---
title: "\"We sit and play cards\": Khatskevich recalled Sabo's coaching method at Dynamo"
description: "Former Dynamo midfielder Oleksandr Khatskevich recalled Jozef Sabo's working methods, expressing surprise at card games replacing evening training sessions."
date: 2026-09-26T08:52:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/hatskevich-recalled-sabo-method-at-dinamo
tags: [alexander-khatskevich, jozef-sabo, fc-dynamo-kyiv, ukrainian-premier-league]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# "We sit and play cards": Khatskevich recalled Sabo's coaching method at Dynamo

![Oleksandr Khatskevich during his time at Dynamo Kyiv](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/26/hatskevich-vspomnil-metod-sabo-v-dinamo/hatskevich-vspomnil-metod-sabo-v-dinamo-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- Khatskevich spoke about the start of his career at Dynamo Kyiv
- Experienced players persuaded Sabo to cancel the evening training for cards
- Memories of Sabo's soft style contrast with harsh methods mentioned by Shovkovskyi
- Dynamo performed poorly in European competitions during that period

Polissya Vice-President and former Dynamo Kyiv midfielder Oleksandr Khatskevich shared his memories of the beginning of his career with the Ukrainian giant. In a candid interview on Denis Boyko's YouTube channel, the Belarusian specialist spoke about the specifics of the training process and the unique approach of legendary coach Jozef Sabo in managing a star-studded team.

### Adaptation to the new club and Jozef Sabo's style

According to Khatskevich, Jozef Sabo's emotional and expressive working style strongly reminded him of the methods of Eduard Malofeev, the famous coach of the Belarus national team. Sabo also completely immersed himself in the game and showed incredible impulsiveness on the sideline. However, it was relatively easy for the new player to integrate into the team, as the Belarusian championship at that time operated on a "spring-autumn" system, and Khatskevich was in optimal match fitness, while Dynamo players were just returning from vacation.

### Unexpectedly relaxed atmosphere and card tournaments

The young midfielder was particularly surprised by the microclimate inside the team and the authority of experienced players. When team leaders like Yuriy Kalitvintsev, Viktor Leonenko, or Serhiy Bezhenar openly complained about fatigue to the coach, Jozef Sabo accommodated them and canceled the planned workloads. Khatskevich recalled an incident when the team calmly played cards instead of an evening training session, while veterans reassured the newcomer by saying that everything had already been settled with the mentor, creating a sense of surprising ease.

### Contradictory data

It is worth noting that Oleksandr Khatskevich's memories of Sabo's soft approach contrast with other testimonies from veterans of the same period. For instance, former goalkeeper and current Kyiv coach Oleksandr Shovkovskyi publicly spoke about completely opposite episodes of harsh pressure from the coach. According to Shovkovskyi, after unsuccessful matches, Sabo was so furious that he almost resorted to physical force against the players, demanding maximum dedication, which demonstrates the complex and multifaceted character of the specialist.

### Sports results and European failures

Despite the comfortable atmosphere and trust from the coaching staff, who played Khatskevich more often in the starting lineup of the Ukrainian championship compared to Valyantsin Belkevich, the international arena brought serious disappointment to the team. Kyiv suffered painful defeats from Austria's Rapid Wien and Switzerland's Neuchâtel Xamax, dropping out of European competitions early and leaving fans without a European spring, which was a heavy blow for the ambitious club.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- ["Сидим в карты играем": Хацкевич вспомнил тренерский метод Сабо в "Динамо"](https://sport.rbc.ua/ukr/football/sidimo-karti-graemo-hatskevich-prigadav-trenerskiy-1790411723.html) - Основной источник интервью Александра Хацкевича.
- [Александр Шовковский вспомнил, как Сабо едва не ударил его после поражения "Динамо"](https://ukranews.com/news/1140944-aleksandr-shovkovskij-vspomnil-kak-sabo-edva-ne-udaril-ego-posle-porazheniya-dinamo) - Использован для контрастного освещения методов Йожефа Сабо.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: Which Dynamo player recalled Jozef Sabo's training methods?
**A:** Oleksandr Khatskevich shared his memories of working with Sabo in an interview on Denis Boyko's YouTube channel.

### Q: Why do Khatskevich's memories cause contradictions?
**A:** His words about the coach's soft attitude contrast with Oleksandr Shovkovskyi's recollections of Sabo's harsh methods.