San Salvador da Bahia di Todush-br-Santos, colloquially Salvador? Should be in it, in my opinion, something from Kharkiv - the former capital of Brazil too? Plus ski lift connecting Lower and Upper Town, a local landmark and sightseeing, which is called Lacerda - apparently in honour of the iconic footballer of Metalist and the national team of Ukraine.
- It looks like Kharkiv. Especially favelas, of course. And the natives, most importantly, walk so proud, they say, we are the first capital... No, really small town was very interesting, unexpected and capricious as local souvenirs. They say that it brings the best of luck. Again, as in Kharkov... Salvador has its own unique atmosphere. Jorge Amado could live anywhere (in fact, he lived anywhere), but kept coming back to Bahia. While not returned, once and for all. I recently, about two years ago, reread Captains of Sand on purpose, in order to better understand the individual motives of our Brazilians. Now came to the conclusion that while nowhere else, except Bahia, action couldn’t take place! There is high concentration of Brazilian or something. That’s the reason why locals consider themselves as founders of capoeira. Dance and scuffle, cheerful and severe in one package - this is Salvador.

Old Town is curious, as it is currently preserved in time. The beaches are not as glamorous as in Rio, but smiling and positive. But with the first steps in warm Bahia you understand exactly how hard for people to survive. And where the struggle for existence, there can be very different version of events. Up to the crime. In any case, the division of machine gunners, accompanying Shakhtar every second, leaves no room for frivolity. And you know what an interesting observation? In Rio, while travelling to training and back, too, our bus was accompanied by a police car. There's a wild traffic - that we, therefore, do not spend the night on the road, the guardians of local motorists tried to frighten with flashing lights. So local drivers mocked police were doing things like that.

In Salvador otherwise when popping out of the jeep with four arms and fingers on the trigger - somehow there is no thought to vandalize, even from hardmen from books of Amado. And this, please understand me correctly, without the slightest hint of danger to us, from our point of view. Prevention, not more. And at the stadium at half-time and post-game team of referees from the field is evacuated by a special unit of ‘robocops’.  This was in the quietest friendly match.

Favela - is, of course, another story. Thoughtful such a little sad, blending smoothly into the samba ... I'm not a big fan of foreign considered manifestations of poverty – and there are plenty of them at home too. But in Salvador these strange, unusual towns built not only without projects and permits, but often without the luxury of such attributes as the windows (good winter there, and perfectly replaces the draft air conditioner), - everywhere. Like it or not, but attention should be paid. Especially that Shakhtar was training at the training base of FC Bahia, and it is attractively located in the epicenter of life.

Let me not be hysterical: how people live, it's necessary, such squalor and all that... I can tell you that for me, the favela is not so radically different from our own workers' settlements. There’s no heating. And the rest - quite fine. As for the settlements, they are half a level above... For some reason, there was a rigid association with vegetable plots under Mariupol. There my mother-in-law to have a scrap of land "for tomatoes." Once receiving a piece of land, they happily stuck on them not even houses,  but temporary booths, where they can leave the equipment, a break in the shade. Built, of course, in its own way, thought, here come the time cleaner - remove the booth, put cottages. Nothing, of course, then is  removed and put ...

So, if you take the mass Mariupol chalet hut, randomly scattered on the slopes, and in some places in the 3-4 reel - and will receive approximately favela. Yes, sort of way the population lives. Which is interesting, and there is room for growth for the initiative, imagination. Think about it, when one one of such houses I saw the inscription the Commercial Centre Barbosa.

- Will we fight with our readers and their habits, breaking out of the city's name out of place in this case, the ‘soft sign’?
- Be sure to fight! And I will tell the story of this topic. Before the Pitmen’s arrival in Salvador the press office received an e-mail. Our fellow citizen, performing now in some circus saw that Shakhtar, his beloved team since childhood, would now be just next door. It was he who works in El Salvador, in its very capital! Well, people did not understand the joy that had confused their country of residence with the city in Brazil... But how cute and sincerely he invited the entire delegation to the show. And with the owner of the circus has agreed. He was delighted - such an honour! He said that for Mircea Lucescu would also be interesting to meet with fellow countrymen Romanian gymnasts ... Sorry, did not get to the event. But for a Donetsk artist who works in El Salvador - low bow and respect. We will of course come when near-by. The next time, comrade.

- What local say - they hate Rio for being the capital before it was moved to Rio de Janeiro moved in 1763? Especially since you're not flying somewhere out there, namely, but in the present capital of Brazil, which is also some power…
- Kharkiv also hate Kyiv for that, don’t they? Is it the same? I, if absolutely honest, have never been a fan of the city being the capital. One big fuss. Perhaps I am too unrestrained provincial. For me it was always better to be in Donetsk. Marvelous city when we are not destroyed the artillery. When destroyed, we do not like it at some reflex level... But even now about Brazil.

Indeed, we were lucky to see their capitals - past and present. The city is so different, as if there is not one country are, and not at all on different planets.

Appropriate, by the way, a place for discussion on the theme "Brazil - Brasilia" (as well as "Tunisia - Tunisi," "Algeria - Alzhil"). I spoke to a local lady, she asks whether I like Rio and all that, adding that Rio is a city of contrasts. And she is so right. That's why she didn’t understand why I laughed do loud. She hasn’t not seen "Diamond Hand".

- In the first half, it seemed that Shakhtar dominated the game versus Bahia. What happened next? The team is not ready physically? Why such failures in the center of defense?
- The game, by the way, turned out not boring at all. The first half featured 8 Donetsk Brazilians reinforced by three non-Brazilians, against 11 guys from Salvador and temperamental stands. Especially since the Pitmen responded to their goal with a couple of goals of their own. Second half - yes, enough mistakes. If we had scored more it would have been the first victory of Shakhtar in Brazil. For now, just - the first game of Shakhtar.

It is clear that everyone wanted to win. Mister, I can assure, in the first place. For him, this trip is nostalgic. 47 years ago he played in Salvador, Romanians won 5:2. Spoke with him about his travels in Brazil. This is the fifth. His attempt number five, we could sing along squeaky voice. But a former four occurred in the late 60's - early 70's of the last century. Mircea Lucescu was young and ran across theBrazilian pitches in shirt of his national team, or Dinamo Bucharest ...

It’s probably great to return after half a century in charge of a strong team and show yourself to the public in all your glory coaching.

Basically, it's already happened: a tour of Shakhtar in Brazil is a landmark event, even historic. Not only for us. For Brazil, take my word, too. I can see the excitement. At today's game with Flamengo there were accredited nearly two hundred journalists. It's in the country, where there is more than enough of football.

While we are not far from Mircea Lucescu and his previous visits to Brazil I can tell an interesting story. Lucescu told me it personally. In one of the trips (the case was in the winter - for Soviet clubs situation is also known, when it was happiness to head somewhere to Morocco and Sierra Leone to prepare for the championship, and at the same time to play, watch, and, hondeslty, to improve the financial situation) Romanian team toured Brazil one month and a half, holding 13 matches during this time. When Mister today says to young Brazilians of Shakhtar that he has seen their more than they've seen - it's true.

But back to the game with Bahia. Why did it happen? Let's not forget: it’s a training camp. There’s still hard work to reach the peak form. Prior to this game the team worked hard during a week having two training sessions a day, in the heat, but the sand. If trying to find the reasons. Who will be interested in that? Fans want their team to win anyway. Even if not playing football, but dominoes, for example. Lucescu, as you probably guessed, saw all the shortcomings and failures better than us. The next day, some time during training was devoted to an analysis of problematic issues. It's okay, the Pitmen are working, preparing, gaining strength, and in such great games - and even get invaluable experience. I, by the way, liked very much how our young players entered the game. No nervousness, trembling and shaking kneecaps.

- Bernard and Costa didn’t play. Have they already trained on a par with everyone?
- They didn’t play, they were late, not in the proper condition. In fact, they have already arrived, will soon take to the the field. In the meantime, Bernard is causing panic. In a good way. If he appears somewhere, public destroys cordons, rushing to take pictures. The phenomenal popularity, I assure you!

- Alex ran to celebrate family. It seemed that many relatives came to him!
- There were a lot of Teixeira’s relatives. They prepared specific printed T-shirts for the occasion, with banners, chants. Well, it is good where there is a big family – there is always your own fan club!

- How was the meeting with Eduardo before the match? Were there avaricious man's tears?
- There were no tears, men do not cry. And there was a moment of the meeting with the old good friend! Eduardo - a great player and a wonderful, well-bred, well-educated man. It is always nice to talk to him, especially in such unusual circumstances. Hugs, "Well, how are you?" "I am fine, and you?"...

- What did you make of the opponent?
- The team, which has something to prove. And it does it best. Especially in front of his audience. More than 17 thousand at a friendly match with a sound and light (although slightly club-disco) show with cheerleaders with pom-poms in every sense of the word, drums and chants, a giant banner ‘Terror tricolor’ (tricolor of Bahia is uncomplicated, but frankly puts pressure on the opponent), persistent smell of popcorn. According to the organizers, ticket sales brought 540,000 local realities - if I counted right, something in the region of 230 000-235 000 dollars. Not bad for a friendly match.

Fans who pay money for tickets, invest in the club everything, including the soul cannot be upset. Bahia fought hard. For them, the motivation in the game with Shakhtar was very high. Moreover, I think that any player from Salvador would like to move to either Shakhtar, or in any other decent club in Europe.

- How did you like Fonte Nova stadium?
- Good stadium, I liked it. Maybe without the chic, but everything is fine. You know, I always look at the stadiums and even in terms of comfort for the press. In Turin, it would seem, such a nice arena, and players in the mixed zone should be driven through the corridors on two levels up, then return to the zone players. I call it an unfriendly greeting from architects, and club employees too.

In Salvador stadium is excellent - if you would like to criticize, I have zero arguments. Amusing was acquaintance with some local customs. During the match, none of the people in the immediate vicinity of the field (except for the players, of course) should not flaunt in his underpants. I mean, just pants plus closed shoes. Heat or no heat - it is not interesting, there is a dress code.

I also wanted to say a couple of words regarding local press. I was impressed by colleagues. They live football, on any more or less connected with the game ball action will certainly find several film crews, apart from writing journalists.  Press conferences are different from Italian and Romanian ones. But the questions are asked strictly regarding the topic, professionally and courteously. It is interesting to observe how their press conferences end. Moderator quietly asks who is at the presidium table to end the conversation. He warmly thanks for your attention. After that, no questions will not be asked. Because it is impolite.

- Additional impressions - alone Brasilia, the brainchild of Juscelino Kubitschek, Luis Costa and Oscar Niemeyer...
- Large, unusual, unfrequented, artificial city. Synthetics is so-so. When the architectural idea of mankind degenerate finally, local facilities will be of interest to tourists. This happens 200 years later, I suppose. However, I don’t know the city well yet, propose you to talk about it the next time. While impressed, shocked even by the police. I’m talking often about today... And what to do if they catch the eye. In the best sense of the word, of course. Team bus escorted 7 motorcyclists. This is a wonderful show, my friends! Racers debugged scurry back and forth, blocking the way for everyone else. And the scheme is built so deftly that if anyone expects passing motorcade, it takes half a minute, a minute, but while on the bus there is a feeling that all the time you are travelling on an empty road. Impressive!

FC Shakhtar Press Office based on materials from Futbol magazine