Among them, a prominent place belongs to those young men who left their homeland at school age, setting off abroad in search of personal and professional happiness, suppressing their fear of fighting the unknown. Youthful maximalism, you know, can move mountains if applied properly.
One of such guys of Ukrainian origin, whom foreign football experts have paid the closest attention to, is Andrei Pereplyotkin, a native of Kharkiv. For almost a year now, his surname has frequently appeared on the pages of sports newspapers and internet portals. And this, given that the lad went not just anywhere, but to visit the founders of football – the English – once again confirms the high potential of the Ukrainian. In England, which thoroughly understands football, they will not praise a 19-year-old player for his beautiful eyes.
However, is he a Ukrainian? Many who have even a slight acquaintance with Pereplyotkin's complicated biography are now asking this question. And there is no clear answer yet. Although quite recently, in an interview with the Irish publication Irish Sun, Andrei said that his heart tells him to choose Ukraine. But why is the question posed this way; why does a footballer choose which country to represent? Let's go back a few years.
Andrei was born in Kharkiv (December 31, 1984), but at the age of 14 – in the spring of 99 – he moved to Moscow with his father. The reason is banal: the parents of the young footballer, who had not been distinguished by any special "vocal" talents while playing for Kharkiv youth teams, divorced (incidentally, Pereplyotkin's mother still lives in Kharkiv). From the White-Stone City, following the example of many of our talented children, he left for the West, where, as many believe, there are greater chances for professional growth, not to mention the standard of living, and settled in Brussels.
The Belgian club Anderlecht – the most titled in the country – has always been known for its particular attention to youth development, but it never limited its attention solely to Belgians. In the colors of the Brussels club, more precisely its youth and junior teams, one could always see players from various corners of the world. And Ukrainians too. But Pereplyotkin was not destined to repeat the fate of Oleg Yashchuk, a native of Ternopil, who broke into the club's first team and even won several championship titles in Belgium.
First, he did not like Belgium. "The move to Belgium turned out to be too difficult. Everything was completely different – the language, culture, way of life. I did not like French. In short, it was hard for me then: there were no friends, and I desperately wanted to leave and start all over. But I knew I could not do that, because to achieve success you must absolutely establish yourself in a Western club." Second, almost a year later, a chance came up to change his residence.
The manager who had once sent the Latvian footballer Marians Pahars to the British Isles – Pahars had become the attack leader and main goal scorer at the English Premier League club Southampton – considered that Andrei was in no way inferior to Pahars. Thus, a Ukrainian footballer appeared in the training camp of "The Saints" (as Southampton is called in England). From the very first days on English soil, Pereplyotkin began scoring for the reserve team in friendly matches on the eve of the official season's start.
Andrei quickly became one of his own in the team. A poll conducted on the club's official website produced staggering results for the British themselves: the majority of respondents named Pereplyotkin as the most promising footballer at Southampton. Andrei progressed rapidly (scoring 16 goals in 14 matches), and the club's leaders were generous with compliments. So, the head of Southampton's scouting department, John Sainty, categorically stated: "There is no doubt that the boy has a great future. He is very much like Marians Pahars and may later replace the Latvian goal scorer."
But the hopes of fans and coaches were not destined to be fulfilled yet. The reason is the bureaucratic obstacles that exist in England. Getting a work permit is not easy, and for a footballer's contract with an English club to have legal force, the footballer must obtain a work permit from the UK Ministry of Labour. And it should be noted that for a foreigner to get into English football is not easy – one has to meet very strict requirements. Especially for representatives of non-EU countries.
And Pereplyotkin, who had not yet played in serious football, could not boast of significant achievements. At Southampton he found himself on a student visa, which did not grant him the right to play even for the reserve side in official matches. In friendly matches – you're welcome, and in the junior team too. But nothing more. And the fact that the management was very interested in this player did not save the situation. To resolve the issue as it had been in the case of the same Pahars (he, too, had been kept from official games for a long time) did not work.
Andrei, who at first did not think about the future, believing that everything would work out on its own, was very upset by the English bureaucracy: "At first everything was fine. Strange as it may seem, it was easier for me to settle here than in Belgium. There were four people in the team who spoke Russian, which was very important. I liked playing at the club, whose main team plays in the Premier League, and hoping to get into the first team. But gradually I realized that this was not enough for real growth."
The club's management understood this too. Not wanting to lose the lad, but at the same time having no ability to influence the development of the situation, the "Saints" decided to send Pereplyotkin on loan to the Irish club "Bohemians" - the reigning champion of their country, by the way. At Southampton, they believe that a year spent in the elite division of Ireland (in this country the laws are much softer than in England, known for its conservatism) could radically change the footballer's fate.
Judge for yourself. Firstly, Pereplyotkin, whom "Bohemians" had long wanted to bring into their ranks, will get regular playing practice. More precisely, he is already getting it, winning fans in this country as well. In the very first match for his new team, in 12 minutes of playing time, he earned an "eight" (the highest rating is 10), becoming second in the journalists' ratings in his team. In the second match, the Ukrainian started in the starting lineup and already in the second minute scored against the opponent, playing in tandem with Ireland national team striker Glen Crowe.
And quite recently - on May 21 - in the Irish Cup match, Pereplyotkin demonstrated extraordinary individual skill and scored another goal: "I have never had to perform at such a high level. But I am confident in my abilities and think that I can prove myself in the best way. Bohemians is a good club, and I really like it here."
Secondly, successful performances at Bohemians will allow Andrei to attract the attention of national team coaches. Which one? There are three options - Ukrainian, Russian, and Irish. Yes, yes, the Irish have already taken notice of the footballer and are ready to grant him citizenship of their country, bypassing the law according to which one must live on the island for five years to obtain an Irish passport.
And if he plays for one of the national teams, while having experience playing in Ireland, it will be much easier to get a work visa in England. It will be even easier if Pereplyotkin decides to become Irish. So we have arrived at the question asked earlier: "Is Pereplyotkin a Ukrainian?"
Today, formally, he is a Ukrainian. Although, on the other hand, he is also a Russian. From a third point of view, possibly a future Irishman. But for now, he tries to encourage his compatriots: "Honestly, I don't know what to do. I have had contacts with representatives of both the Russian and Ukrainian national teams. But after all this, I can say only one thing - my heart tells me to play for Ukraine." It is probably worth listening...