In the Kyiv football landscape, an unusual detail has been noted over the past few weeks: former Dynamo head coach Oleksandr Shovkovskyi has been appearing on the stands, and quite regularly, during the Kyiv side's matches. His visits, especially when accompanied by former assistant Oleksandr Gusiev, could not fail to attract the attention of fans and experts, who have begun speculating about a possible change of the team's coach. It was precisely these observations that gave rise to fresh rumors that Shovkovskyi is allegedly trying to remind people of himself and offer his candidacy to the club's management once again.
Return to the Stands and Rumors of a Comeback
According to Sport RBC.UA, citing the YouTube channel of insider BurBuzz, the presence of Shovkovskyi and Gusiev at the matches is interpreted by some football circles as a signal: in the view of observers, the specialist is demonstrating his involvement and possibly lobbying his return to the coaching staff. This interpretation is being discussed especially actively against the backdrop of certain disagreements over the team's current results and expectations from the squad in the new season.
The Insider's Position: a Comeback Is Not Being Considered
However, football insider Ihor Burbas directly refutes this version. According to him, the club is not, in principle, considering the option of Oleksandr Shovkovskyi's return and that of his coaching staff. "According to my information, Shovkovskyi has no chance of a comeback to a coaching position at Dynamo. The club is not, in principle, considering his return," Burbas stated on his own YouTube channel. Thus, the version of the former coach "insisting" on his return has so far found no confirmation at the level of the club's management.
Who Is Leading the Team: the Bet on Kostyuk
According to the same insider, the current coach Ihor Kostyuk will continue to work with the team: the management has decided not to rush into personnel changes and has trusted the current staff, which is preparing the squad for the next matches of the season. It is worth recalling that Kostyuk took over the Dynamo first team precisely after Shovkovskyi's departure — first in the status of acting coach, and on December 17, 2025, he was appointed the full head coach.
Match Context: Dynamo vs. Zorya
The Kyiv side's last match before the international break was played against Zorya in the framework of Matchday 7 of the UPL. Kostyuk's team secured a 2:0 victory and settled in fourth place in the standings, having 13 points after six matches played. These results, it seems, became one of the factors for which the management currently sees no need to change the coach.
The Shadow of a Criminal Case
A separate and rather unpleasant backdrop to Shovkovskyi's figure remains the criminal case. It was previously reported that NABU opened a case against the former coach on suspicion of extortion; according to several publications, the amount in question was around 250,000 dollars. This circumstance further complicates the specialist's public image and is presumably taken into account in any personnel decisions at the club.
Contradictory Data
The collected materials contain two notable inconsistencies that should be openly pointed out. First, in the description of the match with Zorya, the source states that it was played in the framework of Matchday 7 of the UPL, while the team scored 13 points "after six matches played" — the number of the matchday and the number of games played formally do not match, and the exact chronology of the rounds requires clarification. Second, there is a contradiction in the narratives: some observers interpret Shovkovskyi's frequent visits to the stands as an attempt to return to the staff, whereas insider Burbas categorically asserts that the club is not considering his return. Both versions are presented as they are — an official confirmation or refutation from Dynamo itself is absent from the materials.
