SOME OF THE LATEST NEWS FROM BELARUSIAN FOOTBALL

BATE BORISOV MAKE VITALY ZHUKOVSKY HEAD COACH

Vitaly Zhukovsky is the new manager of BATE Borisov - He has left Isloch where he had been manager/coach since 2010 when they were playing in the Amateur leagues. He lead Isloch to the top division and a best placed finish of fifth in 2019 as well a cup semi-final appearance in the same year. Zhukovsky will be under a huge amount of pressure to return BATE as Champions in 2021 - they have finished as runner's up in the last two seasons after a run of domination winning thirteen titles in a row. BATE had two managers last season in Kirill Alshevsky (January to September) and Aleksandr Lisovskiy (September to December) - Zhukovsky, 36, was a former player with BATE, was quoted as saying 'With a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes I want to say goodbye to my dear Isloch'.

Belarusian football legend Alexander Hleb who had numerous spells with the club during his playing career could also be part of the coaching staff at BATE for the 2021 season. 

RADKOV COULD BE MAKING THE OPPOSITE JOURNEY FROM BATE TO ISLOCH?  

Artem Radkov who has been a member of the backroom staff at BATE could be the new head coach at Isloch reports have stated. It would be the first managerial appointment for the 35 year old former Belarusian International. 

ALSHEVSKY TO BECOME NEW HEAD COACH FOR RUKH BREST?

 

Kirill Alshevsky is rumoured to be announced as new head coach of Rukh Brest following the departure of Aleksandr Sednev who took Rukh to eighth place in the debut season in the Premier League in 2020. Sednev had been rumoured to be one of the front runners for the BATE job could now take the job of manager of Zhetsyu in Kazakhstan.  

Rukh have signed a number of players for the 2021 season from Dynamo Best including Elis Bakaj and David Tweh with rumours circulating of Belarusian International defender Kirill Pechenin and even Pavel Savitsky moving across the city.  

Rukh have also signed former Dynamo Minsk player Artem Miroevsky who spent last season with first league side Arsenal Dzerzhinsk.

SHAKHTYOR SOLIGORSK TO PAY AROUND 600,000 EUROS FOR DEMBO DARBO

Belarusian Champions are reportedly willing to pay a fee of around 600,000 euros for Gambian centre forward Dembo Darboe. The 22 year old is currently playing for KF Shkupi in the Macedonia First Football League where he has scored 16 goals in 18 games in the 20/21 season. 

The Miners are also interested in Albanian midfielder Valon Ahmedi who also plays in North Macedonia for Shkendija. The 26 year old who has 2 full International caps would command a reported fee of around 100,000 euros. 

KRUMKACHY PART COMPANY KUZMINICH AND KHASENEVICH 

Krumkachy Minsk, who finished in third place of the second league, have parted company with head-coach Sergei Kuzminich and is assistant Pavel Khasenevich. 

RAMOS LEAVES TORPEDO BELAZ-ZHODINO 

Brazilian midfielder Gabriel Ramos, who was one of the stand players in the league last season, has left Torpedo Belaz-Zhodino. The 24 year old is reported to be joining Latvian Champion's Riga FC who will play in the Champions League for the 21/22 season. 

RUMOURS OF FINANCIALS ISSUES AND PROBLEMS FOR MANY CLUBS 

I must stress these are just rumours picked up from various Belarusian websites so can't be verified as the true facts. 

Dynamo Brest, champions in 2019, will apparently have a completely different playing squad for the new season after a substantial cut in the playing budget. 

Isloch have lost the majority of their playing squad since the end of the season after their playing budget for 2021 was cut by reportedly half of what they spent in 2020. 

Gorodeya who have been backed by a local sugar factory who now have a new boss who have now reportedly withdrawn their financial support of the club. It's even been reported the village team maybe be liquidated entirely but the club have reported on VK they are negotiating 'a change of founder' and will report on the reorganisation of the club soon. 

Smolevichi who finished bottom of the Premier League table and had financial problems mid-way through the season may not play in the First League for the 2021 season - It's even rumoured the city may not even have a football club for the next campaign. 

Sputnik Rechitsa, the winners of the first league, may not play in the Premier League due to a major sponsor withdrawing their support and no other businesses coming forward to help as of yet. 

Lokomotiv Gomel who are backed by the Belarusian Railway could have a different looking squad for 2021. It's reported that during the pandemic the transportation of goods has decreased which has accelerated the growth of losses in the railway. It's been announced that cuts in spending will be made with football near the top of the list. The final decision has yet to be made by the management of Belarusian Railway. 

Granit Mikashevichi have been subject to financial problems for a number of years - during the season players salaries were delayed but they refused to protest and played on. The future of the club founded in 1978 could be at risk if new sponsors or increase it's own earnings. The issued of financing the team will be decided in the next few weeks.  Granit finished in fifth place in the top tier in the 2015 season.