Clutch "This was how it was to be"
Van Es looked around at the playing group - he couldn't tell if he'd said that out loud or not - either no-one was listening or even those that understood english simply chose to ignore his mumblings this time.
"It's 'clutch time'! This is where you stand up and be counted! This is where we'll separate the men from the boys, and boys... I know that you are man enough to do this. So lets ****ing do it! Look at the guy next to you. Look him in the eyes, do you believe he's good enough to take this side to the top league? If not then tell him now." the players followed their orders to the letter.
There was silence as one by one they looked deep into eachother before returning their gaze to their manager.
"I believe in you boys and so do you! With that much belief we are unbeatable. Take it and run boys, take it and run with it" Van Es looked on proudly, eyeing off every one of his players before walking proudly off the training track side-by-side with his boys.
Six league matches remained and Dinamo's destiny was in their own hands. Keep winning and promotion will be certain. It's as simple as that. When you're on the back of eight straight league wins (nine in all competitions) it's easy to think that six more and the goal will have been achieved. Not the original goal of course - that was mere survival - and with Kadiev over Van Es' shoulder the club never looked like failing in that regard. But the goal-posts had been moved. What was once about survival and competitiveness was now about the chance to make history. The chance to take Dinamo Makhachkala to the
Prem'er-Liga. The chance to play the big-boys in Moskow. All along Van Es had followed Kadiev's eyes as the club surged up the table, regrettably - to Van Es - his boss only ever had eyes for the Rubles!
With the climax building towards the final matches of the Pervvy divizion season the city of Makhachkala was well and truly behind Dinamo on the back of their eight match winning run in the league. A home match against midtable
KamAZ on the first day of the month soon became a nightmare for the locals. It ended a frustrating 0-0 draw and given Fakel's 90th minute winner against Metallurg Lipetsk Dinamo found themselves one point behind the Fakel side. The result was bad enough without the suspension of Khumov and a devestating Bete injury, leaving the international keeper on the sideline for up to a month with a hamstring. With just five league matches remaining this meant that Dinamo's number one keeper could be out for up to four of these. The Dinamo backroom staff were visibly devastated by the consequences of the injury setback.
With a two week break due to international fixtures Dinamo were further weakened by the loss of the left-back Grigorjev who has been called up for Russia at under 19 level. Great timing for the promotion contenders. Along with the loss of Bete and Khutov the side is sorely understrength for the upcoming trip out to the borders of Siberia in Novosibirsk to challenge Chkalovets. Backup keeper Victor Chakrygin knew that this was his time to stand tall, and at six-foot-four he had the tall but could he stand?
The first half in Novisibirsk went terribly for the travelling side
Chkalovets-1936 were 2-0 up on 35 minutes due to a couple of stunning strikes. There was to be no happy ending as Dinamo's undefeated run came to a halt in dramatic fashion despite pulling a goal back through Burdiev's cross which was defected in for an own goal with 20 minutes to go. Just as Van Es threw more men forward big Akhmedov was sent of for a cynical foul with 18 minutes remaining, further self-destruction followed with two further goals to Chkalovets before the final whistle blew putting the despondant Dinamo players out of their misery. The news on the radio was more positive than the performance on the pitch had been. Fortunately Fakel were held 1-1 by already relegated Petrotrest and the Makhachkala side would stay just two points them in the race for the second promotion spot. In other league news, with their latest victory and the mini slumps of Dinamo and Fakel, Ural have claimed the Pervyy divizion title and promotion to the
Prem'er-Liga next season.
Just days after Dinamo returned from Novisibirsk they were forced to front up to
Prem'er-Liga side
Shinnik in the first leg of their sixth round tie in the Kubok Rossi. It ended in a home draw with Burdziev scoring an excellent freekick only for Shinnik's Khazov to equalise leaving the tie wide open going in to the second leg. In all fairness I'm sure the Dinamo players were already thinking about the league match with Volgar on Saturday.
The promotion race was really hotting up now. Dinamo Makhachkala would host
Volgar whilst Fakel travelled to KamAZ knowing that if they could keep winning then Dinamo would find promotion out of reach. The dramatic day was played out hard and fast. On just one minute Fakel were one down to KamAZ and then with five minutes played Somchenko had put Dinamo up 1-0. Amazingly on 14 minutes Fakel were 2-0 down, then just minutes later Volgar levelled things 1-1 in Makhachkala. By the first minute of the second half Fakel had drawn level thanks to goals either side of half-time and Dinamo found themselves tied up at 1-1. Then things shifted again. On 52 minutes Somchenko scored his second of two in four minutes to complete a stunning hattrick and more importantly he put Dinamo 3-1 up. Just minutes later KamAZ scored again to go ahead against Fakel 3-2. 40 minutes passed and both scorelines stayed as they were. An incredible couple of matches had been played out at either end of the country, but the upshot was that with three matches to play Dinamo were again one point clear of Fakel in the race for promotion.
"Three more wins will ensure promotion!" it was Khutov announcing to the gathered media that the club had their destiny back in their own hands and intended on not letting it slip.
Van Es stepped back from the press conference as a slender figure slipped through to the back of the crowd. Grabbing her arm he turned Katja's face to his,
"So are you going to tell him?"
"What? Stu, what are you doing? Not now okay, no not now"
Refusing defeat Van Es continued,
"You said you would stop everything with HIM! I need you to tell him now"
"What about your career? What if he sacks you tonight?" Katja looked genuinely concerned.
"What with all this" Van Es waved his arms towards the gathered throngs of press and fans,
"I'm practically bigger than he is around here tonight! He wouldn't dare"
"If you're sure Stu... if you're sure I'll do it right now"
"Thankyou. Truly thankyou this will be a great weight off my mind" Van Es' was relieved, his grip of Katja's arm was released.
Van Es and Katja parted and for what was to be the final time Katja entered Kadiev's office. She knew not how the man that had taken her off the streets all those years ago and given her everything that she had to her name to this day would deal with the situation. But it finally had to be done. Surprisingly Kadiev took it quite well - that is - for a man that rarely took anything well.
"Go then" he was blunt but caring.
"It's not that I'm not thankful for what you've done for me it's just that..."
Kadiev stopped her,
"Just go Katja!" this time he was less blunt but equally caring.
"Yes Osman" Katja turned towards the door before glancing back at her former master,
"...and thankyou"
Already promoted but out to impress the jubilant home support in their final home match
Ural came out firing against promotion contenders Dinamo and on just eight minutes the leagues leading goalscorer Zubko had put the champions 1-0 up after an unfortunate Jankauskas' mistake. Bete was back in goals for Dinamo and whilst obviously less than comfortable his presence was crucial in keeping Dinamo just one goal down at the half, this despite the celebratory roars of approval of the Ural fans as their side attacked on mass wave after wave on the Dinamo goal. Meanwhile in Voronezh, the home side Fakel were losing 2-0 to Chkalovets and it sounded like their season was capitualting before the despondant eyes of the Fakel supporters. Dinamo managed to wrestle control of their match early in the second half against Ural and with 30 minutes remaining Somchenko turned his man to score a vital equaliser. Fakel were still down 2-0 and on that note Van Es went for the win sending on Zakazaka and Rebrov up front. Ural it appeared had lost their spark and drive from the first half, then again they were already the champions. The match was settled (in Dinamo's favour) on 79 minutes when Rebrov crossed for Zakazaka and the Malawian striker made no mistake from close range. A few desperate minutes remained but Dinamo held on for a precious victory against Pervyy divizion champions Ural. Just minutes later the Dinamo players and staff were even more jubilant with the announcement that defeat for Fakel had pushed Dinamo four points clear in 2nd place with just two matches remaining!
Following the inspirational victory against Ural the news that Rasim Khutov - one of the clubs real on field leaders - had picked up a bad leg injury and his season is over prematurely. Van Es gathered the boys in beside Rasim in his hospital bed and ensured that their belief was still there, enforcing the fact that Dinamo would gain promotion despite this setback.
"If any-one of you in this room deserves to match it with the stars of the Prem'er-Liga it is Rasim, don't let him down boys. He deserves better than to sit on the sidelines so do it for him now alright" Van Es finished reeling back as a couple of tears blurred his vision. These boys are amazing he thought.
Dinamo Makhachkala Review - October 2005
<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">| [October Fixtures] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|| || H KamAZ 0-0 | | A Chkalovets-1936 1-4 Neretin (og) || H Shinnik (6th Rd Cup 1st Leg) 1-1 Burdziev || H Volgar 3-1 Somchenko 3 | | A Ural 2-1 Somchenko, Zakazaka || -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|| [Pervvy divizion 31.10.05] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|| || Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | C | Ural | | 40 | 26 | 11 | 3 | 75 | 30 | +45 | 89 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | |*Dinamo Makhachkala* | | 40 | 23 | 9 | 8 | 66 | 34 | +32 | 78 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Fakel | | 40 | 22 | 8 | 10 | 65 | 43 | +22 | 74 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Khimki | | 40 | 20 | 13 | 7 | 79 | 44 | +35 | 73 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Kuban | | 40 | 21 | 9 | 10 | 67 | 42 | +25 | 72 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Luch | | 40 | 20 | 12 | 8 | 80 | 45 | +35 | 72 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| </pre>
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Only disaster could foil Dinamo's promotion charge, surely not?
Now without the inspired Khutov can the young boys keep their heads for two more matches?
How will Kadiev deal without Katja now? 
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