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Locomotive owner Sofía Ivan Vassilev gave an exclusive opinion to Gong.bg on the situation in Bulgarian football during the coronavirus crisis. Vassilev was painfully sincere and said that many clubs at the lowest levels of Bulgarian football are very difficult and it is unclear how many of these clubs will survive beyond the summer.
Vassilev also expressed his great dissatisfaction with the fact that professional clubs have to pay their players during forced rest, adding that this is not a normal situation. Among the employer’s main concerns are related to the general economic environment. The boss believes that it will take at least 2-3 years for the business to normalize and until then things will be difficult for everyone.
– Hello, Mr. Vasilev! In the past few days, we have learned that the BFU will propose a reduction in judges’ fees. Is this sufficient as an aid measure for football clubs?
“I don’t think that is enough.” However, it is a matter of fact, as the fees are quite high in principle. I am a poor and very happy man.
– The Third League has announced an end, the efbet League is said to end in a shortened version. Why is there no information about the Second League?
– No one asked us. So I tell you that there is not much to comment. We are waiting and waiting to see what happens. The situation is difficult. It does not mean that there are many teams in the Second League that are not clear if they will continue beyond the summer. Things are very serious and more financial reductions are needed because soccer clubs just don’t have an income. Nothing to lie about. Business has stopped and the situation will be very difficult for the clubs.
– You yourself were close to quitting football sometimes. Has that time come?
“I thought about it long before the coronavirus came. We have to wait to see how the season will end and then we will think about it. A locomotive is a locomotive and the situation will not be easy. Unfortunately, I have nothing more to tell you, this is the situation.
No one knows when the workout will start again, and even if it does start, I wonder how much preparation will be adequate. This will be a simple race, missing the rhythm of the game. There will be many injuries. Don’t think that just because they do stretching and other exercises at home, this will prepare them for games. Players are on active vacation, so we pay them. If you don’t work, you should generally not be paid, but all clubs are giving players money right now to lie down. This is not normal
– Do you think football in the world and in Bulgaria will become cheaper? In our country, the question is whether it will return to some semi-professional beginnings.
– I’ll tell you about League Two the way things are. You must have four players with professional contracts there. The other may be amateurs. My team is purely professional, with professional contracts. Very few teams are in the second division, maybe 3 teams in total. Payment will be secure. The same goes for quality. We are only talking about young players, but there must be a result. Without results, we know where the problem is sought. Things are very difficult and will get even worse. I think 2-3 years will be very serious. People suffer a lot, apart from soccer. Businesses do not restart quickly or easily, especially small and medium-sized businesses. The situation will not be easy at all. The good thing is that we are healthy and we set an example from around the world.
It is difficult because during those 3 months we did not play, but we paid employees and players, with the same money that we could spend in the season. We had two months until the end of the season and now we will pay three. When the whole business is closed, it doesn’t open for a day. And my personal business is almost completely closed. There is nothing to lie and hide the truth, it will be very difficult. There will be soccer with and without me, but I’m concerned about people in general. The quality of football will decrease, but it will. Everyone talks about giving young people a chance, but we know we have very few players. The same players we have change teams every year, just as they are. Without quality you have to take whatever. We ourselves impose 15-year-old Vladimir Nikolov, but they are still children. You cannot trust only them. The situation will now be excellent for young players, because the thread generally breaks directly towards them. “
