Personal life of Christina Kozel. TV presenter Kristina Kozel assures that there is football in Belarus

Yesterday the European Football Championship started in France. Against this background, we decided to talk with the author and host of the “Kozel about Football” program, Kristina KOZEL, about the state of Belarusian football. By the way, we first decided to test the journalist who had chosen such an unfeminine occupation by asking her a few questions. For example, what is “tiki-taka” in the football lexicon, in what year did Dynamo Minsk become the champion of the Soviet Union for the first time in history, and which country won the title of world football champion in 2010? Christina answered confidently: a football style of play based on a short pass; in 1982; Spain.

Christina, you have encroached on what is considered sacred - you have become a football expert in a skirt. There are plenty of comments on this matter. That's why I decided to make sure. However, I assumed that it is unlikely that a person who has studied at BNTU graduate school can simply be a talking head. I was surprised that I decided to change my field of activity so radically.

I'm proud to have passed your test. Football was something that came naturally to me even as a child. My father is watching the match, and I am with him. He explained to me the meaning: you need to deliver the ball from your goal to the opposite goal, other people interfere with you, and this is a struggle. The little red ones play with the little white ones. The latter are the England team, and you have to root for them. I watched and became excited.

I quite consciously intended to become a candidate of economic sciences. But football was nearby. I went to the Dynamo stadium. The young man caring for me gave me a TV tuner so that I could watch the 2002 World Cup games on my computer in the hostel. When they told me: “Christina, rain, snow - you’re going to football again!”, I asked: Lord, give me a job so that I can go to matches in any weather completely legally and without asking for leave! I just called out! I didn’t think at all that this could be journalism!

Then I graduated from graduate school and taught at BNTU. The first year I worked as a teacher-trainee, there is a lot of free time in such a position, and I got a job at the newspaper “All about football”. It was necessary to write about youth teams; it was considered unprestigious, but there was no talk about making money.

I was 70 percent done with my dissertation when I realized I didn’t want to do small business research anymore. Regardless of how much you earn, I like to call coaches and keep game statistics. After finishing my term at the university, I passed the casting of the presenters of the Belteleradiocompany. I had to choose between football and university. I remember my department head Zoya Nikolaevna Kozlovskaya also asked: “How can you exchange serious work for football?” - but she treated my decision with understanding.

Kristina, you were born in Snov, Nesvizh district. In the villages you can still see boys gathered to kick a ball. Maybe you played with them too?

Our village is quite large. I lived in the central part, where everything is paved. Of the children our age, there was only one boy. Therefore, there were no yard games.

At school she could become a goal, but only because the boys did not have enough players. A couple of times I went out to play in the field, and quite by accident I managed to beat my classmate Vitya, who was considered a good player. After that, the guys decided: We won’t take Kozel into football, she’s disgraced her.

- Which foreign and domestic team do you support?

For Manchester United and the Dutch national team. This has been the case since childhood. The Dutch then demonstrated fast attacking football. I don’t care how they play now, but if you get attached to them, you will continue to be faithful. If Belarusians reached the top tournament, I would unconditionally keep my fingers crossed for them.

From the point of view of professional ethics, it is incorrect to single out any Belarusian team. There are sympathies, but they manifest themselves exclusively during specific games and are dictated by the development of events on the field. If Nesvizh “Veras” were alive, then the preferences would be clear, because even when he came to us in Snov as a child, it was a grandiose event. Now, because of the community, there is a warm feeling for FC Gorodeya. It is especially pleasant that the Nesvizh region is represented in the major league.

- Does Belarusian football even exist?

Of course, otherwise what are the teams playing? It definitely exists, and its level is not as bad as it seems. There is a problem of expectation and reality here. If you come to a match of major league teams in anticipation of a repeat of the games of the English Premier League or German Bundesliga, then these expectations will be unjustified. But if you have the understanding that you are going to our football, looking at our players, you will not have the thought of calling it something wrong.

Take, for example, a Russian film with famous actors. No one is outraged that the roles are not Julia Roberts, Scarlett Johansson. There is a Hollywood film, there is a Russian one. Thus, Dinamo Brest and Torpedo-BelAZ Zhodino played recently. The goals scored by Maxim Chizh and Alexander Demeshko would have been applauded by the Dutch and Italians.

- How do you assess the level of our coaching school?

Probably, being a journalist, it is not entirely correct to talk about this. But if Viktor Goncharenko and Alexander Ermakovich lead BATE to the group stage of the UEFA Champions League and meet with top-level coaches, then they represent something. I can’t speak indiscriminately about all coaches. I observed the work of about 15 people in children’s and youth teams, and there are many more of them. So from a statistical point of view, the sample is not representative, and conclusions cannot be drawn. Understand that there are hundreds of top-level coaches abroad whom we don’t know.

- Maybe our players are not confident in themselves?

You know, in one of the last episodes we talked with Alexander Sednev. Last year he headed Belshina, and now he coaches Dnepr Mogilev. He said that he had a good set of players. But the problem is that many people consider themselves worse than they really are. I agree. In addition, there are those who, having taken a step, begin to imagine themselves as stars. Unfortunately, there is less of a golden mean.

- Christina, is there a difference for you between women’s and men’s football?

Yes. It's like two different types sports We will not argue with the obvious - even if the rules are the same, there are 11 players, the ball is round, but the women's and men's games are different. But if the fairer sex wants to play, let them.

I arrived at the end of May in Borisov for the finals of the girls' European Championship. There were a lot of bugs in the game. It’s hard to imagine boys taking penalties like that. But I noticed something else - what a ambience it was! Guys or girls, UEFA designs everything equally beautifully. I want to go there! The final of the Belarusian Cup took place in Brest between BATE and Torpedo-BelAZ, and no offense was said, but the finalist was awarded much worse than the young European champions. It is likely that even half of them will not play. But “Torpedo-BelAZ” takes the trophy for the first time in its life, and there’s not even confetti. Football is normal, but football is not.

Christina, you say reasonable things. Explain then the move when you starred in a candid photo shoot for football-themed calendars.

This is precisely thanks to my economic education, namely to a fairly well-known marketer in Belarus, my teacher Sergei Vladimirovich Gluboky. Of the marketing schemes and moves that he told us about, I didn’t even use half of them. I think that such promotional things should exist; Europe has been using it for a long time.

The first calendar went off, the second and third were awaited. I'm surprised this hasn't been done before. You can present not only girls, but also men beautifully. If, thanks to this calendar, someone learned the name of our program and began to attend football more often, then everything was not in vain.

- What rules must be followed in order for a girl to be taken seriously on the field?

Football circles have already gotten used to me since I worked at the newspaper. There are rules and norms of behavior beyond which you cannot go. Relatively speaking, in short skirt You won’t go to the edge. You need to initially understand where you are going and why. In addition, I think it’s clear from my questions and manner of communication that I’m in the know.

- There is a specific vocabulary in football, isn’t it limiting?

The edge is the edge of the field. Offside – out of play. If there is a synonym, then one or two. But I seem to have a good vocabulary so as not to limit myself. Another thing is how football vocabulary enters your life. When driving a car, you need to hug the left or right edge. I don't remember the word curb! Came to basketball for the first time. I see that the striker has come forward, they make a long throw to him, and I shout: “Offside!” Then I blush, because there’s nothing like that there.

- Christina, some football experts don’t like watching matches with commentators. And you?

I usually turn off the sound on the TV and watch while listening to music. They really often interfere with my perception of football. But not all. There are commentators who tell very interesting stories. In addition, if the broadcast is in English, then I leave the sound on so I can listen to the language.

- Is there always dynamics during the game you talk about? Do the music and the picture match?

Our goal is to show that domestic football is interesting. It was no coincidence that we initially chose points for filming near the edge, behind the baseline, because when you stand there, you are more involved in the game. Shots of jogging are more dynamic than from above. And I approach musical accompaniment carefully, perhaps because I have a musical education. After I see the match, I already have a clear understanding in my head of what kind of music would correspond to what is happening. For example, if the tempo of the composition is jagged or calmer, dynamic or upbeat, then that’s how the game was played.

- How do you spend free time?

— How many centimeters are in your heels?

— Where does the love for such shoes come from?

- Well, it’s just fashionable, beautiful. High heel— slender legs, toned butt :). In general, everything that men love. And women too. They just don't talk about it.

— Can you wear 14-centimeter heels for filming?

- No. I choose clothes for broadcasting, firstly, according to the weather. Secondly, it shouldn't be vulgar. Clothes should never distract anyone, including me. Everything should be comfortable, but at the same time beautiful.

- What do you mean by “gone”?

“If I wear shorts, a tank top with deep neckline and these wonderful 14-centimeter heels on air, it will be very cheesy.”

“At the same time, many viewers of “Goat about Football” would like the presenter to dress like this.

— The fact is that the project is called “Goat about football.” And “football” in this case is the key word. And “Goat” is just the surname of the presenter. The project talks about football and shows him, not me. Therefore, shorts, T-shirts with a neckline, etc. are not a program format.

— Where does the name of the project come from?

- Oh... It’s not clear :). In fact, this is the author's program. The idea, concept and everything in terms of content that people can see in the releases is executed by me. I am the creator, screenwriter and face of the project. In general, initially the project had a different, working name...

- Which?

- "Do not mind it". When I saw this name, I immediately wanted to give up on the project :). The matter was moving forward, painful work was being done on a new name. I definitely wanted the word “football” to appear in it. And so: one in the morning, vacation, telephone conversation with a friend. And I am indignant with righteous anger about the imminent release of the program and the lack of a normal title: “So if I talk about football, Kozel is about football...” And then the name was born. The thought appeared: “Everyone will say: “The goat is about football.” And you can’t pass by this. It’s interesting to look at a goat who talks about football. And then it turns out that the goat is not a goat at all, but a girl. And it's fun.

- Other options?

- “Goat and football.” But the conjunction “and” presupposes some kind of separation.

— We talked about the idea and concept a little higher. Actually, what is the idea behind the project? What concept?

— We should probably add some retrospectives :).

- Add more.

— Of course, I didn’t immediately become a sports journalist. Before that, for a long time I just went to football games. As a spectator. And when I went to the stadium, it was extremely rare to persuade someone to join me. I tried to convince people that it would be interesting there. But they simply didn't believe it. And I liked it. And I still like it. I think there are enough interesting things in Belarusian football that can be seen at the stadium.

— Okay, the first football game you attended?

— This happened in very early childhood :). I was four years old. I don't think I remember exactly who played. But those were local competitions. Soviet, with proper flavor. Our team from Again played. By the way, we had a very cool derby with Nesvizh. I was upset when Veras was disbanded. All my life I dreamed that this team would play in the major leagues and I would have someone to root for. But it didn’t work out...

- Okay, what about the first big football game you saw?

— I already studied in Minsk. BATE played with Milan. In 2001. Maldini with blue eyes:). These are still the times when Viktor Goncharenko could be called Vitya. I still have the match program to this day. Not long ago I was putting things in order at home when I came across it. I looked and I was in such awe. Then the promising Pavel Begansky... And now somehow “Vedrich-97”... Kutuzov five minutes before departure. In general, this is a good nostalgia. We haven't agreed on the idea yet.

- Yes.

— It’s impossible to say that the idea arose directly. I just always wanted to talk about Belarusian football. I have never seen and do not see anything wrong with this. Because in our football I find real advantages. I visit stadiums and enjoy it. And before I became a journalist, I went to football. For several years in a row I bought season tickets for the matches of the capital's Dynamo. And when Minsk hosted Minsk at the stadium of the same name and entry was free, I simply didn’t understand how anyone could pass by. Yes, at Dynamo the field is far away from the stands, but I have never seen anything bad in this stadium. So I always treated our national championship with love.

I was invited to work at Internet TV of the Belteleradiocompany as a sports journalist. And so our director, knowing my attitude towards football, suggested writing a concept for a program on this topic. There were no limits set. An absolute haven for the soul. The main requirement is to give something new, a minimum of assessments from our experts. Because they are always and everywhere. Everywhere you go, the same faces. And football specialists represent a very small percentage of the people involved in it. I wrote several concepts. Ultimately, we settled on one that would convey to the viewer the entire atmosphere and ambiance of a football match. To show how interesting it can be at our stadiums, to create the effect of presence in them and to prove that Belarusian football, in principle, exists. Even if many people say that it does not exist.

— Formulate the final concept.

— Coverage of matches of the major league of the Belarusian football championship and other interesting games. Presentation of material through the prism of football-related things. That is, a rebroadcast of the atmosphere - before the game, during, after. Afterwards is a very important moment. That is why immediately after the match the cameraman and I run to the field to interview the players. Their perception of the game is already changing after visiting the locker room. And the nerve needs to be visible. We work from behind the gate, so the emotion is felt. This is not available to fans in the stands. Therefore, sometimes it seems that my emotion is different in general. And, of course, it is important for us to identify the main points of the match.

Reality, scene plan, naked fan

— Did you first appear on camera in “Goat About Football”?

- No. From time to time it happened to appear on TV. And in general, something happened in my life with filming in the first Belarusian reality show.

- And what was that?

— The show was called “Driving School.” Filmed in 2010. I had no idea about any kind of reality. At that time I was studying in graduate school. They drove me to the National Library and parked in the parking lot. It turned out there was a casting there. a kind person asked me: “Do you have rights?” - "No". - “Fill out the form.” I filled it out. The next morning they called me with an offer to take part in the filming. It was interesting, I agreed. That's all. So I’m familiar with the camera, and it doesn’t scare me at all.

— What was the point of the show?

— We were taught in real time to drive a car in extreme conditions. I didn’t win a certificate for free training :). But I made it to the finals. The experience was colossal. Then I realized that filming is not two fingers on the asphalt, it is a very labor-intensive process. In addition, the format assumed recordings in any weather and in any condition. Therefore, when we started working on “Goat about Football,” I already knew: even if there were at least a thousand takes, the mood matters. So I didn’t have the right to show my excitement during the first shoot. Yes, I was still a little worried. After all, she had never worked as a presenter before. In addition, we do not use a script when you know what will happen and how. We only have a stage plan that I wrote, which only indicates the key stand-ups. That's why most of my work is improvisation.

— Did you finally get your license?

— At the end of the project, I signed up for a driving school, and after four months I had my license :).

— How many people are involved in the creation of “Goat about Football”?

— Creative group or all-all-all?

- Everything, everything, everything.

— “Internet TV” is a division within the structure of BGTRK. A director, presenter, and three cameramen are working on the project—two are employed at matches, and occasionally one. The administrator... Well, the management is the last authority. He has the final say on controversial issues. But, as a rule, freedom of action is given. Yes, we have a format and framework, but they are conditional. Although, of course, if a naked fan runs onto the field, we will retouch and blur the image.

Manson, honors diploma, HC Dynamo

— It turns out that you come from Again.

- What it is?

— The name itself speaks for itself. Fabulous place. The best in all of Belarus :). In fact, I have a very reverent attitude towards Again. I really love this place. I don’t know what the current status of the settlement is, but for me Snov was a village and will forever remain so.

- So you are a village girl?

- Why be ashamed here?

- Nobody says that you need to be shy.

- And rightly so. In Minsk, most of the villagers. It’s just that, having settled in the capital, people for some reason forget where they come from. And Snov is actually located not so far from Minsk. This is a very cultural place. We have a school, a music school, an art school, a sports complex, and a swimming pool. Snovsky children approach entering university with good baggage. After moving to Minsk, my classmates in the capital seemed like complete darkness to me. I studied dancing and music. And my local peers had not even been to the places that I, living in Snov, visited regularly when visiting Minsk.

- What places?

- Well, dad, of course, mostly took me to stadiums :).

— It turns out that dad instilled a love for football?

- Well, he wanted a boy. The plan was Valery Petrovich, but it turned out to be Kristina Petrovna :). Dad wasn't the least bit upset. He loved me madly and enlightened me in every possible way about sports. When did they start adolescence and some kind of sympathy for young people, I was terribly unlucky in this regard. I stubbornly could not find a guy who was interested in football :). And very often I changed dates for matches. I will never forget 1998. A young man was waiting for me in the yard on a swing, and I watched the World Cup semi-final France - Croatia with no hesitation and did not feel the slightest remorse. If the boy didn’t share my passion, that’s his problem :). And about your question about places. As a child, I visited almost all Minsk theaters. My dad took me to concerts. I never loved Vladimir Presnyakov, but dad said that this was necessary for general development. So, when I was seven or eight years old, I looked at Vova Presnyakov at the Sports Palace.

— The last concert you attended?

- Presnyakov, Manson...

- Well, I came to see Manson myself :). This is my love since my youth. That’s why I was among the first to buy a ticket to his Minsk concert. As, indeed, he was among the first who ran around Minsk and looked for cassettes with his albums. I was about 13 years old. Music was still released on cassettes...

— We talked about school, how did you graduate?

- With a gold medal. I don’t want this to be perceived as bragging, but studying has always been easy for me. In eleven years at school I never received a B in a quarter.

-Where did you go?

- Polytechnic. The current BNTU.

- Speciality?

— “World economy and international economic relations.” In general, I never thought that it would be possible to connect my profession with sports, no matter how much I love it. In the seventh or eighth grade I wanted to become a lawyer. But I had a great friendship with mathematics and a passionate love with physics. Therefore, by the ninth grade, I came to the understanding that it was worth enrolling in economics. If you have a gold medal, a high test score gives you the right to apply for admission. The competition was 27 people from rural areas for one place. I got it. I ended up enrolling on a budget. It turned out quite easy.

— Did you finish successfully?

- Honors diploma. And again, the average score is 5.0. At that time, a five-point rating system was used. Afterwards I decided to go to graduate school. I had graduate work about small and medium businesses. I wanted to continue developing this topic. In addition, graduate school promised certain benefits. I gave in to temptation. But this was a somewhat erroneous decision. Firstly, it is quite difficult for us to defend ourselves. Secondly, hardly anyone needs it. Thirdly, there is almost no moral satisfaction. And for me this is very important.

— What about your dream of becoming a lawyer?

— The year I graduated from BNTU, I submitted documents to the Academy of Management under the President of the Republic of Belarus. I entered the law. Along with graduate school, I studied law... By the way, after graduate school I was sent to work at the university.

— Did you teach?

— What disciplines?

— “Joint and small business”, “International economics”. After receiving legal education I was loaded with “Fundamentals of Law”. Plus “Money, credit, banks.”

— What kind of teacher were you?

- Strict. No familiarity. I tried to give students as much knowledge as possible. She did not refer to the low salary. In general, I don’t really like it when they shout: “We work the way we get paid.”

— How much did you receive for working at BNTU?

— It has begun work activity in 2009. At that time, in the absence of proper hours, I was listed as a trainee teacher. And she received about 430 thousand. Well, with some bonuses it came out to about 600. It was sad.

— Have you worked at least a day in your specialty?

- No. Not a day.

— You have two diplomas on your shelf at home. What do they give besides dust?

— It should be noted that I received my second diploma while already collaborating with “Everything about Football.” I transferred to BNTU part-time and decided to look for a job I liked. University is completely different. And we love sports. That’s why the topic of my second diploma is “Peculiarities of regulation of labor relations in the field of sports.” There is sports law all over the world. In our country, this industry only promises to appear. There was a problem with pre-graduation practice at ABFF. That’s why I practiced at HC Dynamo-Minsk. Worked with hockey players' contracts.

- And how much do they get?

— Ask this question to hockey players :). Fine. In general, I became even more convinced that I like working in sports. She successfully defended herself at the Academy with nine points. They suggested ten, but this estimate is on the verge of insanity. In general, when I look at my two diplomas, I say a sincere “thank you” to them. The first - for English language and economic knowledge. My mother constantly repeats: “You can’t carry education behind your shoulders.” And rightly so, because I will not ask the wrong questions to the leaders of the FC, working as a sports journalist. Still, I understand how everything works on their farm from an economic point of view. That is, as a rule, it cannot happen that money falls into the club’s account today, and today it is transferred to the players. At a minimum, you need to fill out statements. Often journalists unfamiliar with economics ask the wrong questions. They make me smile. It's the same with law. Registration, transfers, employment are by no means momentary processes. I am familiar with the mechanisms for their implementation. That is, both my educations really help me.

Chauvinism, Tereshkova, Nyon

— How were you accepted into the profession?

- According to your own feelings?

- Yes.

— It’s hard... At first it was hard at “All About Football.”

— Why “VoF”?

— I always read “All About Football.” I associated the football newspaper only with this publication. I didn’t buy Pressball because of the abundance of texts about other species. In addition, “Veras” was relevant at that time. First League. And only VoF writes about it in detail. Therefore, I never faced the question: which newspaper is the main one on football in the country?

— How can you get into a professional newspaper from the outside? Come and ask?

- Yes, come and ask. It's that simple.

- It's clear. So how did you get used to the team?

— We were given the first task - to do an interview with Alexander Danilenko. At that time, he was an old futsal player. Immediately striped text. I took on this with great enthusiasm... In general, as far as work is concerned, there were no difficulties. When you're interested, everything goes easy. Difficulties arose with self-identification. Although no, I perfectly imagined that I could work. Rather, even with positioning. I came to the newspaper with almost two higher education degrees. Don't think about it, I don't boast about them. We're just not talking about the appearance of some student intern. I started working when I was already an adult girl, with some knowledge. And they treated me like a person who seemed to be unable to do anything. Okay, I didn’t know much about journalism, regarding the basics. But it felt weird to me when I realized that those around me had no desire to help. It turned out that they simply threw me into the pond and began to see whether I would swim out or not. Of course, anger appeared. I wanted to swim out. One (now not working for All About Football) journalist later admitted that the guys from the newspaper were arguing whether I would last three weeks or not. Do you remember who, Nikita Mikhailovich? :).

— Somehow not very good, Kristina Petrovna :).

— I still can’t forgive him for this :)… When I started writing reports, they suggested taking a male pseudonym. They said they wouldn’t believe the woman. In general, there were problems with working at matches. Of course, I have my own vision. But every individual journalist has it. And it doesn’t matter whether we are talking about a man or a woman. For some reason, the woman’s words about football are treated with some kind of chauvinism and skepticism.

- Let's talk about stereotypes. Do you agree with the popular belief that women in fields like football have to work three times harder than men to prove their worth?

- It turns out like this. Let's talk about the fact that football is still a man's field. So, dear girls who want to find themselves in this business, they will have to come to terms with this state of affairs. It just so happens that a woman has to work many times more and harder in football. This is still relevant. I think this approach is wrong, but we will spend a lot of time if I start proving my point of view. I agree: the perception of football between women and men differs. This is due at least to gender differences in psychology, anthropology, etc. That is, a woman notices little things. Men are more general things. But a woman can also come to this. That is, I'm trying to boil it down to the fact that sometimes there are exceptions. A woman involved in initially male professions can succeed. Valentina Tereshkova flew into space.

- OK. What is your opinion about the newspaper “Everything about Football” in its current version?

- Wonderful. I still work there. Yes, not everything works out. Yes, maybe the circulation is not as high as we would like. But with all this, I continue to assert that VoF is the main football newspaper in the country. It covers topics that cannot be covered in similar volumes in other sources.

— What topics?

— First and second leagues, mini-football, beach soccer, regional competitions, tournaments among bank teams. Maybe no one would have known that they existed if it weren’t for “All About Football.” Youth teams are a completely separate issue. I supervise it :).

-Where does such love come from?

— When I came to the newspaper, they told me that I needed to deal with the topic of youth teams. Apparently, they didn’t really want to take it, so they set a similar condition. So until now, working in the mixed zone, interviews, reports are my electives. The main activity is youth teams. I got into it, got into it, and now I devote myself to it with all my soul. I really like it. I think attention to youth teams is very important. Today's youth are tomorrow's professional players. And I have a unique opportunity to observe their formation.

— Not so long ago, the Football Federation was going to help Pressball financially. How did you, an employee of the ABFF departmental publication, react to this?

— To be honest and frank, then nothing at all. There is a newspaper “Everything about football”. No one is talking about closing it. This means we need to keep working. And all these hypothetical arguments, whether it would be good or bad, are in favor of the poor. You always need to work. If you work, there will be results. Our newspaper is functioning. She has her own circle of readers. So there is nothing to be outraged about. Sitting now and complaining about how fair the help to “Pressball” is in relation to “All About Football” is not within my competence. Yes, I would be sad if they decided not to cover youth teams anymore. IN similar situation I would be indignant. And so, there are no special problems. The newspaper is working. Besides, the federation knows better. As they say, the owner is the master. And in general, I don’t really like the current popular position of confrontation between the federation and everyone else. I don't understand her. I had a certain stage of cooperation with ABFF. And now I can say that the federation is in no way against football. He simply looks at it from the position of an administrative resource.

— What is the period of cooperation with ABFF?

- Not very long. We collaborated under a contract agreement. I was studying social networks. Thanks to which I was lucky enough to visit the UEFA headquarters in Nyon, go to a seminar in Austria, and meet colleagues from other football associations. Therefore, after the end of cooperation, I was left with a bunch pleasant memories. I can only say “thank you.”

— During the period when Alexander Tomin stopped working as the press attache of the ABFF, were you among the contenders to replace him?

— There was minimal conversation on this topic. Probably, from some angle I was considered as a contender.

“VKontakte”, pathos, “Football Time”

— I don’t deal with our official groups. I just go to the corresponding pages on VKontakte or Facebook from my account. Exclusively as host Christina Kozel. I answer questions that are addressed to me. As for working at the ABFF, you should be grateful for any experience. Let's say I still see a lot of positive things in my work as a teacher. I learned to easily understand the layer of young people, who are the target audience of “Goat about Football”.

— Youth is somehow very blurry.

— People aged 14 to 35 years are the target audience of the Internet. We work on the network, so we assume that it can become ours. But still some statistics are kept, and it is clear that for the most part “Goat about Football” is watched by young people. Yes, sometimes you hear reproaches about this. They say that the project is aimed exclusively at young people. But if we are talking about popularizing Belarusian football and instilling love for it, then who else should we target if not the youth? In a situation where a 16-year-old teenager is watching us today, we must hope that he will do this tomorrow and in three years. And if you don’t watch “Goat about Football,” then take an interest in Belarusian football. This is a potential spectator, a visitor to matches of the national team and national championship, who will buy tickets regardless of their cost.

— If the reader gets imbued not with football, but with you, it will become side effect project?

- And after that he will go to the stadium?

- No. He’ll sit down at the keyboard and start writing something like: “Let’s meet.”

- Let him write.

— Have you already written something similar?

— This happens periodically.

- And how do you react?

“Experienced people warned me that this kind of thing happens. That's why I was ready. And I’m tolerant of all this... But you interrupt me again. This is what I wanted to say: if such a young man is inspired and gets to the stadium, then it doesn’t matter why. The main thing is that he came, bought a ticket and watched the match. This means my mission is partially accomplished. Because it’s sad to see empty stands. Last season, I remember, I was at the Minsk - Slavia match...

— When did Minsk win 3:2?

- Yes. Such fun football! The best match I saw in 2012. But there were three hundred people sitting in the stands. I wanted to cry. Maybe someone will call me a sentimental fool about this, but my heart really hurts for our attendance. At the beginning we talked about Soviet football. I caught a piece of it. As a little girl, I came to the stadium, which was completely packed, people were sitting on a hill to watch the match of local teams. Now, I’m afraid, no one even knows that they exist. Overall the atmosphere was just wonderful. And even football players of not the highest level felt attention to themselves. They understood that they had come to see them. And now our professionals from the major leagues are deprived of interest. In general, I want the football to be as more people, even if they accuse me of pathos and excessive propaganda. Therefore, it doesn’t matter what the reason is that motivates you to go to the stadium. If FC Minsk is now trying to attract people expensive gifts and shares - okay. The main thing is that 300 people are replaced by a thousand. Perhaps out of this thousand at least a hundred will become regular visitors. And this is already a positive increase.

- Will they recognize you?

- It happens. Mainly at stadiums :).

— Does working at “Football Time” contribute to this?

— I don’t know, I’m generally very calm about my work on TV.

— Two months of work on camera — and an invitation to appear on TV. Doesn't it really touch you?

- No way. You see, I have never been a person who wants to draw attention to myself. I'm talking about football. I perceive everything that happens as part of the work. And I don’t focus on attention. This touches those who initially set it as an end in themselves to shine. I just wanted to be able to talk about what I love. Yes, I won’t lie, sometimes it hurts me when it starts: “She shouldn’t be doing this.” But overall I'm calm. Well, I got on TV... Well, I got it. Moreover, not in two months, but in three :). This means that the people who work on this TV noticed my work. The main thing now is not to fly out of there amid fanfare :).

Neckline, Milan, Esquire

- Let's end with stereotypes. “A woman at football is a husband hunter.”

- Well, it's normal when girls like boys :). But I haven't been free for a long time. And my lack of freedom has nothing to do with football. In general, you know, if a stereotype has been created, it means that women allowed themselves to be talked about in a similar way. One day an intern came to us at “All About Football” who actually wore deep necklines and at matches did not understand who was playing. She thought that the editorial office of the newspaper “Everything about Football” was constantly surrounded by football players. And when it turned out that they were not spinning, the girl was deeply disappointed. If such behavior is once noticed, it becomes very deeply etched in the memory. That is why there is a stereotype that is extremely difficult to get rid of. But it is always difficult to prove the opposite. Yes, I have friends among football players. And if I communicate with them, many may interpret it incorrectly. But it doesn't bother me. People can only be touched by what they feel guilty about. And my conscience is absolutely clear. I don't care.

— More stereotypes?

— I was lucky to attend international matches early on. I see that there are enough women in European football. And they are perceived normally.

- And at the same time, they are used to perform an aesthetic function.

— We initially said that I would not appear in a neckline and shorts at football. Any person can perform an aesthetic function if desired. And I always worry about how I look. Moreover, at work people look at me. I don't have the right to look bad. This is an axiom. The axiom is not only for women, for everyone.

— Do you like the way Belarusian journalists dress?

- To be honest, not really. Still, you need to somehow present yourself and carry you further. And in the same way, I don’t really like it when football players allow themselves to emerge from the locker rooms haphazardly. I still remember how Milan players entered the mixed zone. People could be immediately put on the cover of the conventional Esquire or GQ, or indeed any glossy magazine. You see, at the same time, I can’t say how football players perceive poorly dressed journalists. This is something between men. You also need to ask the players about the reaction to me specifically.

- But have you ever accepted refusals in an interview?

- I was rarely refused. Although now, when I run onto the field immediately after a match, sometimes it happens. But at some points it is understandable. When you're suddenly attacked by a woman in makeup with a microphone, maybe it's scary :). Plus, not all of our players understand that communicating with journalists is part of their profession. Public profession. Then I don’t rule out the possibility that the players’ wives are sitting in the stands. And this probably confuses some players. Although I want to say: don’t be afraid, please, I don’t need a football player husband. I'm not interested in football players as men at all. We just work with them. There are some taboos and professional ethics. It's not even discussed.

— Have football players ever approached you?

P.S. Guys from the Altair cafe, thank you for taking us on the boat. And your coffee is delicious. All the best.

Why don't you have children?

There is a position that I wholeheartedly share. It sounds something like this: children limit my personal freedom; I have not yet achieved enough fulfillment in this life to devote myself to a child. At the same time, children do not seem to me like a hindrance or some kind of evil. It’s just that for now I believe that I do not have the inner responsibility and determination to share my freedom with my child.

I saw this happen with my older brother and my older sister. Fathers still remain more or less free. It’s great to come back from work in the evening or on the weekend to babysit your baby. I understand that complaints may arise from men: “Yes, I got up at night and warmed a bottle for him!” Yes, I got up and warmed up, yes, I went to work without sleep, but I pulled myself out of family life and rebooted psychologically.

The mother cannot afford such a reboot. At some point her hectic life becomes silent. I am the thrice godmother of my classmate’s children. I understand her parental love. The children's delight is understandable. But my friend is honest with me and admits that their upbringing at first is an endless “Groundhog Day.” There is no free time. You see, it’s just that someone is ready to sacrifice this time, realizing that they have to wait a year or two or three, and then freedom will return. And someone like me (you need to choose a literary word)… is afraid. I don't feel ready to take and lose my current freedom. Perhaps it's just an illusory thing. But I like her.

Luckily my maternal instinct is asleep. Fortunately, because there is no internal conflict in me yet. And I can honestly say that in 33 years it has never happened that this instinct woke up, as if resting after New Year's Eve, and began to pump his license: “Christina! Hello! Can you hear me?” He is in a lethargic sleep.

This is a situation from the category of “the well-fed will not understand the hungry.” If a person has a child, he certainly says: “How could I live without my baby!” Well... It's natural. Who can say that it was better without a child? Why lie to yourself? It’s normal to say that life is better with change. But I don’t want such changes yet.

Do you feel pressure from society about this?

No. I have filtered society so much that my surroundings are made up of people who do not put pressure on me.

Photos of pregnant women. This is madness. Instagram is all about women in labor. A woman with a belly like this is depicted on the left side of the collage. And on the right she is already with the child. You know, this is anatomy that I don't want to see. Childbirth is an intimate process. And we hypertrophy it. You may not like my opinion, but from the outside I see it this way: I’ll show my child to the whole world, despite all his insecurity. It would be better if you spent the time spent taking photographs on his upbringing. To each his own, but for me it’s some kind of devilry,” Kozel quotes