Born August 28, 1977
Place of Birth: Kiev, Ukraine
Country Ukraine
. Position midfielder / striker
. Height: 1.73 m
. Weight: 65.8 kg
. Football Club: Chicago Fire
. Nationality: Ukrainian
.
Personal Information. The most memorable moment in career: Brothers in Arms title Champion NCAA.
. Favorite football player: Hristo Stoychkov and Lothar Matthaus
. The most influential figure in his life: his father
. Favorite music: Russian rock
. Favorite actor: Garisson Ford and Sean Connery
. Favorite movie: Rock
.
VOICE OF EXPERIENCE
Relationship between Dima
Kovalenko and Hristo Stoichkovym began to develop many years ago - long before they become players of one team, Chicago Fire.
.
Kovalenko was almost teenager in Kiev, when he handed balls in Dynamo Kiev
. Sometimes these matches were held in the European Champions League, and sometimes rival Dynamo became the Spanish Barcelona. At that time, Barcelona has played sensational striker Hristo Stoichkov.
. "Many times he played against Dynamo, said
Kovalenko," It would seem that whenever he played, he always scored the most decisive goal. "
. Every football fan in Europe knew Stoichkova, football star from Bulgaria who scored over 100 goals for Barcelona and admitted the best player in Europe in 1994
. In the eyes
Kovalenko, Hristo Stoichkov was the absolute model, in which Dima was trying to build their future game.
Kovalenko way in the big football was not on the traditional European standards. He trained in the youth side Dynamo Kiev, along with AC Milan star Andriy Shevchenko. After Dima left for the United States, where he was enrolled in school in the city of Rochester, New York. After he enrolled at Indiana University.
. In 1994, when
Kovalenko still in high school, his friend bought two tickets for the World Championship quarterfinal game between Germany and Bulgaria.
. At the World Championship Stoichkov was a star
. In the match against Germany Hristo scored a beautiful goal with a penalty kick, and then ran off to celebrate it to the sector stands in which sat
Kovalenko.
. When
Kovalenko went to Indiana University, he was asked to fill out a questionnaire for the Department of Physical Education
. One question was: Who would you like to see their ideal partner in the team?
. "I wrote the Christ,"
Kovalenko says, "Sometimes it turns that we are talking about their dreams, regardless of whether they come true or not."
. Sometimes dreams come true.
. Stoichkov, who 36 years, sometimes reduces the 23-year
Kovalenko crazy
. He always crying, always miscall, always makes him do things on their. He never sees a good. Only bad.
"He's always yelling at me like an elder brother," said
Kovalenko on Stoichkove, "But I try not to take offense. Even if it hurt, when I go home I understand that he cries because he wants me out of a great footballer.
. According Stoichkova, then he yells at the other players
Kovalenko and Chicago Fire, is a part of his work.
. "It is my duty to help young players become better," said Stoichkov.
. Although he refers to all the young igrakam Chicago, he still draws a little more attention to Dima
Kovalenko. He criticizes his game more than anyone else.
"I love this guy to death. He is closer to me than others, "says Christo," When he goes on the field, he plays with such a fuse that sometimes makes bad mistakes and gets warning. Sometimes Dima gave the game everything and not thinking about the consequences. I think he needs to be strategically better.
The same can be said about Stoichkove when he was aged
Kovalenko. Perhaps this explains the special relationship between the players. Or maybe Hristo sees a Dime?
"Absolutely". said Stoichkov. "I played exactly as he when I was at his age. I remember running around the field and always pick a fight, but now all of the other and that is exactly what I want to teach him.
Work on
Kovalenko still ongoing. No sense in arguing about talent
Kovalenko. He is very talented. Just him excited, sparking a game, sometimes leads to a profound mistake.
. "Sometimes in the game I'm going crazy and break the rules, which of course hurts the whole team," says Dima, "Once in a fool all turns.
. This is similar to the process of maturation, which Stoichkov very glad to participate
. Instructions
Kovalenko continuing and outside of football. Christo and his seed Dima think its part. They always invite him to lunch or dinner or for no reason.
. When the Fire is on the driving assembly in Florida, Christo and Dima often spend time on fishing and lead discussions on various everyday topics.
. "When I'm with Stoichkovym I try to study it and take an example from that as he behaves, . as he talks to people, . how he reacts to certain things ", . said
Kovalenko, . "For example how he behaves in a restaurant and how to talking with people.",
. "He knows a lot of different things, and loves to share them
. I try to remember everything. "
. When the seed Stoichkova came from vacation in Spain in the offseason, they brought Dime gift - this t-shirt with the name of Barcelona
Kovalenko on the back.
. "I am very pleased that Christ and his Senya remembered me," said
Kovalenko.
. When Stoichkov signed a contract with the Chicago Fire, he had a reputation for rowdy
. But as it turned out, the history that went on there were only a fiction Christo. Everyone thought that it would be very arrogant like the stars sometimes, but instead he became the best teammate.
. "You would think that he would have a bad attitude, because he is a big star, but this did not happen," said
Kovalenko, "He was always joking with everyone in the locker room, and put himself on a level with all the players, although he much higher
. And all know about it. "
Kovalenko no different from other young players in the league of the U.S. - he wants to play for a prestigious club in the future. For players born in America, this means the need to travel to Europe. For the footballer born in Europe, as
Kovalenko, this is not tselyu life. Although he would not mind playing for a team like Barcelona, y
Kovalenko is a little different dream. He knows what European football.
"My dream is when I walk through the tunnel and go out on the field in front of a hundred thousand people no matter where - in Europe or America," said
Kovalenko, "I think about it every night. That is a dream! "
"Dima
Kovalenko, Josh Wolff and DaMarcus Beasley (Translator's Note. Other young players from Chicago Fire) have a great chance to play for the prestigious team in Europe, "said Stoichkov," The only thing that is necessary so that two legs, head, heart and immensely loving football. "
. Plus intelligent footballer with age, which teaches them how to use them.
