The European Football Championship kicked off yesterday in France. Against this background, we decided to talk about the state of Belarusian football with the author and host of the Kozel about Football program Kristina KOZEL. By the way, we first decided to test the journalist who chose such an unfeminine occupation for herself by asking her a few questions. For example, what is “tiki-taka” in the football lexicon, in what year did Dynamo Minsk become the champion of the Soviet Union for the first time in history, and which country won the world football title in 2010? Christina confidently answered: a football style of play based on a short pass; in 1982; Spain.
Christina, you encroached, consider it sacred - you became a football expert in a skirt. There are enough comments on this. So I decided to make sure. However, I also assumed that it is unlikely that a person who studied at the BNTU graduate school can be just a talking head. I was surprised that she decided to change her field of activity so drastically.
I'm proud to have passed your test. Football has been something natural for me since childhood. My father is watching the match, and I am with him. He explained to me the meaning: you need to deliver the ball from your goal to the opposite ones, other people interfere with you, and this is a struggle. The red ones play with the white ones. The latter are the England team, and you need to root for them. I watched, and there was excitement.
Quite consciously I was going to become a candidate of economic sciences. But football was there. I went to the Dynamo stadium. A young man who looked after me gave me a TV tuner so that I could watch the 2002 World Cup games on my computer in the hostel. When they told me: “Christina, rain, snow - again you go to football!”, I asked: Lord, send me such a job so that I can go to matches in any weather completely legally and without asking for time off! I just called! At that time I didn’t think that it could be journalism!
Then I graduated from graduate school, taught at BNTU. The first year she worked as a trainee teacher, there is a lot of free time with such a position, and got a job in the newspaper "All About Football". It was necessary to write about youth teams, it was considered not prestigious, but there was no talk of making money.
I had 70 percent of my dissertation completed when I realized that I no longer wanted to do small business research. Regardless of how much you earn, I like to call coaches, keep game statistics. After the end of the term of working out at the university, I passed the casting of the leading Belteleradiocompany. I had to choose between football and university. I remember that my head of the department, Zoya Nikolaevna Kozlovskaya, also asked: “How can you exchange serious work for football?” But she was sympathetic to my decision.
Kristina, you were born in Snov, Nesvizh district. In the villages, you can still see the boys gathered to kick the ball. Maybe you played with them too?
Our village is big enough. I lived in the central part, where everything is paved. Of the children of our age, there was only one boy. Therefore, there were no outdoor games.
At school, she could become a goal, but only because the boys did not have enough players. A couple of times I went out to play in the field, and quite by accident I managed to circle a classmate Vitya, who was considered a good player. After that, the guys decided: we don’t take a goat in football, she disgraced me.
- What foreign and domestic team do you support?
For Manchester United and the Dutch national team. It has been that way since childhood. The Dutch then showed fast attacking football. I don't care how they play now, but if you stick to them, you will continue to be faithful. If the Belarusians entered the top tournament, then I would unconditionally keep my fists for them.
From the point of view of professional ethics, it is incorrect to single out any Belarusian team. There are sympathies, but they appear only in the course of some specific games and are dictated by the development of events on the field. The Nesvizh "Veras" would have been alive, then the preferences are understandable, because even when he came to us in Snov as a child, it was a grandiose event. Now, because of the community, there is a warm feeling for FC Gorodeya. It is especially pleasant that the Nesvizh region is represented in the major league.
- Does Belarusian football even exist?
Of course, otherwise what are the teams playing? He definitely is, and his level is not as bad as it seems. There is a problem of expectation and reality. If you come to the match of the major league teams in anticipation of a repeat of the games of the English Premier League, the German Bundesliga, then these expectations will be unjustified. But if you have an understanding that you are going to our football, to look at our players, you will not have the thought of calling it somehow wrong.
Take, for example, a Russian film with famous actors. No one is outraged that the roles are not Julia Roberts, Scarlett Johansson. There is a Hollywood film, there is a Russian one. For example, Dynamo Brest and Torpedo-BelAZ Zhodzina played recently. The goals scored by Maxim Chyzh and Alexander Demeshko would have been applauded by the Dutch and Italians.
- And how do you assess the level of our coaching school?
Probably, being a journalist, it is not entirely correct to talk about this. But if Viktor Goncharenko and Alexander Ermakovich take BATE to the UEFA Champions League group stage, meet with top-level coaches, then they are something of themselves. I can’t speak indiscriminately about all the coaches. I watched the work of 15 people in children's and youth teams, and there are many more of them. So from a statistical point of view, the sample is not representative, and conclusions cannot be drawn. Understand, after all, there are hundreds of those whom we do not know behind top-level coaches abroad.
- Maybe our players are not self-confident?
You know, in one of the last issues we talked with Alexander Sednev. Last year, he headed Belshina, and now he is coaching Dnepr Mogilev. He said that he has a good set of players. But the problem is that many people think they are worse than they really are. I agree. In addition, there are those who, having taken a step, begin to imagine themselves as stars. The golden mean, unfortunately, is the least.
- Kristina, is there a difference between women's and men's football for you?
Yes. It's like two different sports. We will not argue with the obvious - let the rules be the same, 11 players, the ball is round, but the women's and men's games are different. But if the representatives of the weaker sex want to play - so be it.
I arrived at the end of May in Borisov for the final of the European Championship for girls. There were many bugs in the game. It's hard to imagine boys taking penalties like that. But I noticed something else - what an entourage it was! Boys or girls, the UEFA is equally beautiful on everything. I would like to go there! Brest hosted the final of the Belarusian Cup between BATE and Torpedo-BelAZ, and no offense was said, but the finalist was awarded much worse than the young European champions. It is likely that half of them will not play. But "Torpedo-BelAZ" takes the trophy for the first time in its life, and there is not even confetti. Football is normal, but football is not.
Cristina, you are talking sensible things. Explain then the course when you starred in a candid photo shoot for football-themed calendars.
This is precisely thanks to an economic education, namely, to a fairly well-known marketer in Belarus, my teacher Sergei Vladimirovich Glubokoy. Of those marketing schemes and moves that he told us about, I did not even use half. I think that such promotions should exist, Europe has been using this for a long time.
The first calendar fired, the second and third were expected. I'm surprised it hasn't been done before me. After all, you can present not only girls, but also men beautifully. If, thanks to this calendar, someone learned the name of our program and began to visit football more often, then everything was not in vain.
- What rules must be observed in order for a girl to be taken seriously on the field?
In football circles, they have already got used to me since I worked in the newspaper. There are rules and norms of behavior beyond which you cannot go. Relatively speaking, you won’t go to the brow in a short skirt. You must first understand where you are going and why. In addition, I think, by my questions and the manner of communication, it is clear that I am in the subject.
- There is a specific vocabulary in football, doesn't it limit it?
The edge is the edge of the field. Offside - out of the game. If there is a synonym, then one or two. But I seem to have a good vocabulary so as not to limit myself. Another thing is how football vocabulary enters your life. I'm driving a car - you need to snuggle up to the left or right edge. I don't remember the word curb! Came to basketball for the first time. I see the striker come forward, they make a long throw to him, and I shout: “Outside the game!” Then I blush, because there is no such thing.
- Kristina, some football experts don't like to watch matches with commentators. And you?
I usually turn off the sound on the TV and watch music. They really often prevent me from perceiving football. But not all. There are commentators who tell very interesting things. In addition, if the broadcast is in English, then I leave the sound to listen to the language.
- Do you always have dynamics during the game you are talking about? Do the music and the picture match?
Our goal is to show that domestic football is interesting. It's no coincidence that we initially chose locations for filming near the touchline, behind the baseline, because when you stand there, you are more involved in the game. Jogging frames are more dynamic than from above. And I approach musical accompaniment carefully, perhaps because I have a musical education. After I see the match, I already have a clear understanding in my head what kind of music would correspond to what is happening. For example, if the tempo of the composition is ragged or more calm, dynamic or upbeat, then this is how the game was.
- How do you spend your free time?
How many centimeters are in your heel?
- Where does the love for such shoes come from?
- Well, it's just fashionable, beautiful. High heel - slender leg, toned ass :). In general, everything that men love. Yes, and women too. Just don't talk about it.
- Can you wear a 14 cm heel for shooting?
- Not. I choose clothes for the broadcast, firstly, according to the weather. Second, it shouldn't be vulgar. In no case can clothes distract anyone, including me. Everything should be comfortable, but at the same time beautiful.
- What is "went" in your opinion?
- If I put on shorts, a tank top with a deep neckline and these wonderful 14 cm heels, it will be very vulgar.
- At the same time, many viewers of "Goat about Football" would like the presenter to dress like this.
- The fact is that the project is called "Goat about football." And “football” in this case is the key word. And "Goat" is just the name of the presenter. The project tells about football and shows it, not me. Therefore, shorts, T-shirts with a neckline and so on are not a program format.
- Where did the name of the project come from?
- Oh ... But it’s not clear :). In fact, this is the author's program. The idea, the concept and everything in terms of content that people can see in the releases is done by me. I am the creator, screenwriter and face of the project. In general, initially the project had a different, working, name ...
- Which?
- "Do not mind it". When I saw this name, I immediately wanted to score on the project :). Things were moving towards implementation, painful work was being done on a new name. I certainly wanted the word "football" to appear in it. And now: one in the morning, vacation, telephone conversation with a friend. And with righteous anger I am indignant at the imminent release of the program and the lack of a normal name: “So if I talk about football, Kozel about football ...” And then the name was born. There was an idea: “Everyone will say: “Goat about football.” And you won't get past this. It's interesting to look at the goat who talks about football. And then it turns out that the goat is not a goat at all, but a girl. And it's fun.
- Other options?
- Goat and football. But the union "and" implies some kind of separation.
- A little higher it was said about the idea and concept. Actually, what is the idea behind the project? What concept?
- Probably, we need to add retrospectives :).
— Add.
- Of course, I did not immediately become a sports journalist. Before that, I just went to football for a long time. as a spectator. And when I went to the stadium, it was extremely rare to persuade someone to keep me company. I tried to convince people that it would be interesting there. But they just didn't believe. And I liked it. And still like it. I think there are enough interesting things in Belarusian football that can be seen at the stadium.
— Okay, the first football you visited?
- It happened in a very deep childhood :). I was four years old. I don't remember exactly who played. But those were local competitions. Soviet, with proper color. Our team from Snova played. By the way, we had very cool derbies with Nesvizh. I was upset when Veras was disbanded. All my life I dreamed that this team would play in the big leagues and I would have someone to fanate for. But it didn't work out...
— Well, what about the first big football game you saw?
— I already studied in Minsk. BATE played with Milan. In 2001. Maldini with blue eyes :). These are the times when Viktor Goncharenko could be called Vitya. I still have the match program. Not so long ago I was putting things in order at home, I stumbled upon her. I looked - and I have such a thrill. Then the budding Pavel Begansky ... And now somehow "Vedrich-97" ... Kutuzov five minutes before departure. All in all, good nostalgia. We didn't agree on the idea.
- Yes.
— It cannot be said that the idea arose directly. I just always wanted to talk about Belarusian football. I have never seen and do not see anything wrong with that. Because in our football I find real advantages. I visit stadiums and enjoy it. And before I became a journalist, I went to football. For several years in a row I bought season tickets for the matches of the capital's Dynamo. And when "Minsk" was hosted at the stadium of the same name and the entrance was free, I simply did not understand how it was possible to pass by. Yes, at Dynamo the field is far from the stands, but I have never seen anything wrong with this stadium. So I always treated our national championship with love.
At InternetTV of Belteleradiocompany I was invited to work as a sports journalist. And so our director, knowing my attitude to football, offered to write the concept of a program on this topic. No boundaries were set. Absolute expanse for the soul. The main requirement is to give something new, a minimum of our experts' assessments. Because they are always and everywhere. Everywhere you go, the same faces. And specialists in football represent a very small percentage of people involved in it. I wrote several concepts. In the end, we settled on the one that assumed the transfer of the whole atmosphere and entourage of a football match to the viewer. To show how interesting it can be at our stadiums, create the effect of being there and prove that Belarusian football exists in principle. Let many say that it does not exist.
- Formulate the final concept.
— Coverage of matches of the major league of the Belarusian football championship, other interesting games. Presentation of material through the prism of near-football things. That is, relaying the atmosphere - before the game, during, after. After - a very important point. That is why immediately after the end of the match, the operator and I run to the field to interview the players. Their perception of the game after visiting the dressing room is already changing. You need to see the nerve. We work from behind the gate, because the emotion is felt. It is not available to the fans in the stands. Therefore, sometimes it seems that my emotion is different in general. And, of course, it is important for us to designate the main points of the match.
- You first appeared in the frame in "Goat about Football"?
- Not. From time to time it happened to flicker on the TV. And in general, a story happened somehow in my life with filming in the first Belarusian reality show.
- And what was that?
- It was called the show "Driving School". Filmed in 2010. I had no idea about some kind of reality show. She was a postgraduate student at the time. I was driven to the National Library, parked in the parking lot. It turned out that there was a casting. A kind person asked me: “Do you have rights?” - "Not". - "Fill out the questionnaire." I filled out. The next morning I got a call with an offer to take part in the filming. It was interesting, I agreed. That's all. So I'm familiar with the camera, and it doesn't scare me at all.
What was the point of the show?
— We were taught in real time to drive a car in extreme conditions. I did not win a certificate for free education :). But I got to the final. The experience was enormous. Then I realized that shooting is not two fingers on the asphalt, it is a very laborious process. In addition, the format meant recording in any weather and in any state of yours. Therefore, when we began working on "Goat about Football", I already knew: let there be at least a thousand takes, but the mood matters. So I had no right to show my excitement during the first shooting. Yes, I was a little worried. After all, she had never worked as a leader before. In addition, we do not use the scenario when you know what will happen and how. We only have a scene plan written by me, which indicates only key stand-ups. That is why most of my work is improvisation.
Did you end up with the rights?
- At the end of the project, I enrolled in a driving school, and after four months I had a license :).
- How many people are involved in the creation of "Goat about Football"?
- Creative team or all-all-all?
— All-all-all.
- "InternetTV" is a division in the structure of BGTRK. A director, a presenter, three cameramen are working on the project - two are busy at the matches, occasionally one. Administrator ... Well, management is the last resort. He has the decisive word in controversial moments. But, as a rule, freedom of action is given. Yes, we have a format and framework, but they are conditional. Although, of course, if a naked fan runs out onto the field, we will retouch, blur the image.
“So you’re from Snova.
- What it is?
- The very name speaks for itself. Fabulous place. The best in all of Belarus :). In fact, I have a very reverent attitude towards Again. I love this place very much. I don’t know what the status of the settlement is now, but for me Snov was a village and will always remain so.
- So you are a villager?
- What's there to be ashamed of?
“No one says you have to be shy.
- And rightly so. In Minsk, most of the village. Simply, having settled in the capital, people for some reason forget where they come from. And Snov is actually located not so far from Minsk. This is a very cultural place. We have a school, a music school, an art school, a sports complex, and a swimming pool. Snovskie children come to university with good baggage. After moving to Minsk, the metropolitan classmates seemed to me complete darkness. I did dance and music. And my local peers have not even been to the places that I, living in Snova, visited regularly when I was in Minsk.
- What places?
- Well, dad, of course, mostly took me to stadiums :).
- It turns out that dad instilled a love for football?
Well, he wanted a boy. The plans were Valery Petrovich, but it turned out Kristina Petrovna :). Dad wasn't upset at all. He loved me madly and enlightened me in every possible way about sports. When adolescence began and some sympathy for young people, I was terribly unlucky in this regard. I stubbornly could not find a guy who would be fond of football :). And very often changed dates for matches. I will never forget 1998. The young man was waiting for me in the yard on the swings, and I watched the World Cup semi-finals France - Croatia with no hesitation and did not feel the slightest remorse. If the boy didn't share my passion, that's his problem :). And now about your question about places. As a child, I visited almost all Minsk theaters. Dad took me to concerts. I never loved Vladimir Presnyakov, but dad said that this was necessary for the overall development. So, at the age of seven or eight, I looked at Vova Presnyakov at the Sports Palace.
The last concert you were at?
— Presnyakov, Manson…
- Well, I came to Manson myself :). This is my love from my youth. Therefore, I was among the first who bought a ticket for his Minsk concert. As, however, and among the first who ran around Minsk and looked for cassettes with his albums. I was 13 years old. Music was also released on cassettes ...
- We talked about school, how did you finish it?
— With a gold medal. I do not want this to be perceived as boasting, but studying has always been easy for me. In eleven years at school, I never got a B in a quarter.
— Where did you go?
— Polytech. The current BNTU.
- Speciality?
- "World Economy and International Economic Relations". In general, I never thought that it was possible to connect my profession with sports, no matter how much I loved it. In the seventh or eighth grade, I wanted to become a lawyer. But I had a great friendship with mathematics and a passionate love for physics. Therefore, by the ninth grade, I came to understand that it is worth entering the economy. In the presence of a gold medal, a high score on testing gave the right to apply for admission. The competition was 27 people from the countryside for one place. It got to me. I ended up on a budget. It turned out easy enough.
- Finished successfully?
— Red diploma. And again, the average score is 5.0. Then a five-point rating system was used. Then I decided to go to graduate school. I had a thesis about small and medium business. I would like to continue to develop this topic. In addition, graduate school promised certain benefits. I gave in to temptation. But it was a somewhat misguided decision. Firstly, it is quite difficult for us to defend ourselves. Secondly, hardly anyone needs it. Thirdly, there is almost no moral satisfaction. And for me it is very important.
What about your dream of becoming a lawyer?
— In the year of graduating from BNTU, I submitted documents to the Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Belarus. Went to the right. Together with the graduate school, I studied law ... By the way, after graduate school, I was sent to work at the university.
- Did you teach?
- What are the disciplines?
— “Joint and small business”, “International economy”. After receiving a law degree, I was loaded with "Fundamentals of Law". Plus "Money, credit, banks."
- What kind of teacher were you?
- Strict. No familiarity. I tried to give students as much knowledge as possible. Did not refer to the small salary. In general, I don’t really like it when they shout: “We work the way they pay.”
— How much did you get for working at BNTU?
- Started working in 2009. At that time, in the absence of proper hours, I was listed as a trainee teacher. And received about 430 thousand. Well, about 600 came out with some bonuses. It was sad.
- Have you worked at least a day in your specialties?
- Not. Not a day.
- At home on the shelf you have two diplomas. What do they give besides dust?
- It should be noted that I received the second diploma, already collaborating with "All About Football". I transferred to BNTU part-time, I decided to look for a job I liked. The university is completely different. We love sports. Therefore, the topic of my second diploma is “Peculiarities of regulation of labor relations in the field of sports”. Sports law exists all over the world. In our country, this industry only promises to appear. With pre-diploma practice at ABFF, an overlay came out. That's why I practiced at HC Dynamo-Minsk. Worked with contracts of hockey players.
And how much do they get?
- Ask this question to hockey players :). Fine. In general, I was even more convinced that I like working in sports. She successfully defended herself at the Academy with nine points. They offered ten, but this is an estimate on the verge of insanity. In general, when I look at my two diplomas, I say a sincere “thank you” to them. The first - for the English language and economic knowledge. My mother constantly repeats: “Do not wear education behind your shoulders.” And rightly so, because I will not ask the wrong questions to the leaders of the FC, working as a sports journalist. Still, I understand how everything works in their economy from an economic point of view. That is, as a rule, it cannot be such that today money falls into the account of the club, and today they are transferred to the players. At a minimum, you need to issue statements. Often journalists who are not familiar with economics ask the wrong questions. They make me smile. The same with law. Registration, transfers, employment are by no means momentary processes. I am familiar with the mechanisms for their implementation. That is, both of my educations really help me.
How were you received in the profession?
- According to your own feelings?
- Yes.
- It's hard ... At first, it was hard in "All About Football".
- Why "WoF"?
— I always read All About Football. Football newspaper I associated only with this edition. "Pressball" did not buy because of the abundance of texts about other species. In addition, Veras was relevant at that time. First League. And only WoF writes about it in detail. Therefore, the question never stood before me: what newspaper is the main football newspaper in the country?
- And how can you get into a professional newspaper from the outside? Come and ask?
Yes, come and ask. It's that simple.
- Clear. So how was the grinding to the team?
- They gave me the first task - to do an interview with Alexander Danilenko. At that time, an age mini-football player. Immediately striped text. I took it up with great enthusiasm ... In general, as far as work is concerned, there were no difficulties. When you're interested, everything goes easy. Difficulties arose with self-identification. Although no, I perfectly imagined that I could work. Rather, even with positioning. After all, I came to the newspaper with almost two higher educations. Don't worry, I don't flaunt them. It's just that we're not talking about the appearance of some student intern. I started working, already being an adult girl, with a baggage of some knowledge. And they treated me like a person who seemed to be unable to do anything. Okay, in journalism, with regards to the basics, I knew little. But it was wild for me when I realized that others had no desire to help. It turned out, they just threw me into the pond and began to see if I would swim out or not. Of course, there was anger. Wanted to swim. One (now not working for All About Football) journalist later admitted that the guys from the newspaper were arguing whether I could last three weeks or not. Do you remember who, Nikita Mikhailovich? :).
- Somehow not very much, Kristina Petrovna :).
- I still can’t forgive him for this :) ... When I started writing reports, they offered to take a male pseudonym. They said they wouldn't believe a woman. In general, there were problems with work at matches. Of course, I have my own vision. But every individual journalist has it. It doesn't matter if it's a man or a woman. For some reason, the words of a woman about football are treated with some kind of chauvinism and skepticism.
Let's talk about stereotypes. Do you agree with the popular belief that a woman in a field like football has to work three times as hard as a man to prove her worth?
- It turns out so. Let's talk about the fact that football is still a male sphere. So, dear girls who want to find themselves in this business, will have to come to terms with this state of affairs. It just so happened that a woman has to work in football many times more and harder. This is still relevant. I think this approach is wrong, but we will spend a lot of time if I begin to prove my point. I agree: the perception of football by a woman and a man differs. This is due at least to the gender difference in psychology, anthropology, and so on. That is, a woman notices the little things. Men are more general things. But a woman can also come to this. So I'm trying to boil it down to the fact that sometimes there are exceptions. A woman involved in originally masculine professions can succeed. Valentina Tereshkova flew into space.
- OK. What is your opinion about the newspaper "All about football" in its current version?
- Beautiful. I still work there. Yes, not everything works out. Yes, maybe the circulation is not as high as we would like. But with all this, I continue to assert that WoF is the country's main football newspaper. It covers topics that cannot be covered in similar volumes in other sources.
- What topics?
— First and second leagues, futsal, beach soccer, regional competitions, tournaments among bank teams. Maybe no one would have known that they exist, if not for "All About Football". Youth teams are a separate issue altogether. I supervise it :).
Where does such love come from?
- When I came to the newspaper, they told me that I needed to deal with the topic of youth teams. Apparently, they didn’t really want to take it, so they set a similar condition. So until now, work in the mixed zone, interviews, reports are my electives. The main activity is youth teams. I penetrated, penetrated, and now I surrender to this with all my heart. I really like it. I think attention to youth teams is very important. Today's boys are tomorrow's professional players. And I have a unique opportunity to observe their formation.
- Not so long ago, the Football Federation was going to financially help Pressball. How did you, an employee of the ABFF departmental publication, react to this?
“To be honest and frank, it’s not at all. There is a newspaper "All about football". No one is talking about its closure. So we need to keep working. And all these hypothetical arguments, as it would be good or bad, are in favor of the poor. You always have to work. If you work, there will be a result. Our newspaper is functioning. She has her own readership. So there is nothing to be angry about. Sitting now and complaining about how fair the help to Pressball is in relation to All About Football is not in my competence. Yes, I would be sad if they decided not to cover the youth teams anymore. In such a situation, I would become indignant. And so, there are no special problems. The newspaper is working. In addition, the federation is more visible. As they say, the master is the master. And in general, I do not really like the current popular position of confrontation between the federation and everyone else. I don't understand her. I had a certain stage of cooperation with ABFF. And now I can say that the federation is by no means against football. Just looks at it from the position of an administrative resource.
— What is the period of cooperation with ABFF?
- Not very long. Collaborated under a contract. I was into social media. Thanks to this, I was lucky to visit the UEFA headquarters in Nyon, go to a seminar in Austria, and meet colleagues from other football associations. Therefore, after the end of cooperation, I have a lot of pleasant memories. I can only say thank you.
— During the period when Alexander Tomin stopped working as ABFF press officer, were you among the contenders for his replacement?
- Minimal conversation on this topic was conducted. Probably, from some angle I was considered as a contender.
— I don't deal with our official bands. I just go to the corresponding pages on VKontakte or Facebook from my account. Exclusively as a leading Christina Kozel. I answer questions that are addressed to me. As for working at ABFF, one should be grateful for any experience. Let's say I still see a lot of positive things in my work as a teacher. I learned to easily understand the stratum of youth, which is the target audience of Goat about Football.
- Youth is somehow very blurry.
— People aged 14 to 35 are the target audience of the Internet. We work in a network, therefore we assume that it can become ours. But all the same, some statistics are kept, and it is clear that for the most part young people watch Goat about Football. Yes, sometimes there are criticisms about this. Like, the project is focused exclusively on young people. But if we are talking about the popularization of Belarusian football and instilling love for it, then who else should we aim for, if not the youth? In a situation where a 16-year-old teenager is watching us today, we must hope that he will do it tomorrow and in three years. And if you don’t watch “Goat about Football”, then be interested in Belarusian football. This is a potential spectator, a visitor to the matches of the national team and the national championship, who will buy tickets regardless of their cost.
- If the reader is imbued not with football, but with you, will this be a side effect of the project?
- And after that he will go to the stadium?
- Not. He will sit down at the keyboard and begin to write something like: "Let's meet."
- Let him write.
Have you already written something similar?
- It happens from time to time.
- And how do you react?
Experienced people have warned me that this happens. That's why I was ready. And I treat all this with tolerance ... But you interrupt me again. Here's what I wanted to say: if such a young man gets imbued and gets to the stadium, then it doesn't matter for what. The main thing is that he came, bought a ticket and watches the match. So my mission is partially accomplished. Because it's sad to watch the empty stands. Last season, I remember, I was at the match "Minsk" - "Slavia" ...
— When Minsk won 3:2?
- Yes. Such a crazy football! The best match I've seen in 2012. But there were three hundred people in the stands. I wanted to cry. Maybe someone will call me a sentimental fool about this, but the soul really hurts for our attendance. At the beginning we talked about Soviet football. I got a piece of it. As a little girl, she came to the stadium, which was full, people were sitting on a hillock to watch the match of local teams. Now, I'm afraid, no one knows at all that they exist. In general, the atmosphere was just wonderful. And even football players of not the highest level felt attention to themselves. They understood that they had come to see them. And now we have professionals from the major leagues deprived of interest. In general, I want as many people as possible to play football, even if they accuse me of pathos and excessive propaganda. Therefore, it doesn’t matter what the reason is that prompts you to get out to the stadium. If now FC Minsk is trying to attract people with expensive gifts and promotions - okay. The main thing is that 300 people should be replaced by a thousand. Perhaps, out of this thousand, at least a hundred will become regular visitors. And this is already a positive increase.
- Do they recognize you?
- It happens. Mostly in stadiums :).
- Work in the "Time of Football" contributes to this?
- I don’t know, I’m generally very calm about my work on TV.
- Two months of work in the frame - and an invitation to the telly. Doesn't it touch at all?
- No way. You see, I have never been a person who wants to draw attention to himself. I'm talking about football. Everything that happens to me is perceived as part of the work. And I don't focus on attention. This touches those who initially set themselves as an end in itself to light up. I just wanted to be able to talk about what I love. Yes, I will not hide, sometimes it hurts me when it starts: “She does it in vain.” But in general, I'm calm. Well, I got on TV ... Well, I got it. Especially not in two months, but in three :). So the people who work on this TV have noticed my work. The main thing now is not to fly out to the fanfare :).
Let's end with stereotypes. "A woman on football is a hunter for her husband."
- Well, it's normal when girls like boys :). But I haven't been free for a long time. And my lack of freedom has nothing to do with football. In general, you know, if a stereotype has been created, then women are allowed to talk about themselves in a similar vein. A trainee once came to us at All About Football, who really wore deep necklines and did not understand who was playing at matches. She thought that footballers were constantly spinning in the editorial office of the All About Football newspaper. And when it turned out that they were not spinning, the girl was deeply disappointed. If such behavior is once noticed, it is very deeply embedded in memory. That is why the stereotype, from which it is extremely difficult to get rid of. And it's always hard to prove otherwise. Yes, I have friends among football players. And if I communicate with them, many may interpret it incorrectly. But it doesn't touch me. People can only be touched by what they feel guilty about. And my conscience is absolutely clear. I don't care.
- More stereotypes?
- I was lucky in the early stages to attend international matches. I see that there are enough women in European football. And they are well received.
- And at the same time they are used to perform an aesthetic function.
- We initially said that I would not appear in a neckline and shorts at football. The aesthetic function, if desired, is performed by any person. And I'm always worried about how I look. Especially at work people look at me. I have no right to look bad. This is an axiom. Axiom not only for women, for everyone.
— Do you like the way Belarusian journalists dress?
- To be honest, not really. Still, you need to somehow present yourself and carry on. And in the same way, I don’t really like it when players allow themselves to appear from the locker rooms somehow. I still remember how Milan players entered the mixed zone. People could immediately be put on the cover of conditional Esquire or GQ, but in general any gloss. You see, at the same time, I can't say how football players perceive badly dressed journalists. It's something between men. About the reaction specifically to me, you also need to ask the players.
“But have you ever accepted refusals in an interview?
“I rarely got rejected. Although now, when I run out onto the field immediately after the match, sometimes it happens. But in some moments it is clear. When you are suddenly attacked by a make-up woman with a microphone, maybe it's scary :). Plus, not all of our players understand that communicating with journalists is part of their profession. Professions public. Then I do not exclude the option that the wives of the players are sitting on the podium. And some players, probably, it confuses. Although I want to say: don’t be afraid, please, I don’t need a football player husband. I'm not interested in footballers as men at all. We just work with them. There are some taboos, professional ethics. It's not even discussed.
Have football players ever hit on you?
P.S. The guys from the cafe "Altair", thanks for taking a ride on the steamer. And your coffee is delicious. All the best.
Why don't you have children?
There is a position that I wholeheartedly share. It sounds something like this: children limit my personal freedom, I have not yet realized myself enough in this life to devote myself to a child. At the same time, children do not seem to me a hindrance or some kind of evil. Just for the time being, I believe that I do not have internal responsibility and determination to share my freedom with a child.
I have seen this happen with my older brother and my older sister. Fathers still remain more or less free. It's great, after returning from work in the evening or on weekends, to babysit the baby. I understand that there may be complaints from men: "Yes, I got up at night and warmed him a bottle!" Yes, he got up and warmed up, yes, he went to work without enough sleep, but he escaped from family life and rebooted psychologically.
The mother cannot afford such a reboot. Her turbulent life at some point falls silent. I am three times the godmother of the children of my classmate. I understand her parental love. The delight of the children is understandable. But a friend is honest with me and admits that their upbringing at first is an endless "Groundhog Day". There is no free time. You see, it's just that someone is ready to sacrifice this time, realizing that they have to wait a year, two or three, and then freedom will return. And someone like me (you need to pick up a literary word) ... is afraid. I don't feel ready to take and lose my current freedom. Perhaps this is just an illusion. But I like her.
Fortunately, my maternal instinct is asleep. Good - because there is no internal conflict in me yet. And I can honestly say that in 33 years it has never happened that this instinct woke up, like a rest after New Year's Eve, and began to swing the rights: "Christina! Hello! Can you hear me?" He has a lethargic dream.
This situation is from the category of "well-fed hungry will not understand." If a person has a child, he certainly says: "How did I live without my baby!" Well… It's natural. Who will say that without a child it was better. Why lie to yourself? It is normal to say that life is better with change. But I don't want those changes.
Do you feel the pressure of society on this issue?
No. I have filtered society so much that my environment is made up of people who do not put pressure on me.
Photos of pregnant women. This is madness. All Instagram in childbirth. A woman with a belly like this is depicted on the left side of the collage. And on the right she is already with a child. You know, this is an anatomy that I don't want to see. Childbirth is an intimate process. And we are hypertrophying it. You may not like my opinion, but from the outside I see it this way: I will show my child to the whole world, despite all his insecurity. It would be better if you spent the time spent on photographing on his upbringing. To each his own, but for me it's some kind of devilry, - Kozel quotes
