Former Dynamo Kyiv forward Maxim Shatskykh has openly stated his desire to return to the capital club in a new role — as head coach. The 48-year-old specialist, who became one of the most prolific players in the history of Ukrainian football, emphasized in an interview with Tribuna.uz that he still feels a special connection to the team to which he dedicated a significant part of his career. This is reported by Sport RBC.UA.

"I dedicated ten years of my life to it"

In a conversation with journalists, Shatskykh did not hide his ambitions and directly expressed his readiness to lead the team. "Of course, I would very much like to work at this club. After all, I dedicated ten years of my life to it. Therefore, of course, this is also one of my dreams and desires. I am ready for this opportunity right now," he stated. According to him, it is important for him to achieve high results and win trophies together with the team, and the desire to work at one of the country's leading clubs remains very strong.

Candidate among options for the coaching position

Earlier, Eurasia Football reported that Shatskykh's candidacy is being considered among potential options for the position of Dynamo head coach, and his appointment, according to this information, could take place in 2027. Against the backdrop of a difficult start to the new season, when Kyiv failed to break into the main stage of any of the three European tournaments, possible changes at the helm were actively discussed in the information space. Romanian specialist Edward Iordănescu was named as one of the candidates, but negotiations ended without a contract: despite preliminary agreement, the coach turned down Dynamo's offer.

Context: season under Kostiuk's leadership

Currently, the Kyiv team is headed by Ihor Kostiuk. In the 2025/26 season under his leadership, the capital club won the Ukrainian Cup, but finished only fourth in the UPL. This was the third time in the club's history that it remained without medals in the championship (after the 2014 and 2023 seasons). Meanwhile, Dynamo continues its performance in the domestic league, where it occupies third place with 16 points. On Sunday, October 18, at 13:00, Kyiv will play against Zhytomyr's Polissya in the central match of the ninth round of the UPL.

Playing legacy and coaching path

Maxim Shatskykh is an Uzbek specialist holding Ukrainian citizenship. He played for Dynamo from 1999 to 2009, during which time he played 328 matches, scored 141 goals, and made 76 assists. Together with the team, he won the Ukrainian Championship six times, captured the national Cup five times, and twice became the Super Cup winner. For a long time, he held the status of the top scorer in the history of Ukrainian championships with 124 goals scored. However, recently Dynamo leader Andriy Yarmolenko scored his 124th goal in the UPL, tying with Shatskykh and repeating his record: now both ex-club partners share the top spot of the scoring registry, and Yarmolenko's next goal will make him the sole record holder.

Coaching career outside Ukraine

After finishing his playing career, Shatskykh continued working in football: in 2016–2019, he was part of Dynamo's coaching system, working with youth teams, and subsequently became Oleksandr Khatskevich's assistant in the first team. Later, the specialist worked outside Ukraine — heading Uzbek clubs Pakhtakor and Andijan, and in November 2025 he started working in Kyrgyz Asia. It is this experience, according to his own words, that shapes his readiness to return to Dynamo already as head coach.