"Piss off": New fuss about ex-Bayern star Tymoschtschuk and his attitude to the Ukraine war

Created: 04/19/2022, 13:57

By: Michael Haug

Ex-Bayern professional Anatoly Tymoshchuk did not condemn the Russian war in Ukraine despite being asked to do so.

Now the Zenit St. Petersburg assistant coach is causing a new stir.  

St. Petersburg - "Piss off" - with these words Anatoly Tymoschtschuk is said to have ended the conversation with Andriy Jarmolenko.

Tymotschuk played for Bayern Munich between 2009 and 2013 and is Ukraine's record capper (144 games).

The 43-year-old has been on the coaching staff of Zenit St. Petersburg since 2017.

Not just any Russian club.

The club is de facto owned by the state gas company Gazprom.

Tymoshchuk did not comment on the Ukraine war, the Ukrainian association banned him for life.  

How did the Ukrainian FA punish Anatoly Tymoshchuk?

All football activities in Ukraine are prohibited for the assistant coach of Zenit St. Petersburg.

Tymoshchuk, who hails from Lutsk in western Ukraine, was stripped of all titles won in Ukraine and removed from national rosters.

Anatoly Tymoshchuk has been Zenit St. Petersburg's assistant coach since 2017 © IMAGO/Alexey Filippov

Yarmolenko shocked by Tymoshchuk's response: 'I told him he no longer existed for me'

For Yarmolenko, like for many other Ukrainians, Tymoshchuk was a great role model.

The West Ham United player always wanted to be like the record national player and valued his professionalism above all.

Accordingly, Jarmolenko was disappointed that his idol did not comment on the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine.

Then he had to ask directly.

Which he did in the form of an SMS, as Yamolenko recounted in an interview with Russian blogger Yevgeny Savin.

“How do you sleep at night?” asked Yarmolenko.

"Just like you," wrote the former national player back.

Tymoshchuk then called Yarmolenko.

"I told him that he no longer existed for me," Yarmolenko explained.

"Piss off," Tymoshchuk is said to have replied.

He replied the same, so Jarmolenko.

To date, Tymoshchuk has not publicly commented on the alleged course of the conversation.

For Yarmolenko, Tymoshchuk is no longer a role model, but a disappointment.

Yarmolenko is likely to follow the latest developments in Ukraine with concern.

A Russian special unit apparently stormed into the Mariupol steelworks.