Alexander Nikiforov is a Soviet and Ukrainian footballer who played as a midfielder. In Russia, he was noted for his games in the KAMAZ team from Naberezhnye Chelny, the rest of the time he played for Ukrainian or Hungarian clubs.
Player childhood
Alexander Nikiforov was born in Odessa on October 18, 1967. He became interested in football while still at school. Therefore, he entered the school of the local "Chernomorets". His first trainers were Gennady Bursakov and Igor Ivanenko.
By the end of high school, he had grown to the double level of the main team of the city. He began to play for the youth “Chernomorets” as a midfielder. Remained true to this role until the end of his career.
Professional career
The player’s professional career began in 1986 in another Odessa team - SKA. Having reached military age, Alexander Nikiforov was to go to serve in the armed forces. However, for sporting success he was involved in the game at a local football club. In SKA, he spent the entire life of 2 years. The team at that time performed at a low level - in the republican championship of the Ukrainian SSR. Not much success. Alexander Nikiforov was a player of the basic structure, spent 74 matches in which he scored 4 goals.
Debut in the "Chernomorets"
Having returned to the civilian city, Nikiforov was immediately attracted to the main team of the city - Odessa “Chernomorets”. He made his debut in the main team in 1988, Alexander Nikiforov. The footballer spent his first match in the Higher League of the USSR Championship.
In 1988, the team showed an unstable game, but thanks to several victories in the second half of the season, it secured itself from the struggle for survival. As a result, “Chernomorets” finished in 13th place, having won only 9 victories in 30 matches.
The next season, Alexander Nikiforov, who had already gained experience, whose photo was in all Odessa sports newspapers, led the teams to victories along with a mentor and partners. At the finish of the championship, the team won the fight for the championship in the middle of the table. With a slight advantage from competitors, she took 6th place, which allowed her to perform in European competitions.
In the UEFA Cup, Alexander Nikiforov, whose biography has already begun to interest other clubs, debuted in 1990. In the first round, “Chernomorets” knocked out the Norwegian “Rosenborg” (3: 1, 1: 2). But in the second I came across a strong French “Monaco”. After a goalless draw in Odessa, the game in a foreign principality ended in a 0-1 defeat.
In total for “Chernomorets” Nikiforov spent 57 matches, in which he scored 6 goals.
Returning to Odessa
The player’s further career took shape in various clubs, from which he returned from time to time to his native Odessa “Chernomorets”.
In 1990, he left for the humble Hungarian Higher Military School, where he spent three seasons. At the same time, he appeared on the field infrequently - only 26 times in all time. In 1992, he first returned to Chernomorets, who at that time had already played in the Ukrainian championship. The team from Odessa was among the leaders of the championship and won bronze medals, losing only to Dynamo Kyiv and Dnepropetrovsk.
In 1993, Alexander Nikiforov moved to the Premier League of Russia. The Soviet football player in the past played two seasons for KAMAZ from Naberezhnye Chelny. He appeared on the field irregularly, having played only 16 matches.
Then he played again for Odessa "Chernomorets", FC "Nikolaev" and the Hungarian MTK. In 1996 he returned to KAMAZ. This season was more successful. Nikiforov spent 11 games in which he scored twice. At the end of the season, the team took 14th place, three points from the relegation zone.
1997 spent in the Russian First Division for the Gazovik-Gazprom team from Izhevsk, with which he took 12th place.
The player’s further career began to decline. After Gazovik-Gazprom, he played only in the second league of the Ukrainian Championship and for amateur football clubs.
He played in Odessa teams "Fisherman-Dorozhnik", SK "Odessa", football clubs "Signal" and Digital. He completed his professional sports career in 2005.
Nikiforov family
The Nikiforov family is closely connected with football. His brother Yuri is famous for playing for the Russian national team. He played for Moscow “Spartak”, becoming a three-time champion of Russia and scoring 16 goals in red and white in 85 matches.
Yuri Nikiforov, like his brother, started in Odessa "Chernomorets", spoke in the position of defender. In 1996, he moved to the Major League Championship of Spain, where he played for the Gijon Sporting. After that, in his career were the Dutch PSV, Valwijk and the Japanese Urava Red Diamonds. In the number of titles can also bring itself three victories in the championship of the Netherlands and a triumph in the Cup of Japan. From 1993 to 2002 he played for the national team of Russia. Spent 59 matches in which he scored 6 goals. He participated in the 1996 European Championships and the 1994 and 2002 World Championships. After mundial decided to end his career.
The uncle of Alexander Nikiforov, Yuri Zabolotny, is closely associated with football. In the USSR championship, he spent more than two hundred matches for the Odessa “Chernomorets”, played for Kiev “Dynamo” and Nikolaev “Shipbuilder”. He was a member of the Ukrainian SSR team. In 1962 he received the title of Master of Sports of the Soviet Union.
Alexander Nikiforov’s father was also a footballer, but probably achieved the least success. In the 60s, he played for the double Odessa "Black Sea". In the future, his career did not advance.
Coaching
After the end of his sports career, Nikiforov became a coach. In 2001, he led the amateur team "Signal" from Odessa.
And in 2010 he entered the coaching staff of his native “Chernomorets”. The team at that moment was going through hard times, speaking in the First League of the Ukrainian championship.
For the 2010/2011 season, the task was set to return to the highest echelon. The main rival of Odessa was the club "Alexandria", which in the end they lost 4 points at the finish. But, taking second place, they were able to regain a ticket to the High Division.