Ex-goalkeeper Shakhtar Stipe Pletikosa in a broad interview told about Rinat Akhmetov, the Brazilian Shakhtar, the problems of modern football and much more.

Earlier on our site the first part of the interview was published.

- One of the players of the Ukrainian team said: Tymoshchuk is the most mediocre footballer who has achieved everything in football ... - Well, here's the best example for you. When a person lives football 24 hours, when he raves by training, when he sacrifices many things, it certainly pays off a hundredfold. Tymoshchuk was the first to come to the training and the last to leave. Of course, this should have been the result. I am not surprised!.

- And who was the most gifted Ukrainian in Shakhtar?.

- Oh ... I would still remember the Ukrainians. There were few. Sparrow and Belik were already at an age. Probably, Chygrynsky. But I expected much more from him. There is no one else to remember. Young Ukrainians were not coming.

- In the Soviet era, Ukrainian and Croatian players were about the same level. Now the Croats have gone up, Ukrainians - down. Due to what Croatian footballers achieve recognition in Europe?.

- You need to invest in coaches and football schools. Now everywhere in the world the level of training bases, academies. It is necessary to keep pace with the times. As far as I understand, in Ukraine everything is concentrated in the hands of Kiev Dynamo and Miner. They collect the best, because they have better conditions. However, it is necessary to develop regions, not only Kiev and Donetsk. Schools should be developed locally - in Lviv, Kharkov, Odessa, Zaporozhye, Dnepropetrovsk.

Croatia is now a different problem. Children no longer play in yards, sit at home for Playstation or watch cartoons on a tablet. I remember my childhood in Yugoslavia, so we trained 10-12 hours a week. Now I was invited to one of the conferences on the development of sports in Croatia, and I give them an example: here my son today trains only three hours a week, the fourth hour serves as a game. It turns out that three times less than classes. (Yes, no other problems are exactly the same! We recently talked with Vladimir Vasilievich Bessonov, he was indignant - they say, how can you get at the exit of a football player, if a young man trains an hour and a half per day, devoting the rest of the time to anything, but not Earlier, the whole day the ball was chased and no one forced to do it from under the stick ...? -Red. ) - How did you feel about the Serbs Vukich and Dulia?.

- Excellent! We were very friendly. No war spoiled our relationship.

- What surprised you Brazilians in everyday life - Jadson, Ferna, Elano, Brandao, Luis Adriano?.

- I was most impressed by their attitude to life. The Brazilians are completely different, different from the European mentality. They are always relaxed in a good sense of the word. Their measured life style is felt everywhere. They are in no hurry, because they are constantly late. They sincerely enjoy life, they express emotions at ease. Due to their cheerfulness, Brazilians like to make parties and parties, with loud music, without it.

- They say that Jadson's appetite was such that he could swallow an elephant. I was hiding food from him, so he bribed the local cook - he gave him pelmeni in five-liter eggplant on the sly ... - Fat to him is literally linden! It was enough for him to get distracted by the barbecue, as extra pounds immediately increased on the sides. Therefore, in Shakhtar so closely watched his food.

- Fernandinho is the most devout football player in Shakhtar: the game started with the Bible, the game ended with the Bible. How did Fern remember you?.

- When he came to Shakhtar, he was quoted almost the lowest of the rest. I could not even imagine that he would make such a brilliant career, become the leader of Manchester City. He came along with such a tall, lean defenseman Leonardo. Fernandinho did not differ from him in class. But where is Leonardo now, and where is Fernandinho? At will and recoil Fernandinho is very similar to Tymoshchuk. For success, he sacrificed many. And in life Fern was a very quiet guy. Just not a Brazilian! Outside the field no one noticed him.

- Brandao is the only Brazilian Miner who could not play football, but eventually learned?.

- (Continuous laughter). In fact, he had good playing qualities. They just had to be developed. And Lucescu, like no one else, knew how to discern and develop them in man. This is another strong quality Lucescu. He was a good player for the game. To every single game. If there was no Lucescu, I do not think that Shakhtar would have climbed to such heights.

- Srna convinced you to buy from Sablich BMW X5. But then you swore. Sablich vtyuhal car with decent defects?.

- No. The car is good, but a lot of fuel was consumed. It's not so much in this, as in the fact that every two days it was necessary to look for a gas station to refuel. I was nervous. For me, a car is a vehicle, not a luxury. I use the machine only to get from point A to point B. I'm not a fan of cars.

- In 2006, you were supposed to be in Fulham, but Lashtuvka. How have you been denied a working visa if you have consistently played in the Croatian national team?.

- The proposal was not only from Fulham, but also from Celtic and Standard. It's only official! Lucescu believed that Shakhtar must have two strong goalkeepers, so he did not let me go. But with Fulham everything was almost on the ointment. I played great at the 2006 World Cup in Germany, for the benefit of a one-year lease in Hajduk, I again gained confidence. The problem really was to get a work visa. I would have received it, but the issue was decided on August 31, the last day of the transfer window. Therefore, Fulham signed Lashtuvku (the Czech Republic, unlike Croatia, was in the EU, and Lashtuvka did not need a work permit?. ), and I stayed in Shakhtar. And thank God that it happened so. Because in 2007 I moved to Spartak!.

- Akhmetov showered the team with gold?.

- Yes. I will not dissemble and tell you that money in football is not important. Important, very important! If they meant nothing to me, I would spend my whole life in Hajduk for a penny. But I remember Akhmetov more than others. So, as he loved his team, nobody loved him. He very often came to trainings. When Akhmetov appeared, another training session was going on at once! Everyone's eyes lit up. I'm sorry that Shakhtar was in this position. I have not heard anything about Akhmetov for a long time.. I want to thank him and wish him good luck! I will never forget our last conversation when we flew from Seville after the UEFA Cup match - then I already signed a contract with Spartak ... - What did he say to you?.

- This is between us. I was bribed by his human attitude. Nobody in the world would ever hear about Donetsk, if there was not such a club as Shakhtar, who created Akhmetov. I hope that in the foreseeable future Shakhtar will return to his native home.

- Did you manage to visit the Arbat?.

- Once. When I played in Rostov, I managed to get to the match of Shakhtar with Manchester United. Magnificent arena!.

- How do you perceive what is happening in the Donbass?.

- I'm a pacifist. I do not like any war. The peaceful people are perishing, the destinies of thousands of people are ruining. I do not understand to the end what is happening there, because in Zagreb nothing is said about this. But I am for peace and I hope for Shakhtar's return home..

- How often see Shakhtar's games?.

- Infrequently. I got the job of an analyst on Croatian national television and more focused on the games of our championship and the Champions League.

- If you compare Shakhtar with Spartak, how is the club stronger?.

- Spartacus has a big story. The miner became strong with the arrival of Akhmetov. He headed Shakhtar in 1996, and earlier in the Soviet Union, the main opponent of Kiev Dynamo was Spartak Moscow. In addition, the fan movement of Spartacus is stronger. Shakhtar has a calmer, tolerant torsid. This is not bad. This is history, tradition. But Shakhtar is on the right track. This is a club that is already considered in Europe. This is the club that sells the best in Eastern Europe.

- Rostov satisfied your ambitions?.

- No, but I felt that it was playing for a provincial club. I realized that not only in grand clubs you can enjoy football! Therefore, I am sincerely glad that in my career there was Rostov. This is the club that grew before my eyes. This is a club that has been respected in Russia. We really were afraid of Spartak, CSKA and Zenit. In the end, we won the Cup of Russia, the first in the history of Rostov. And last year, Rostov debuted in the Champions League and looked great there, beat Bavaria. In November in Rostov will open a new stadium. Life boils, they develop. I liked playing in Russia. If I did not like it, I would not stay in Rostov for four years.

- The last match in your career you spent in the Deportivo against Real Madrid. A more beautiful ending career and not imagine?.

- It's a yes! Before that, I had not played for six months. But the goalkeeper broke and set me up. I then determined to finish my career with a match with Real Madrid. It was a very touching moment.

After playing on the field my son left, I was congratulated by the whole Riasor.

This was my first and last game on Riasor. After the match in the locker room came the president of Real Madrid Florentine Perez and also thanked me for everything I gave football. It's more expensive than your favorite money. It's unforgettable! Of course, I want to remember my last match in Rostov. I was also very beautifully seen off. In such moments, you feel that you can safely retire. You did everything, the career was completely successful.