Myron Markevych: And then the devil comes to me and offers a whip...
1The Cottage, Hay, and Beauty
In the 90s, I celebrated New Year’s in the Carpathians. In the mountains, in a rural cottage. We slept on hay. The beauty surrounding the cottage was breathtaking! That memory has stayed with me. At that time, I was still working in the Carpathians.
As the clock struck midnight, I usually pray to God for the health of all my loved ones and that illnesses stay away from them.
2New Year’s Gift
The most memorable gifts come from childhood. I was overjoyed when in 1956, our relatives living in the USA sent me a package from America – a toy train with a locomotive.
I also have a New Year’s tradition – on December 31, I go to the sauna with friends. The main thing is that it shouldn’t be too hot. 90 degrees is more than enough.
3Saint Nicholas and the Switch
In Western Ukraine during my childhood, children looked forward to Saint Nicholas more than Grandfather Frost. In kindergarten and later in school, Grandfather Frost and the Snow Maiden visited us on New Year’s Eve. However, we anticipated Saint Nicholas’s arrival much more.
On December 19, I was taken outside to the field, where my grandmother would light a fire – to call Saint Nicholas down from the heavens to bring us gifts. Meanwhile, someone would dress up as a devil, and someone else as Saint Nicholas. Then, a theatrical performance would begin. We would return home, and then the devil and Saint Nicholas would come in. If a child had misbehaved during the year, the devil might give them a switch as a punishment for their disobedience.
According to legend, the devil kept a close watch on naughty children. To be honest, sometimes the devil handed me that least desired gift – I wasn’t the most obedient boy in my childhood. My father had switches prepared. But more often than not, it was Saint Nicholas who gave me gifts. My mother would somehow manage to get mandarins, which were our dream at that time! I believed in these fairy-tale New Year heroes for a long time – until I was about 10-12 years old.
412 Days of Greetings
Since childhood, we celebrated two Christmases – Catholic (my maternal grandfather was Polish) and Orthodox. Of course, we celebrated the Orthodox one more. The whole family would gather at the table, honoring traditions.
In recent years, I have been receiving Christmas greetings for 12 days. On the eve of December 25, former legionnaire players – Brazilians and Argentinians who are Catholics – would call. The rest call on the eve of Orthodox Christmas.
For me, New Year celebrations are generally associated with something bright. New Year seamlessly transitions into Christmas, which is an even bigger holiday for me. These have always been very good days – no training, time to spend with family. The older you get, the more you cherish such moments ...
5Markevich's Choices
– "Home Alone" or "Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka"?
– "Home Alone." I see myself in that kid – I had a similar character. Although I also enjoy "Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka."
– Olivier Salad or Duck with Apples?
– We grew up on Olivier salad.
– Veuve Clicquot Champagne or Hennessy Cognac?
– Let it be Veuve Clicquot. Though I also like other kinds of champagne.
– Alpine Skiing or Ice Skating?
As a child, I played hockey. I participated in a children’s hockey team for the city and regional championships. Hockey was well developed in our region at that time. So I would choose ice skating.
Personal File
Myron Bohdanovych Markevich. Born February 1, 1951, in Vynnyky (Lviv region). Honored coach of Ukraine.
A product of Lviv football. First coach – Bohdan Markevich. Midfielder.
Played for teams: Karpaty Lviv, reserve (1970-72), SKA Lviv (1973), Spartak Ordzhonikidze (1974), Torpedo Lutsk (1976-77).
Coached teams: Torpedo Lutsk (1984), Karpaty Lviv (1992/93-1994/95, 1996/97-1998/99, 2001/02-2003/04, 2023-2024), Volyn Lutsk (1991-92), Podillya Khmelnytskyi (1995/96), Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih (1990, 1995/96), Metalurh Zaporizhzhia (1998/99-2001/02), Anzhi Makhachkala, Russia (2002), Metalist Kharkiv (2005-14), Dnipro (2014-16). From July 2016 to 2021 – head of the UAF national teams committee.
Maxym Rozenko, Champion
Responsible Editor– Mykola Dendak