Sad news came on Saturday. The legendary doctor of football Spartak, Yuri Sergeevich Vasilkov, has died. The death of the famous doctor was confirmed at the club.

— At the age of 77, the former long-term Spartak doctor Yuri Sergeevich Vasilkov died after a long illness. Yuri Sergeevich worked at Spartak from 1983 to 1985, from 1989 to 2002 and from 2006 to 2008: during this time, the “red-whites” became national champions ten times and won the Cup three times. Many generations of Spartak players highly valued Vasilkov’s professional qualities, his kindness, responsiveness and readiness to come to the aid of people at any second… FC Spartak expresses deep and sincere condolences to the family and friends of the deceased, says a message on the official Spartak website.

An era has passed

A graduate of the Smolensk Medical Institute, Yuri Vasilkov managed to work at Spartak with Konstantin Beskov and Oleg Romantsev, with Vladimir Fedotov, Stanislav Cherchesov, Mikael Laudrup. In the national team he helped (and the doctor is a full-fledged assistant to the head coach) Oleg Romantsev and Georgy Yartsev. Hundreds of football players passed through the hands of Yuri Sergeevich. Each of Dr. Vasilkov’s patients had their own ailments, problems, just secrets that they could only divulge to Sergeich. And they knew that the doctor would always listen, always help and would not say too much – nothing to anyone.

– All for the sake of Her Majesty Victory. While serving her, he turned a blind eye to many things. It was impossible in this regard with Beskov. Football Stalin! Great coach, talent, genius. But he also knew and understood all the injuries! Romantsev had stories with foreigners. Usually you can’t ask Oleg Ivanovich for days off, but sometimes he gave you two days at once. The legionnaires returned after such a holiday in a disgusting state – dancing, girls, bars. When he weighed them, they prayed that he wouldn’t tell everything to Romantsev.

One of our players got drunk, the guys asked for him: “Sergeich, let’s hide him and treat him.” If there is no training, why not meet halfway. The main thing is that he plays on the field later. The two of us came to an agreement – without a coach. It’s the same with intimate diseases. In the hard times of Soviet times, he cured three or four boys. The question is whether to tell or not to tell the coach. Most of the time I didn’t speak, I treated it on the sly, and then they worked it out in the game, they were grateful that I kept my mouth shut. All for the sake of victory! — Yuri Sergeevich told Soviet Sport.

A sports doctor is a diagnostician, clinician, traumatologist and a little bit of a psychologist. Vasilkov combined all these qualities. He could instantly determine the nature of the injury, choose a course of treatment, and provide first medical and psychological aid. How many players he put on their feet and returned to football! Saved the careers of some. For example, as a Dynamo doctor, he examined one of the club’s Brazilian newcomers for tuberculosis. Yuri Sergeevich insisted on treatment, which turned out to be very timely. Otherwise, the Brazilian would have ended his career at 20 years old. The patient did not have time to play for Dynamo, but then successfully played for Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and his country’s national team. The footballer’s name is Thiago Silva. At 39 years old, he is still in action.

Yuri Vasilkov and Gennady Belenky provide assistance to Valery Karpin / Photo: © FC “Spartak”

Romantsev’s right hand

In 1985, Vasilkov had disagreements with Konstantin Ivanovich Beskov, and the doctor had to change his place of work. But when Oleg Romantsev took the position of head coach of the Muscovites, one of Oleg Ivanovich’s steps was the return of the doctor. In the spring of 1989, Vasilkov returned to Spartak from Lokomotiv, and since then Oleg Ivanovich has worked only with him. In Spartak, national team, Dynamo.

Gradually Romantsev and Vasilkov became friends. And this strong male friendship remained until the last days of the doctor’s life.

— In those days, when Oleg Ivanovich was at the top, it was impossible to say so. There were so many people swirling around him! Glory always sticks to fame. But the head coach is a lonely person, he shouldn’t let many people get close to him. And now – yes, friends, I help as much as possible. Sometimes I bring medicine and help not only him, but also my granddaughters. “Family doctor,” said Vasilkov.

How many players did Yuri Sergeevich return to action? And he helped Romantsev himself. And when Oleg Ivanovich’s back hurt, and when a bottle flew at him from the stands, and when trouble happened to the legendary coach. In 2021, Oleg Romantsev suffered a heart attack. Yuri Sergeevich accurately diagnosed and was ready to help his friend.

“The morning before, Oleg called me and said: “I don’t feel well, I have chills.” I immediately told him to call an ambulance. Now the fear of this coronavirus is such a state. He hasn’t complained much about his heart lately. Specialists arrived, sent him to a hospital in Fili, diagnosed acute coronary syndrome, a condition of a heart attack. He was operated on and his condition is satisfactory, previously it was of moderate severity. So soon, perhaps, they will be transferred to the general ward from intensive care,” Match TV quotes Vasilkov as saying.

Yuri Sergeevich knew his work thoroughly. Under him, there were no epidemics of injuries at Spartak that mowed down the leaders of the “red-whites”. Vasilkov largely saved the career of the talented Valery Kechinov, who tore his cruciate ligament in the second game for the Muscovites. How much he conjured over Ilya Tsymbalar and Maxim Romashchenko, fought for Andrei Pyatnitsky. And with him, the bromantane scandal that broke Yegor Titov’s career would have been impossible.

— There are many stories in my practice. Iranek’s bloody face is still before my eyes – this happened in the match with Tom. Blood was gushing out – horror! They sewed up the guy’s head and returned him to the game. I remember Pavlyuchenko broke his arm. I developed a splint in a short time – they asked me to return it to Roma for the sake of the result. And he scored!

Goalkeeper Dzhanaev, at whom a bottle was thrown in Vladivostok. A broken head, loss of consciousness, and a nine-hour flight to Moscow ahead… And many, many other cases. This is my job, which I coped with,” Yuri Sergeevich shared his memories in a conversation with Soviet Sport.

Vasilkov had his own view on the increase in injuries among Russian football players.

— The time after vacation is the hardest for football players, as the body has to prepare for the competitive regime. And it’s very difficult to do this after a break. After all, the competitive mode of European teams is one thing. They consistently take to the field every two days on the third; in winter, if there is a break, it is very short. We first have a two-month pause, then the teams start the season on a different schedule. In addition, those who do not participate in European competitions are generally deprived of competitive practice for three months. This is a serious test for the body.

Oleg Romantsev / Photo: © RIA Novosti / Vladimir Rodionov

Retirement from football

Yuri Vasilkov lasted in big football longer than his friend and colleague Oleg Romantsev. In 2008, the 61-year-old specialist left Spartak and has not been close to big-time football since then. Perhaps in Vasilkov’s words there is some sense of resentment towards the leadership of Spartak.

— When Karpin was appointed general director, military surgeon Andrei Fedun became head of the medical service. In mid-2008, I told him that I was only working until the end of the year. In December, we flew to play with Tottenham, the players collected money for me, thanked me for my work… And at the beginning of 2009, I shook Karpin’s hand and left. I didn’t want to get the letter “C” on the coffin lid. At the 61st year of life, an inner voice told me: enough is enough, we need to look for something quieter and calmer. The new broom has already begun to retaliate – soon my massage therapists were fired. They came up on the plane: “You won’t work from tomorrow.” But I got ahead of events and left on my own. In football they say about coaches: “Today you are a king, tomorrow you are zero.” This concerned me too,” Soviet Sport quotes Vasilkov.

He was ready to return to big football. But only together with Romantsev. Vasilkov was no longer interested in working with the other coaches. Therefore, he treated employees of one of the banks who had nothing to do with football. The doctor is not allowed to choose his patients. And then Yuri Sergeevich himself was overtaken by an illness that turned out to be stronger.

Author: Oleg Lytkin