# Oleh Kerchu

Oleh Kerchu (Ukrainian: Олег Миколайович Керчу; born 6 July 1984) is a Ukrainian former footballer and currently the youth head coach for FSC Bukovyna Chernivtsi.

## Club career
### Early career

Kerchu began his career in 2001 with Bukovyna Chernivtsi in the Ukrainian First League. In 2006, he signed with FC Desna Chernihiv in the Ukrainian Second League where he helped the team secure a promotion by winning the league title. The following season, he returned to the second division by signing with Prykarpattya Ivano-Frankivsk.
In 2008, he returned to his hometown club Bukovyna, and served as team captain. During his second tenure with Bukovyna, he helped the club win the league title during the 2009/2010 season which secured them a promotion to the first league.

### Belarus

In the early winter of 2014, he was invited north of the border for a trail with Naftan Novopolotsk. Ultimately, he secured a deal with the club to compete in the Belarusian Premier League. Throughout the season he appeared in 31 matches for Naftan. He left the Belarus circuit after a single season. Kerchu would help the club finish fifth in the Belarusian top tier.
Following his stint abroad, he returned to the Ukrainian second division to sign with Nyva Ternopil. After the conclusion of the 2014-15 season, his contract with Ternopil was renewed for another season. His second season with Ternopil was short-lived as left the team several months later. Kerchu would finish the remainder of the Ukrainian campaign with his former club Bukovyna Chernivtsi.

### Canada

Following his brief stint with Bukovyna, he was linked to a possible move abroad to Canadian side Toronto Atomic. Instead, he would sign with expansion side Ukraine United in the Canadian Soccer League's first division in the summer of 2016. In his debut season, he appeared in 20 matches recorded 3 goals, and helped secure a postseason berth by finishing second in the division. The western Toronto side defeated the Brantford Galaxy in the quarterfinal round. Ukraine's playoff journey would conclude in the next round after a defeat by the Serbian White Eagles.
Kerchu returned to the Canadian circuit in the summer of 2017 to sign with Vorkuta. He would be named the team captain and recorded his first pair of goals in his debut match against Milton SC. In Vorkuta's debut year in the league, he assisted the club in securing the divisional title. Kerchu would contribute a goal in Vorkuta's win over Royal Toronto in the opening round of the playoffs. Ultimately, Vorkuta would be eliminated in the following round by Scarborough SC.
He re-signed with Vorkuta for the 2018 season. In his second season with the club, he helped to secure another playoff berth by finishing second in the division. Their opponents in the preliminary round were Real Mississauga where they successfully defeated the club. In the semifinal round, Vorkuta would defeat SC Waterloo Region in a penalty shootout to advance to the league championship final. Kerchu would help Vorkuta claim their first league championship after defeating Scarborough.

### Return to Ukraine

After the conclusion of the Canadian season, he returned to his former club Bukovyna to compete in the 2016–17 campaign. He played 7 matches during the club's run in the country's second division.
Kerchu left the Canadian circuit after three seasons and played his final season with Bukovyna in 2019. In 2020, he began playing at the regional amateur circuit with Pokuttia Kolomyia. The following year he played with Probiy Horodenka.

## Managerial career

In 2020, he was named the youth head coach for Bukovyna Chernivtsi. He joined Bukovyna's senior team coaching staff as the team's physical trainer in 2024.

## Honors

Bukovyna Chernivtsi
* Ukrainian Second League Group A: 2009–10
Desna Chernihiv
* Ukrainian Second League Group A: 2005–06
FC Vorkuta
* CSL Championship: 2018
* Canadian Soccer League First Division: 2017