Champion of Ireland has signed a pupil of Chornomorets, a former midfielder of the youth national team of Ukraine Viktor Serdenyuk. Now, together with a native of the Odessa region, the team goes to the 20th “gold medals”
Ireland is one of the countries where there were no Ukrainian legionnaires in the top divisions yet. Forward Alexey Derypapa, midfielder Kirill Burkhan and a number of players from the amateur Dynamo (Dublin) played for the teams of the lower leagues. Aleksey Perepletkin from Kharkov, representing Latvia at the international level, visited the Bohemians club.
And now – the long-awaited premiere in the Premier Division of Ireland. A Ukrainian football player appeared in the most titled club of this country – Shamrock Rovers. Victor Serdenyuk from the Odessa region went through a thorough school of Chernomorets, played in his native region for Real Pharma, Zhemchuzhina and Balkans, and won the Second League as part of Kremn from Poltava region. He played for the youth teams of Ukraine.
However, we started the conversation with his last place of work in Ukraine – FC Balkany (Zorya, Belgorod-Dnestrovsky district), which suspended performances in the Second League, after which Viktor Serdenyuk became a free agent.
“The Irish Champion was first on my agent’s list”
‒ Back in the fall, Balkans, with head coach Kolchin and venerable consultant Altman, seemed to have had enough of an updated roster and were preparing to perform brightly in the second part of the season. Now the club has suspended participation in professional tournaments. How are your friends from FC Balkans? What do they say about the future of the club?
‒ I keep in touch with the guys from the Balkans, it is very difficult for them now. Some of the guys managed to get somewhere in teams in Ukraine, many went to non-football robots or train children. The Balkans suspended their professional activities during the war, I don’t know what will happen next.
‒ And now you, a free agent from the Ukrainian Second League, are signing a contract with the Irish champion. Can you tell me how this option came about?
‒ The option with this team of Shamrock Rovers appeared quite unexpectedly. My wife, through her old friends, found me an agent from Ireland. We contacted him and he decided to help us.
The first club on his list was just Shamrock Rovers. The viewing lasted about a week. I am glad that we managed to sign an agreement with such a titled football club.
What other options did you have this year?
‒ There were options from the First League of Ireland and the Second League of Poland.
“Romanians literally ran out onto the road when they saw a car with Ukrainian license plates”
‒ This is your first legionary experience. Is this how you imagined him, or did you want to try yourself in completely different teams in your youth?
‒ Being a legionnaire is quite difficult. This is a completely different mentality of people, different values, everything is different. And, of course, the language barrier is also a difficult test.
‒ In general, did they aspire to legionnaires, or is it, so to speak, not from a good life?
– To be honest, before the war, I could not even think that I would play in another country, especially in Ireland.
‒ How and where did the war find you?
‒ The war caught us at my wife’s parents in the house. We moved to them literally a week before the war, since we have a small child, they helped us. We left Ukraine in the very first days of the war.
‒ Are your relatives, your housing in order?
‒ Thank God, everything is fine with our relatives and friends!
‒ Where did you manage to visit during the war and did you feel understanding of refugee status everywhere?
‒ We traveled by car to Ireland and traveled to many countries. I remember Romania – there are very nice people, they literally ran out onto the road when they saw a car with Ukrainian numbers, and stopped to treat or help something.
If we refused, they just stuffed everything into the car. In Germany, we booked accommodation to spend the night. When we arrived there and the guys found out that we were from Ukraine, they bought us a lot of food, diapers for the baby, food for the dog and returned the money for housing. Then, when we unpacked the products, they also put money on us …
It was very touching.
From unpleasant situations, in Ireland I had an accident and my car is beyond repair here. Fortunately, I was traveling alone and no one was badly hurt in the accident.
“Shamrock Rovers” now in Ukraine I would fight for the championship”
‒ Shamrock Rovers is the champion and leader of the current season. How much margin does the team play at home?
‒ The home team plays with a good margin, they are head and shoulders above most of the opponents.
‒ What place would you give her in Ukraine and in what league?
‒ I think that now in Ukraine this team would compete for the championship.
‒ What about Shamrock’s infrastructure, stadium, base?
‒ There is a good training base here: two natural fields and one artificial, a good gym and a small indoor arena with artificial turf. The fields are of very good quality, the home stadium is very cozy and beautiful. And what is especially important, there is a full stadium for every game.
‒ In general, are the local footballers professionals? I speak both in relation to the case and in terms of status.
‒ All the players here are pros, both in the team and at home. Shamrock Rovers is a good level professional team.
‒ What surprised you in the life of Irish clubs? In the mode of the day and rest, training, loads …
‒ In terms of everyday life, nothing really surprised me: the guys read books at the base in their free time, go to the gym or go home and spend time with their families. There is more power football here, so the gym is of great importance.
‒ The Irish Championship is not one of the strongest in Europe. Is it a small football or an original league? What did you manage to see here, how interesting is the championship and its participants?
– As for me, this is a very interesting championship. It’s pretty hard and strong football here, the atmosphere in the stadiums is something! I think every football player dreams about it: the stadiums are always almost full and the fans do not stop talking for a minute.
‒ How did you get on?
‒ We were invited here by an Irish family through our mutual friend, an American. We were very warmly received, they have a large 3-storey house and they gave us 1 floor with all amenities, we are very grateful to them! These people have become like family to us.
‒ How expensive is life and accommodation?
‒ Ireland is considered one of the most expensive countries, so everything here is much more expensive. Thanks only to our Irish friends for their help and support.
“Ukrainians are everywhere in Ireland”
‒ Are there many Ukrainians in the country?
– Ukrainians in Ireland, if I’m not mistaken, today there are about 50,000 people. For such a small country, this is a very large indicator. In fact, Ukrainians are everywhere here.
– The head coach of your team is younger than some of the teammates with whom you could play in the Balkans before. What kind of football does Stephen Bradley play? What position does he see you in?
‒ Stephen Bradley is a young ambitious coach with very interesting ideas and an interesting training process. He is a very open person who is always close to the team. He preaches combinational, attacking football.
‒ You are still listed on the club’s website without a number. Which one do you want?
‒ I don’t know yet what number they will declare me under, I want either 18 or 15 (in the end, indeed, Vitya got number 18, which he wanted – approx. Sport Arena).
‒ How do the locals pronounce your last name? In general, is Irish English easier to understand or harder than the pronunciation we learned in school?
– It’s true. It is very difficult for the locals to pronounce my last name, so everyone calls me Victor. Here everyone communicates in English, they probably speak Irish in the family circle.
‒ I look at the lists of players and coaches – the name of Damien Duff is plucked out of my eyes. The former Shamrock Rovers player and legend is already the head coach of Shelbourne. Name a few people who are the biggest stars here?
‒ There are a lot of former football stars in Ireland, mostly those who played in England. Including the top clubs. Roy Keane from Manchester United, Robbie Keane from Leeds and Inter played for the Irish national team, not to mention the legends of earlier years.
‒ And in your team?
– In my team, I can’t single out anyone yet – all the guys are worthy of attention, the players here are of a good level.
‒ Clearly, for a rookie, there is only one goal – to hit and gain a foothold in the starting lineup. And what are you globally striving for in Ireland? Is it a springboard to Europe for you or a self-sufficient league and country?
‒ Yes, for now, my goal is to gain a foothold and cling here for my chance, and then we’ll see.
Source: Sportarena
I am Sandra Jackson, a journalist and content creator with extensive experience in the news industry. I have been working in the news media for over five years. During this time, I have worked as an author and editor at various outlets producing high-quality content that attracts readers from different demographics.
