MOSCOW, Sep 13 Former midfielder of Spartak Moscow and Ukraine national team Maxim Kalinichenko has been appointed the head coach of the Estonian Levadia, according to the official website of the football club. The contract with the 43-year-old Ukrainian runs until the end of 2023, it includes the possibility of a two-year extension. Kalinichenko replaced Serb Ivan Stojkovic as the head coach of Levadia, who has held this position since July 2022. Together with Stojkovic, assistant coach Nikola Mitic and fitness coach Urosh Nikolic left the club. Artem Artyunin and Nikita Andreev, who will continue to lead the youth team of Levadia, left as assistants to Kalinichenko's headquarters. «I worked as an assistant coach in Ukraine, Russia and Latvia.As a player, I watched coaches with different handwriting and style.When «Levadia» got in touch with me, I realized that this was a good chance to prove myself as a head coach.I have watched quite a lot of games «Levadia» and already have my idea, what I would like to see in the team. It is clear that the most important thing in football is the result, but I also want to play football that will be pleasant and interesting to follow,» Kalinichenko said. «Levadia» became the first club , in which Kalinichenko will work as a head coach. Previously, he was part of the headquarters of the Ukrainian «Metalist» and «Polesie», the Russian «Motherland» and the Latvian «Riga». «Levadia», which is the current champion of the country, ranks second in the standings of the national championship, gaining 68 points in 28 matches and 10 points behind Flora. The sports director of the club is the former Spartak football player Tarmo Kink.
