Igor Sokolovsky is a Ukrainian footballer and coach. As part of the Chernomorets club, he successfully played at several USSR championships. Sokolovsky was recognized as one of the best football players in Ukraine.
Childhood, adolescence
Igor Sokolovsky was born on February 21, 1955 in the city of Odessa (Ukraine). None of his family members were associated with football or professional sports. Igor Vladimirovich's parents dreamed that his son would learn, receive a good education, and find his place in life. At first, not everyone took his hobby for football seriously. When it became clear that the game is one of the main places in the life of the young man, the family began to worry. They did not want their son to spend all his time on football, they talked about the fact that a football player's career ends quickly.
Igor Vladimirovich studied well at school, but often missed classes. At first he was fond of playing in the yard. Sokolovsky began playing organized football in the Youth Sports School-6 under the leadership of Y. M. Linda. To get the necessary playing skills, Igor Vladimirovich graduated from the school "Chernomorets". This is the oldest football school in Odessa. Sokolovsky trained all year round and already in 1972 he made his debut in the main team of Odessa.
Sports career
Igor Sokolovsky served in the army. At the end of the service, he clearly knew what he wanted. His first clubs were:
- Lokomotiv (Kherson, 1973);
- "Star" (Tiraspol, 1974-1975);
- "Crystal" (Kherson, 1976).
Igor Vladimirovich showed excellent results, was in good standing with the coaches, who noted Sokolovsky's ability to dull the opponent's vigilance. The footballer played as a striker and defender. He was much better at being a defender.
After several years Igor Vladimirovich tried his hand at different teams, he returned to his hometown and the already familiar Chernomorets. For three seasons (1977-1979) he played in a blue T-shirt of the "sailors" under the leadership of Akhmed Aleskerov, and then Anatoly Zubritsky became his coach.
Sokolovsky is remembered by his teammates and coaches as a very reliable defensive player. If Igor entered the field, the opponents were in suspense. Even greater efforts had to be made in order not to lose to the "sailors". At the same time, Sokolovsky was tactful, polite, never crossed certain lines of what was permissible both on the football field and in life. Whenever he had to choose between principles and achieving results at any cost, he always chose principles.
After the seasons he played at Chornomorets, Igor Vladimirovich tried his hand at other clubs:
- "Neftichi" (Baku, 1980);
- "SKA" (Odessa, 1981).
In 1982, Sokolovsky returned to the Chernomorets team and played in it until 1984. In total, in the USSR championships for his native club, the footballer played 138 matches and scored 5 goals. The club's players admit that over the entire period of the games there were many interesting episodes with the participation of Igor Vladimirovich, which they recall from time to time. The meeting between Chornomorets and the Dnipro team was memorable. It was the last minute of the match and the “sailors” got the right to score a penalty kick. Sokolovsky went to the center of the field and scored a goal against the opponent. But during the flight of the ball, the Kharkiv referee Yuriy Sergienko raised his hands up, which means the time has expired. The goal was not scored, and a little later it turned out that this goal was not enough for the team to win a bronze medal at the USSR Championship.
In 1985 Sokolovsky played in the Kharkov club "Metalist", and in 1986 he entered the field for Nikopol "Kolos". He ended his football career in 1992 with minor league clubs in Finland. In total, in the highest league of the USSR championship, Sokolovsky spent 166 matches and scored 5 goals. In 1984 he was included in the list of "33 best football players of Ukraine". In this rating, he was put in third place.
From 1993 to 1996 Igor Vladimirovich worked as a trainer-breeder in the "Chernomorets" club. A little later, he coached young men in the club sports school, and in 2008-2009 Sokolovsky worked as a coach of the youth team of Chornomorets. Young footballers remember the coach with warmth and respect. Under his leadership during that period, the youth team won several prestigious awards, winning important matches.
Igor Vladimirovich was a strict but fair mentor; he never allowed himself to get personal, insult his pupils or shout at them. But the team had strict discipline. Young footballers considered it a great honor that they had the opportunity to train under the guidance of such a respected athlete, and they fulfilled his requirements unquestioningly.
Igor Vladimirovich achieved his last success in his life in May 2009, when, together with Chornomorets's double, he became the third prize-winner of the youth squad competition of the Ukrainian Premier League.
Personal life
Very little is known about the personal life of Igor Vladimirovich Sokolovsky. He was a good family man, but he never put his personal on public display. Sokolovsky had many friends with whom he enjoyed spending his free time. If there were no important competitions ahead, Igor Vladimirovich liked to organize leisure for himself and his loved ones. He was the life of the party.
For several years, the renowned footballer and coach struggled with a fatal illness, but held on to the last, went to work, tried not to get discouraged. Sokolovsky died on June 13, 2009. Igor Vladimirovich was buried in Odessa.
