Players relive tsunami ordeal

By Igor Linnyk

Ukraine's players are mostly back in training after their winter break, and two players are thankful that they will be able to start the spring campaign.

Asian disaster
FC Dynamo Kyiv and Ukraine goalkeeper Olexandr Shovkovskiy returned from his holiday in Thailand just hours before the tsunami that devastated the coast of the Indian Ocean on 26 December wrecked his hotel, while FC Shakhtar Donetsk midfield player Zvonimir Vukic only narrowly escaped being washed away by the huge tidal wave as it hit his hotel in the Maldives.

Vukic nightmares
"It was about 9am when the water gushed into our room and lapped up to my bed," said the Serbo-Montenegrin player, who was holidaying in the islands with his family when the tsunami struck. "I still have some nightmares about it at night."

Coaching changes
Back at home, FC Borysfen Boryspil coach Olexandr Ryabokon has switched to FC Obolon Kyiv, while FC Metalist Kharkiv coach Gennadiy Litovchenko has moved to first division FC Arsenal Kharkiv, along with four of his assistants and eight Metalist players. Metalist will name their new coach after the team start their training camp in Turkey on 7 January.

Husin free
Veteran Dynamo midfield player Andriy Husin is free to leave the club after his contract expired on 1 January, while two other Dynamo players - youngsters Siarhei Karnilenka and Ruslan Bidnenko - are on trial with FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk with a view to a permanent move.

Irimia signing
Dynamo's only big signing of the winter break so far is Romanian defender Cristian Irimia who joined the club on a five-year contract. However, he will not be eligible to play in the UEFA Cup with Dynamo, having already played three UEFA Champions League qualifying games with FC Dinamo Bucuresti this season.

Paraguayan defender
Shakhtar will have no such problems with their new signing, Paraguayan international and former Cerro Portena defender Pedro Juan Benites. The 23-year-old Olympic silver medallist has joined the Donetsk club on a five-year contract and can be registered to play in their UEFA Cup tie against FC Schalke 04.

Dnipro on the mend
The winter break has allowed Ukraine's third UEFA Cup contenders, Dnipro, time to nurse some injuries. As he recovers from surgery, Olexandr Radchenko is now the only player not to be training with the first-team squad, while - in addition to their two young trialists from Dynamo - Dnipro have brought forward Olexandr Popovich back from his loan spell at FC Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih.

Rykun honoured
Meanwhile, Dnipro midfield player Olexandr Rykun has been named as the Ukrainian Premier League's Player of 2004. In the survey conducted by 240 players and 16 coaches, the 26-year-old outstripped Dynamo goalkeeper Shovkovskiy and Shakhtar playmaker Matuzalem to take the award.

National heroes
National team coach Oleg Blokhin has been voted Ukrainian coach of 2004, with Dnipro's Evgeniy Kucherevskiy and Dynamo's Jozsef Szabo coming second and third respectively. The national team was named as a team of the year, with their 3-0 win against Turkey in Istanbul being named as the match of the year.