Journalist, author of books about football Alexei Matveev continues the story about the "star" of the football "Spartak" - especially for the Cheka-OGPU and Rucriminal.info

"CROCODILE'S TEARS"

Later, aunt Valya began to call, according to her, all possible authorities in search of her missing brother, says the football player's son Sergei. - This is a fact. And before that? Father was bent under the yoke of circumstances, he did not feel well. He lived near his sister's house.

Well, intervene in time. Help with something. "Sew" it, encode it. They didn't do anything of the sort. They only poured “crocodile tears”, when in the end they didn’t find a person anywhere and in no way.

I'm not judging, I'm just thinking. I'm trying to understand, to comprehend. Submitting a statement to the police about the disappearance of a relative is a simple matter. It is much more important to take preventive measures.

In general, Aunt Valya is a somewhat strange woman, to put it mildly. At some point he stopped talking to her. And that's why. They buried my mother. Grief is inescapable for me, dearer, closer than a person in the world. Aunt Valya approaches. I thought with words of consolation.

No. I did not find anything better than asking for money. A very opportune moment! In general, souls, hearts, or what, no ?! Then he stopped talking to her, even on the phone. The bad aftertaste still remains.

No matter what, I remember my father fondly. Probably, in childhood he was a little offended by him. Of course, there was not enough dad in the family, his shoulder, everyday communication, presence. Yes, and the parents in a couple looked very nice. I repeat, I didn’t understand, and still don’t understand, what he found in an ugly-looking handball player. She cannot be compared to her beautiful mother. Any extraordinary spiritual qualities? I doubt. She also beat her father. Nightmare.

On the other hand, if the feeling of love is really gone, is it worth living together? I began to understand such subtleties much later, as an adult. Therefore, he did not feel any deep resentment, especially sharp antipathy, towards his father before, and, of course, now too.

And with what admiration, especially experienced fans, remember the father's game! There are still many such people, despite the long-standing events. What antipathy, hostility can be to my own person? Sometimes completely unfamiliar people come up and ask with a breath: “Are you the son of Kalinov?! We also went to football for your father, to enjoy his game.”

Words that warm the soul. Thanks to everyone who remembers dad. I am glad and proud that my father left a bright mark in the hearts of people with his inspired, skillful, technical game. It's worth it. Indescribable feelings.

The fact that he could not, and did not have time to pull him out of that pernicious state ... The time is difficult, in many ways terrible - the nineties. It ruined not only the father, but many other, quite worthy, intelligent people. The fact is indisputable.

I remember with pleasure the time when I played football with my dad and other guys in Balashikha. I never saw my father tipsy, let alone drunk. Loaded with alcohol, you can’t really run, you can die, your heart will not stand it. There are many examples. In the circle of our family, too, I did not indulge in alcohol. Again, I didn't see it.

Sometimes he came to his father at work, in the center of Moscow. Father held on, did not dissolve. Didn't drink, didn't drink. Sometimes we walked with him in the center, it's beautiful there. He bought me delicious bagels, ice cream. We communicated normally.

Mom, however, told me, dad drank, yes. Not without sin on this part. I even somehow missed the training camp of Spartak, just went on a spree. Again, he missed a brand new apartment when the football club allocated him. Tritely did not come to the club office to sign the necessary papers. Elementary lack of assembly, negligence. As a result, square meters went to another person.

Hobbies, hobbies? He adored the songs of Alla Pugacheva, listened with rapture to the things of David Tukhmanov. Sasha Ivanov from the Rondo group impressed dad very much. In my opinion, I was friends with him, attended concerts. He respected and loved many pop performers of that time.

We dropped in on a visit to San Sanych Sevidov, he and his family were located on the floor above us. Unfortunately, the gatherings at the Sevidovs coincided with the beginning of the divorce proceedings of my parents. I had to leave the house on Shvernik Street. Sevidov is a size in football, a “star”, but he lived in an ordinary apartment.

Anzor Kavazashvili definitely came to visit us. Well communicated, this is not forgotten. It is not surprising that such a warm relationship developed. After all, Anzor Amberkovich and my dad played in Spartak of the 1969 championship model. Mom spoke with respect and love about the wonderful goalkeeper.

Partners addressed Anzor as if to the second pope. He is older than many in the team, so the players went to him for advice, and not only in terms of football. Often with problems and questions in life. He could, in a good sense, warm everyone with human warmth, say something kind, fatherly encourage when necessary.

My father is no exception. He behaved with Anzor like a younger brother, with an older one. It's nice and even useful to have such a friend. By the way, when the goalkeeper came to us, for there was no alcohol, as far as I remember. Tea, coffee, sweets, dryers, cake, perhaps everything.

Closely agreed with the family of Uncle Valera Vasiliev. The world-famous hockey player kept himself simple, communicated sincerely. You can’t say right away, the “star” of hockey. We went to them in the Akademicheskaya district. They talked not only about Vasiliev's favorite game, but also about football, of course.

STAROSTIN STOOD A MOUNTAIN

Yes, the talk is mostly about football, around it. How could it be otherwise if I was born and grew up in the family of a game master. And the master himself turned out to be an outstanding person on the field. According to numerous eyewitnesses, my understanding. I played in his company as a child, I can appreciate it.

I have always been interested in football, now in the status of a fan. Not a fan though. Frankly speaking, I don't really perceive our championship. I do not follow closely the life of domestic teams.

I love Spartak. Again, I'm not worried, I'm not a fan at all. The current red and white club gives out uneven segments of matches. That, figuratively speaking, "on a horse", then "under a horse".

... Childhood memories do not let go. Mom and dad before my eyes - young, happy. I am with them. We walk along the sun-drenched alleys of Sokolniki Park. They loved to go there. My father associated the district with Spartak, one might say, a small homeland, Spartak's fiefdom. He said it regularly, and with visible pride.

We walked along Tverskaya, then Gorky Street. We went to the ice cream parlor. A sweet product with syrup was placed on neat iron bowls. Enjoyed the ice cream. They came back for him again and again. I don't want to talk about the quarrels of the parents. They happened, as in any family, I guess. I won't remember the negative. It makes no sense, many years have passed.

There may have been envious people, enemies - definitely not. Hidden "well-wishers"? May be. I don’t remember anyone doing obvious nasty things about dad. They took him, like a "star", to their home, treated him.

I think in other cases it is not disinterested. In the sense that once again to drink, in the end, to destroy. And so it happened. Well, they were endlessly invited to restaurants, expensive cognacs were given. The then young father could not resist such a powerful pressure.

Mom said that dad was Starostin's favorite. In her words, Nikolai Petrovich literally adored Vasya. Probably for a daring game, a cheerful, cheerful disposition. The football master did not give offense to his father. Even Simonyan.

Nikita Pavlovich, unlike Starostin, is more demanding, stricter in character. Still, the coach saw the shortcomings and advantages of the ward. At one time I wanted to exile my father to a double, in terms of education. Young Kalinov violated the sports regime. Starostin stood by the mountain for the pet. He said: “No, no, we will not excommunicate Vasily from the team. Let's give it another chance. Let him try to understand with his head that this is not the way to behave. He invariably emphasized that he believed very much in the reasonable, beautiful game of his father.

Is Starostin right? I do not presume to judge. According to my mother, there were moments when the same Starostin literally “by the ears” pulled dad out of the “swamp”, giving him another chance. There have been a lot of similar situations for a short career in general at Spartak.

Father, instead of settling down, getting ready, taking training and matches more seriously, abused the trust of the legendary team leader. There is a sad outcome. The father's path in big football was cut short, in fact, before he could begin ...

Alexey Matveev

Source: www.rucriminal.info