Sergei Pavlovich Baltacha

Football player infobox2
playername = Sergei Baltacha
fullname = Sergei Pavlovich Baltacha
height =
nickname =
dateofbirth = Birth date and age|1958|2|17|df=y
cityofbirth = Mariupol
countryofbirth = USSR
position = Defender/Midfielder
youthyears =
youthclubs = FC Metalist Kharkiv
years = 1976-1988
1988-1990
1990-1993
1993-1995
clubs = FC Dynamo Kyiv
Ipswich Town F.C.
St. Johnstone F.C.
Inverness Caledonian Thistle F.C.
caps(goals) = 245 (6)
?

nationalyears = 1980-1988
nationalteam = USSR
nationalcaps(goals) = 45 (2)
manageryears = 1993-1995
managerclubs = Inverness Caledonian Thistle F.C.

Sergei Pavlovich Baltacha (Ukrainian: Балтача Сергій Павлович) (born February 17, 1958 in Mariupol) is a former football player who won 47 full caps for the Soviet Union and made nearly 300 appearances for Dynamo Kiev. Although he was born in the Ukrainian part of the Soviet Union, Baltacha regards himself to be Russian. [ [http://www.eadt.co.uk/content/eadt/sport/story.aspx?brand=EADOnline&category=IpswichTownFC&tBrand=EADOnline&tCategory=zsport&itemid=IPED26%20Jun%202008%2012%3A35%3A41%3A083 New focus for former Town star] East Angliah Daily Times, 26 June 2008]

He was on the winning side in the Cup Winners' Cup in 1986, the Soviet Top League and Soviet Cup four times, and the Soviet Super Cup on three occasions. He also appeared in the FIFA World Cup in 1982, was a finalist in the European Championships in 1988 and won Olympic Bronze in 1980. His later career was spent in England and Scotland, playing for Ipswich Town and St. Johnstone. His debut for Ipswich (in which he scored) was the first time a Soviet international had played in the Football League. He also had a brief spell as manager of Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

His wife, Olga, was an athlete who had also represented the Soviet Union in the Olympic Games in the pentathlon and heptathlon. His son, Sergei Jr, is also a footballer, who played for St Mirren and has been capped at U-21 level for Scotland. He currently plays with junior outfit Petershill. His daughter Elena is a well-known tennis player.

Baltacha is currently a physical education teacher and tutor at Bacons College in South East(the secondary school of which he loved the most), he was also formerly a well respected physical education teacher at Geoffrey Chaucer Technology College London, Rotherhithe and a coach at the Charlton Athletic academy.

References

External links

* [http://www.prideofanglia.com/sql/players/profile.phtml?&last=Baltacha&first=Sergei Profile on the Pride of Anglia Website]
* [http://www.blueheaven.org.uk/sergei/ St. Johnstone fansite Blue Heaven's interview with Baltacha]