Ukrainian Premier League clubs continue targeted personnel changes amidst the current 2026 season. Football club Kolos from Kovalivka has officially announced the return of 44-year-old official and former Ukraine national team player Vitaliy Lysytskyi to the position of sports director. For the 44-year-old specialist, this return marks a new stage in the club's management strategy as it aims to strengthen its position in the standings and stabilize sports results.
Historical context and achievements
Vitaliy Lysytskyi has a rich history with the Kovalivka club, having dedicated over eight years of his professional life to it. It was at Kolos in 2017 that he ended his long and eventful player career as a defender, after which he immediately transitioned to administrative work, taking up the post of sports director. During his first major management period, the modest club made a phenomenal leap from the lower divisions to the elite of Ukrainian football, broke into European competitions, and built modern training infrastructure.
Reasons for return and current tasks
After a long period of fruitful work, the official left his post in 2025, but the club management decided to turn to the proven specialist again after a short break. In Kovalivka, they expect that Lysytskyi's rich management experience, deep knowledge of the club's philosophy, and authority in Ukrainian football will help overcome current playing difficulties. Throughout his playing career, Lysytskyi managed to play for such giants and clubs of Ukraine as Dynamo Kyiv, Dnipro, Chornomorets Odesa, Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih, Hoverla Uzhhorod, and Metalurh Zaporizhzhia, which gives him a unique vision of football processes from the inside.
Standings and upcoming challenges
At the time of the sports director's return, Kolos's affairs in the Ukrainian championship are unfolding with mixed success: the team ranks 9th in the standings, having scored 8 points based on 7 matches played. The closest test of the renewed management's ambitions awaits the team already on Saturday, October 17, 2026, when the Kovalivka team will play a difficult away match in Lviv against Shakhtar Donetsk. The start of this principled meeting is scheduled for 18:00, and fans have the right to expect fighting qualities from the team.
