Defender of the Bulgarian Ludogorts Igor Plastun told about his career in the club, as well as his desire to play for the national team of Ukraine.

Because of the removal, I lost the base. Igor, are you satisfied with the way the career in Ludogorc develops?.

- It was my first season, and I do not know how to describe it. At first everything was all right. I started the season at the base in the qualification of the Ligichampions. But after the red card in Belgrade in a match with Crvena Zvezda, the credibility of me was shaken, which was clearly visible. This does not mean that they began to treat me badly, but the coach began to trust more of the other pair of defenders. On this note, you can say, and went through the whole season, although I had enough - played more than 30 games in the season, 18 times out of the first minutes in the championship in Bulgaria. Therefore, I can not say that I was deprived of gaming practice. But, like every person, I want more, so I still have to work and work.

- The team has four central defenders. Who is the main?.

- Romanian national team player Cosmin Motsi and Argentine defender Jose Luis Palomino. I will not crush my soul, I'm number three in a row.

- Did you get fined for the match with Crvena Zvezda?.

- No. There were game situations, but both cards are stupid, and, I think, the judge unreasonably acted in those situations.

- For getting into the group round, Champions League got a big bonus?.

- Here, by the way, very good bonuses for Eurocups. Therefore, the team was doubly pleased to hit the group stage. After the home draw 2: 2 with Crvena Zvezda, President Ludogorets increased the bonus, stimulating the guys. As a result, a solid amount. In Ludogortz, the premiums are paid for the task - for example, one amount for entering the group round of the LEF and twice the bonus for getting into the group stage of the Champions League.

- Could Ludogorets perform in a better group?.

- Definitely. I'm not saying that we could go to the 1/8 finals. It's not about that.. PSG and Arsenal was stronger than us, and Basel. But we could take not four points, but more. But most importantly, we beat Basel and reached the playoffs of LE. This was also the first time for Ludogorts, so the season in European competition can be considered a good one.

- 0: 6 from Arsenal. The case when you stay on the bench and rejoice that you do not take part in rape?.

- No. I would love to play in this match.

- The whole match you played at the Park de Prens (2: 2). The result was perceived as a sensation?.

"To some extent, but we could have won. Di Maria scored in compensated time. This match was extremely important - Basel and I were fighting for third place. However, Basel quickly missed two goals from Arsenal, and, in principle, we were even satisfied with the defeat. But PSG needed a victory in this match - they fought Arsenal for first place. Therefore it is very pleasant that in the match where PSG had a great motivation, we did not lose! And, of course, this duel for me will be remembered for life.

- What have you added to the year in Ludogorets?.

- According to my feelings, I added in everything - in the football plan, moral, everyday. It seems to me that I have become a more versatile and strong personality, because I have never considered myself a man only a football field - they say, except football, nothing else exists. Maybe football is not even in first place for me. While there are forces, every day you need to develop and learn something new.

FOR THE YEAR IN BULGARIA EARNS OVERCOME MORE THAN IN THE CARPATES - Ludogorets won the championship with a large margin. Is this good or bad?.

- For me it's good, because in my first season abroad I became a champion. But, in principle, there was no competition for the title. The management had to even warm up the competition inside the club. We were additionally rewarded in case of an increase in separation from the second place, which we finally did. But I can not say that in Bulgaria it's so easy to play. It is not true. There are strong enough teams of Levski and CSKA (Sofia). We just passed very well the first part of the season, where, if I'm not mistaken, won 16 victories in a row.

With Ludogortsy very difficult to play on his field. At home we are particularly strong. It's like in Ukraine everyone is afraid of trips to Dynamo and Shakhtar.

- Do you think that in the coming years any team will be able to overthrow the throne of Ludogorets?.

- In the second part I was impressed by the game of Sofia CSKA. They were difficult games: we played a draw twice and won 2-0 once, but that victory is deceptive - CSKA played well, we were just lucky to score two goals in the first half. Only CSKA can compete with us in the coming season. But more will depend on ourselves. If we approach with the same motivation to each game, we will again become champions.

- The rise of Ludogorets is associated with businessman Kiril Domuschiev. He loves football, like Akhmetov?.

- Yes, he also puts his soul into the team! This is noticeable in the development of infrastructure in the city. Razgrad small, the population of only 33 thousand, and it can not be called a football city, although the team is very fond of, and football players are treated with great respect. Ludogorets has an excellent base, the president recently built a football academy with many fields - Domuschiev does everything to ensure that Luda Gorodets does not live today, but looks to the future. If you go back to Ukraine about five years ago, which clubs were the strongest? Those whose presidents put a lot of money into football. Similarly, with Ludogorets.

"What's his business?".

- As far as I know, he keeps pharmaceutical plants, a network of pharmacies. But most of them are not in Bulgaria, but in Europe. (In 1996, with his brother George founded the investment fund Napredak. Now, Domuschiev has a lot of businesses - veterinary medicines Hyuvefarm (factories in Bulgaria, Italy and the USA), beer, furniture, housing construction, shopping centers, sea transport, bicycles and t. Since childhood, as a native of Sofia, he was rooting for CSKA and even for a while he headed the club, but soon he concentrated on his own project in Razgrad. 48 years old, three children. Personal status is estimated at 690 million. And assets - another 3 billion. , The richest Bulgarian, a very respected person, although, of course, there are enough enemies and I write a travesty. - Red.

"Do you know him?" Does he often appear in the locker room?.

- Appears, but not so often. Although it can be seen that he loves football and cherishes his team. When he gets the opportunity, most often when we play in Sofia, he comes to visit us.

- Do you earn much more in Ludogorets than in the Carpathians?.

- If we talk purely about the salary, it did not grow much. But due to the bonuses that I earned in a year, the difference was tangible.

LUDOGORETS IS THE BULGARIAN MINER - In the top five of the championship scorers, four players from Ludogorets. The best with 22 balls was the Romanian Claudio Kescher. He somehow scored 6 goals for Steaua in one match (against Panduria 6-0, in 2014), setting a club record. What is this Kesher? With whom would it be compared from the attackers of our championship?.

- He has the gift of God - he knows how to score. Kesher is hit with both legs, he is a massive striker who loves men's wrestling. And with whom to compare it - I do not even know. But for sure Kesher is a high-level football player, there is no doubt about it.

- On which of the players of the Bulgarian championship would you advise to pay attention?.

- If you call someone, then only from the players of Ludogorets. We really have a lot of high-level players who would be on the leading roles in Ukraine. This I say not just because they are my partners, but because I spent many years in Obolon and the Carpathians. The local players in the class are stronger.

- As part of Ludogorets, ten Brazilians. They rule the ball in the team, like the Donetsk brazilians?.

- If there are ten, of course, we should expect a carnival. The style of football is tied to them. Brazilians do not play in another way. Festival in their blood. I think, Ludogorets will continue to play under the Brazilian pipe in the near future. There is no sense in changing something, if it brings a result.

- Do you know the Portuguese better than the Bulgarian?.

- No. I do not know a single word in Portuguese. Some brazilians speak English. In Bulgarian, for the year, I think, well added. With understanding I have no problems, but I can not freely talk. It is necessary to improve speech.

- It is interesting that in addition to the ultras Green Front at Ludogortz has a movement Green ladies. Are there many girls there?.

- Ludogorets, in general, not enough fans. All because of the fact that Razgrad, as I said, a small town. Historically, in Bulgaria, the people are divided into two camps - the army, these are CSKA fans, and those who are drowning for Levski (Sofia). Ludogorets quite a new team - only six years playing in the big leagues, though, and all six years wins. But still the fans on their side Ludogorets have not yet lured. Although, when we play in European competition in Sofia, the stadium is filled almost to the eyeballs and all of us support.

- The hegemony of Ludogorets is not fed up with the local?.

- It is necessary for Bulgarians to ask. In the club, as I see, no one was fed up. The eyes of the children are still burning. It is most important.

- Dnepr's pupil Alexey Larin is playing in Dunav. Are they familiar?.

- We met just recently - when we accidentally met at the airport on our way home to Ukraine. We played with Dunava in the championship, I went up to the local players and asked where Larin was, but he then, it turns out, did not play. And then, ironically, they met by chance. He says that he likes Bulgaria. Our cities, by the way, are only 60 km from each other or 40 minutes by car.

By the way, Dunav is a rookie of the higher league, but from the first call Larin's team took the fourth place and made it to the qualification of the League of Europe. So Alex can not be dissatisfied.

- How did you manage to give the Cup to Botev?.

- It's hard for me to say, because I did not participate in the final game. For me it was generally hard to pass, I strongly raped on the bench - I wanted to go out and help. Maybe for our players this defeat and it was painless, because they already took the Cup. But when it's the first time, I want to win everything. Alas, it did not work out. But Ludogorets himself is to blame. Properly, we were not tuned to Botev, and when the smell of roasted in the course of the game, it was too late to fix the situation.

NEW SOFIA CSKA NOT RECOGNIZED AS WELCOMED CSKA Moscow - In 2015, Sofia CSKA was deprived of professional status due to a total debt of 15 million euros. However, a year later, thanks to the intervention of the country's Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, who took "urgent and timely measures," the 31-time champion of Bulgaria directly returned to the elite division. Is this normal in the country?.

- As far as I'm informed, most of their fans do not perceive this CSKA like. At least in Razgrad people do not exactly perceive the current club, as the glorious CSKA. But these are the affairs of the Federation, the country. I'm a Legionnaire and I can not express my opinion.. But I am for this CSKA was as strong as possible and competed with Ludogorets.

- Do you think Ludogorets could hypothetically compete with Dynamo Kiev in the championship of Ukraine?.

- No doubt. We are certainly not weaker than the current Dynamo. Maybe you can not shout like that, but Ludogorets is really quite strong by European standards team. It's just that we have a stereotype in Ukraine that we do not look at neighboring championships and that the Bulgarian championship is so-so, something near. But I assure you that today Ludogorets would have fought in Ukraine for the championship.

- Where does Ludogorets conduct the training camps and are they very different from those that you took place in Ukraine?.

- The first gathering lasted a week, and we spent it in the mountains of Bulgaria. There the emphasis was on running work. Now we have started the second stage of preparation, which we are conducting in Austria. There is already a lot of football. In 15 days we will play 6 games. The process of preparation is based on the Miner's principle - we recruit through games. Winter gatherings were held in two stages, both in Turkey.

- T-shirt of Gabriel Paulista handed Kostevich?.

- It does not work. He took it with him to Ukraine, so Kostevich in Leh sniffed. Did not cross. I told him that, apparently, not destiny. Kostevich had a good opportunity with Lech to break into the qualification of the Champions League, but almost lucky. Although the stop, Arsenal, too, did not make it to the Champions League. Now he has a chance to meet with Arsenal in the European League. But with an eye, of course, I'll give the coveted Arsenal T-shirt.

- Do you collect T-shirts yourself?.

- I started not so long ago. But I'm not an ardent fan, I'm not running after every shirt. Often I exchange only with friends or acquaintances. Well, I did not fail to exchange jerseys in the Champions League. In Paris after the game held an exchange with Cavani.

- We heard a saying: "A hen is not a bird, Bulgaria is not a foreign country"?.

- I have not heard, but I confirm that Bulgaria is very similar to Ukraine. Differences, if any, are minimal. It is evident that this is not Western Europe, not modernity, nothing. Mentality is close to ours.

- What is good in Bulgaria, what is bad?.

- The roads here are not very good, though, better than in Ukraine. The best thing is that I live an hour away from the sea.

- Have you tasted Rakia?.

- No. It's hard to believe, but there was no time to relax either.. The schedule of games is very rich, there are a lot of European matches, so we spent a year almost without days off.

- Is there a lot of gypsies in Bulgaria? The money was not bred?.

- No. It is believed that Razgrad is a gypsy town. I see gypsies, but they are the same people as us - no differences. Here in Bulgaria, all people are the same. I'll say more: I remember my childhood in Ukraine, so we had gopnik and kept enough. Bulgaria in this respect is a calm country.

- What is worth paying a visit to a Ukrainian in Bulgaria (from an unexamined one)?.

- I like the city of Veliko Tarnovo, it is 110 km from Razgrad. A glorious place! The Old Center is located on the cliffs, and it looks very beautiful. I have never seen anything like this in Ukraine. And so everything is very similar. The same beautiful mountains in Bulgaria, like the Carpathians in our country. The same sea, although we already had it "was".

- Is there anything to do in Razgrad?.

- Family. And football. These are two things that you can do here, which I do. There are no modern shopping centers here, but this is not a problem for me and my family.

KARPATHAM IS ALWAYS HURTING - Do you miss Ukraine?.

- At the end of the season already bored a bit. This is about the country. In the Ukrainian championship, I do not plan on coming back yet. While I'm in demand, I want to develop in Europe.

- Are you scared by what happens to Ukrainian football?.

- Well, how frightening? Unpleasant, of course, but this is not something that should frighten people. There are much more frightening things. If we talk about football, then a terrible mess goes on. One team went to the Premier League, but it was not allowed, they let another. What I saw at the match of the amateur teams at the "Olympic" is a shame and a shame! This is what makes a picture of our football. I can not explain here in Bulgaria to everyone that we have normal people and normal fans. There is this picture that is seen in Europe. It perceives Ukraine as a country. We add fuel to ourselves.

- During the last two seasons in the Carpathians, did you feel how the level of our championship is falling?.

- Of course! In comparison with what was four or five years ago, when any team could beat any - now it seems something cosmic. I was 22 then, I was not yet an experienced player, and I took every championship game as a ligochempion. In each team there were high-class legionaries, all the leading masterful Ukrainian football players played in Ukraine. A couple of years ago many young guys joined our football, now, probably, there are even more of them. Teams that were in the first and second leagues are now on the leading roles in the highest. Everything turned 180 degrees. But what to do - football he and in Africa football. Whatever it was, we must love it. It's good that there are such sincere people as Igor Surkis, who loves football and the Dynamo brand. If, God forbid, another such brand disappears, then it will be a disaster!.

- You played four seasons in the Carpathians. Which one was the brightest?.

- The strongest team was with Kostov, but not because he is a super coach, but because the performers were very strong. For a variety of reasons, we could not show the result. Carpathians for some reason always something prevents.

For me the best period was at Jovicevic and Beno - it was the most pleasant time.

- What prevented the Carpathians from repeating the achievements that were in Kononov's time, when the team made their way to the group of the League of Europe?.

"There was not enough time!" One overlapped another. This is sitting in Austria and speaking for the Bulgarian team, after a while I can already openly speculate. It seems to me that if Yovichevich and Benjo were given the composition that Kostov had, added a little time in half with confidence, then the Carpathians would have a prosperous future. But, unfortunately, in the period of Jovicevic, these negative events began to occur in Ukraine, wage cuts, the flight of football players and t. These four of my years in the Carpathians were against the backdrop of a general mess in the country. It's good that Shakhtar and Dynamo still keep their mark. Who in 2012 could say that Metalist and Dnieper would not? But as practice has shown, in Ukraine, anything can happen.

- What is so unique in Yovichevich that he bribes?.

- Everyone can have an opinion. Maybe another footballer will say that Jovicevic is a weak coach or a bad man. I will express the opinion of Igor Plastun. Football players with whom I talked in the Carpathians and who stood behind him a mountain, Yovichevich bribed his attitude to people. We were impressed with how he built relations with the club, how he talked to us, how he conducted the training process, what kind of football he planted. I'm reading a book by Gerrard. So he says that Benitez was a super-trainer, but not good for Stephen. And Rogers, on the contrary, was a pleasant person, but as a coach Benites is stronger. Football is multifaceted and the personality in it is multifaceted.

- A great role in your career was played by Sergey Kovalets. What is its peculiarity?.

- His trust. I came from the Obolon system, I lived all my life on Obolon. For me it was a dream team. When I first got on Obolon's game in the first league, for me it seemed like a cosmic level. After a while I was in the Premier League, and Kovalets began to trust me, put in the composition, for which I will always be infinitely grateful to him. He gave impetus to the development of my career, although I made a lot of mistakes in my youth. His peculiarity is that he always supported young players.

- If you were asked to choose one coach for yourself - would it be Kovalets or Jovicevic?.

- Let them be in tandem.

- You were sold to Ludogorets for 500 thousand euros, Kostevich to Leh - for 300 thousand. Carpathians are not cheap?.

- This is the market in Ukraine today. And once the club let us go for such amounts, it means that this is our market value. First of all, I want to thank the president for understanding. Both me and Kostevich had to take the next step in my career, and Dyminsky went to it. It is most important.

- Kostevich admitted that the negotiations between Dymynsky and Lekh were not easy. In your situation, Dymynsky also bargained for a long time?.

- My transfer took place quickly, but I did not think that it would take place at all. When I first learned about the interest of Ludogorets, my agents Vadim Shabliy and Sergey Serebrennikov said that the clubs are extremely far apart and it is not worthwhile to adjust to the transition to Ludogorets. A day or two passed. I was coming home from somewhere, my phone was off. When I turned it on, I saw a lot of missed calls. I dialed Serebrennikov. He shocked me: collect things, after a few days you fly to Ludogorets. Like the butt on the head. But I was very, very happy!.

BENCHMARK - WORD DENIED - Swede, Gutsulyak and Vasily Kravets moved to Spain, so to speak, on the outgrowth. Do you think they did the right thing?.

- Of course, it's right.. Perhaps someone considers this a risky or dangerous step, they say, at such a young age you can get lost. But you look at Gutsulyak, who returned to the Carpathians. Has he become worse? He entrenched in the main part of the Carpathians and scored a couple of important goals. I think that if every step is deliberate and sincere and involves first of all football, and not financial gain, then it must be done. I think the guys did the only right step, especially when they moved to such teams as Sevilla and Villarreal. Even Vasily Kravets, going to Segunda Lugo's team, I am sure, grows like a football player. He plays there, and if he has the right approach to the matter, in one day, perhaps he will become a player of the Ukrainian national team.

- Do you yourself have a dream to play in Spain?.

- This is not a dream, but a goal. But not necessarily Spain. If I had been given a choice, I would have stayed in Germany.

- Why do you think the Spanish clubs dominate the world?.

- This is a symbiosis of the innate talent of the nation and work with youth in the last decade or more. Always being a football power, Spain for a very long time was not the dominant country, but at the beginning of the new century became the dominant. Probably, they have reinterpreted something, changed the system approach to football. Maybe they took the example from Germany. No wonder they talk about the introduction of whole systems, a single training process across the country - this is important. We hope that in one day and in Ukraine this will happen. Yes, it will be necessary to wait 5-10 years, but it will certainly bear fruit.

- Why do you consider Rafael Varan to be the best center in the world?.

- I like his manner of playing. He is tall enough, like me. I like his speed, selection. This is my choice. This does not mean that I like only Varan. Many strong defenders. The ideal defender is not present. I was asked to make a choice, and I did it..

- And in the championship of Ukraine who was or is the standard?.

- The standard is an overstated word. The strongest is Rakytskyi. If you choose a pair, then it's Rakitsky-Khacheridi.

- In August you turn 27. Is there any hope that you will be invited to the national team?.

- I do not wake up after another call of the national team's coaches with frustration that I'm not in the list. Maybe I will be invited at 40 or not invited. I do everything in my power. The most important thing for me is to defeat myself. The most important victory is a victory over self. I try every day to defeat my bad habits, laziness, stiffness. I live this life. I'm absolutely happy person. About what will or will be, I do not think. I live today's moment.

Valery Prigornitsky, magazine Football.